by E. L. Todd
“No, I have an apartment down the road.”
I walked with her through the hallway. “Can I walk you to your car?”
She snuck a glance at me. “It’s okay.”
“I don’t mind. It’s not smart to walk to your car alone.” Besides, I needed more time to talk to her.
“I don’t want you to go out of your way…”
“I’m not. My car is in the lot too.”
“Okay.” She held one strap of her purse while she walked. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Silence stretched between us. I tried to think of something to say but couldn’t think of anything intelligent. She was quiet, her thoughts a mystery.
“How was work?” I asked.
“It was okay. My shift was short. How was your day?”
“It was alright.” I put my hands in my pockets while I walked. “Have you done any more speed dating?”
“No. I won’t do that again.” She rolled her eyes.
I chuckled. “Me neither.”
She glanced at me then kept walking. “I’ve never seen you in the library before.”
“I’m there all the time. I’m usually on the first floor.”
“Why were you on the second today?”
“Theo was talking too much. I needed to go somewhere quiet.”
She chuckled. “I know how that is. Sometimes Deana won’t shut up when I’m trying to study.”
“Deana?” I asked.
“My friend—the blond one.”
“Oh.” I looked straight ahead, trying my best not to stare at her.
“Honestly, you don’t strike me as the studious type.”
She was dead on about that. “I guess you were wrong.”
“I guess so.” She dug her keys out of her purse as we approached her car.
When we stopped in front of a beat-up Volvo, I raised an eyebrow, surprised she drove something so old and unreliable.
“This is me,” she announced.
I stopped and looked at her. “It was nice seeing you, Beatrice.”
“You too, Conrad.” She stared at me like she expected me to say something.
Judging by her vibe, it still wasn’t the time to ask her out. She was difficult to figure out, incredibly complicated. But I knew she didn’t want my attention or interest. She was clearly attracted to me, but that wasn’t enough. “Good night.” I turned around and walked off without looking back.
When I was in my car, I sighed in annoyance. Why did I have to be so attracted to the one girl that was practically untouchable? I’d give anything to know what she was thinking, the secrets to her heart.
“I want you to ask her on a date.”
Theo stared at me with an incredulous expression. “The blond girl? The one who doesn’t know how to shut up? That one?”
“Yes.” I sat across from him at the sports bar, my eyes silently begging him.
“And what would that accomplish?”
“Ask her to do a casual group date, just hanging out. And tell her to bring a friend. I know she’ll drag Beatrice.”
Theo scratched the back of his neck and sighed. “Don’t do this to me, dude. She’s so annoying.”
“Just put up with it. Take one for the team.”
“We aren’t a team,” he snapped. “I’m just doing this so you can get your girl.”
“I’d do it for you.”
“No, you wouldn’t.”
He was right. I probably wouldn’t.
“I’ll pay you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be stupid.”
“Just go out with her once. Sleep with her later so you at least get something out of it.”
“She’ll probably talk the whole time,” he snapped.
“Whatever. Just get off then leave.”
He rubbed his temple in an irritated way. “What’s with this girl? I know she’s hot and all, but no chick is worth this much effort.”
Something was off with him. “Is everything alright with you?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“You seem…bitchy.”
Theo laughed. “There’s this new trainer at my studio and…they’re just a pain.”
“Well, get over it,” I blurted. “Now ask this girl out.”
He gave me a look of loathing. “You owe me big.”
“Whatever you want.”
“I want season tickets to the Red Sox.”
My eyebrows shot up. “I don’t have any. You know that.”
“But you can get them.”
“Dude, I asked you to go out with some chick, not give me your kidney. I’ll pay for your dinner. That’s all you’re getting.”
“You still owe me.”
“Well, when a reasonable request comes up, we’ll talk about it.”
He grabbed his beer and downed it. “I’m going to be drunk on this date, just so you know.”
“Whatever gets you through the night.”
“And you better score with this girl, because I’m not going out with Blondie twice.”
Not gonna happen. I’d be happy if I just got her number.
I arrived at the restaurant and spotted Theo talking to Deana. They were sitting at a table in the center of the room. Theo’s eyes were hollow like he was trying not to fall asleep. The vein in his forehead was throbbing in annoyance. When he spotted me, relief spread across his face.
“Conrad, over here.” He waved me over.
I went to the table then introduced myself to Deana.
Her eyes conveyed her attraction to me. “Wow, that is lucky.” Then she turned back to Theo and ran her fingers over his hand. “But I’m luckier.”
Theo smiled but it was forced and borderline painful.
I took a seat next to Theo. “Tell me about my date.”
Deana flipped her blond hair over one shoulder. “She’s pretty typical. Beautiful, smart, funny…”
“That’s not typical,” I blurted. “At least, not from what I’ve seen.”
She batted her eyelashes at me. “Maybe you should look around more…”
I ignored her invitation. “What can you tell me about Beatrice?”
“Beatrice?” Her eyebrows shot up. “I don’t think I said her name…”
Oh shit. “You just did a second ago.” I said it with a straight face and hoped she would believe me.
“Oh.” She thought for a moment then let it go. “Anyway, she’s a political science major and she wants to be a lawyer.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure why, since she has a great family business to get into. But that girl is the most headstrong person I’ve ever met.”
“She isn’t talking to a guy, right?”
She laughed. “Beatrice? No, definitely not.”
What did that mean? “She’s been burned before or something?”
“She’s just…picky.” She shrugged. “Honestly, you’re wasting your time. I’ve seen perfect men throw themselves at her and she doesn’t blink an eye over it. If I didn’t drag her out, she’d stay at home and try to disappear.”
Why is she like that? “Any reason why?”
She shrugged but didn’t say anything.
“How did you get her to come out tonight?”
“You know…” She turned toward me. “Maybe you should save your questions until your date actually arrives.”
Theo was right. Her attitude was really annoying. “Could you answer my question, please?”
“Since you said please.” She flipped her hair again. “I told her we were just hanging out with friends. When she realizes it’s a double date, she’ll be pissed at me for a week. But she’ll forgive me like always.” She laughed at her own comment. Even her laugh was annoying.
I adjusted my blazer and sat back in my seat, my eyes on the door. I waited for Beatrice to walk through, wanting to move in for the kill. Perhaps an evening with her would make her open up to me.
Theo and Deana started talking again, keeping their voices low.
Just listening to Deana’s voice made my teeth clench in annoyance. If she wasn’t good in the sack, then she would literally be useless.
Finally, a thin brunette walked in. Her hair was curled, and it framed her face perfectly. She wore dark jeans with brown boots, and a white blouse was tight on her body. Her fair skin was flawless. I wondered how she tasted. It was all I could think about.
Deana looked over her shoulder and spotted Beatrice. “Over here, girl.” She waved her over.
Beatrice headed to our table, but when she spotted me, she stopped in mid-step. Her eyes locked to mine and a quiet explosion took place deep within. She breathed hard but then regained her composure immediately, acting like my presence made no difference to her.
She reached her chair then looked down at her friend, a scowl on her face. “So much for just hanging out, huh?”
“We are hanging out,” Deana pressed. “With two gorgeous men. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if you’re gay.”
Theo chuckled quietly.
I didn’t react at all, wanting Beatrice to think I was on her side.
Beatrice sighed then sat down. It was obvious she had a lot of things she wanted to say, but classy and logical, she closed her mouth and kept her thoughts to herself.
When she was across from me, I stared at her face openly. “Good evening, Beatrice.” I kept my hands in my lap while one leg rested on the opposite knee. I dressed nicely, wanting her to see me in a different way.
She locked her gaze to mine. “Hello, Conrad. It’s nice to see you again.” She was always polite, but her words were meaningless. I could tell she was pissed I was there. It wasn’t personal, but she was still uncomfortable.
I leaned toward her. “For the record, I didn’t know it was going to be you who walked through that door.”
She didn’t react in any way. She grabbed the menu and browsed through the selections.
I hit Theo’s knee with mine then nodded toward Deana, silently asking him to engage her in conversation.
Theo released a deep breath from his lips then he asked Deana a question. Thankfully, a conversation played out.
Now that they were entertained, I concentrated on Beatrice. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you.” She stared at her menu, her eyes scanning left and right. When her face was relaxed, she was even more beautiful. Her hair was full and thick. “You look nice too.”
“Thank you.” I unfastened my coat. “My mom picked it out.”
She smirked slightly. “Your mother still picks out clothes for you?”
“For my birthday and Christmas.” I shrugged. “What can I say? She has good taste.”
Beatrice was a little more relaxed. She put the menu aside, exposing her full face to me.
“What did you decide on?”
“Caesar salad.”
I hated these types of girls, the kind that hardly ate anything. “When you go out to a restaurant, you should just indulge and get what you want.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Excuse me?”
“I was just suggesting something more appetizing.”
“I ate an hour ago.” Her voice was crisp and cold. “I’m just not that hungry. But thanks for being so concerned about my eating habits.”
Okay, I shouldn’t have said that. Now we were off to a bad start. “My apologies.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and scanned the crowd.
“Did you work today?”
“In the morning.”
“How was that?” It was hard to have a conversation with her since she was so short and cut off from everything. If she weren’t so cool, I wouldn’t bother.
“It was okay. How was your day?”
I shrugged. “No complaints. How are you doing in your classes?”
“Fine,” she said with a sigh. She seemed irritated, like she wanted to be anywhere but there.
My anger and annoyance were getting to me. I was working my ass off just to get to know her, and she was constantly being a bitch. I was sure she had a good reason to behave that way, but I couldn’t figure it out. I hadn’t asked her out once and she was still keeping me on ice, not even entertaining the idea of being my friend. “Did I do something to offend you?”
Her eyes moved to mine. “Sorry?”
“Every time I see you, you give me the cold shoulder. I’ve been nothing but polite to you, being a gentleman and treating you with respect. All I ask is to be treated the same way. So stop giving me short answers and stop being rude. I’m patient, but that patience is running out.”
Theo and Deana stopped talking, their eyes on us.
“About time someone said something…” Deana chuckled lightly.
Beatrice seemed completely caught off guard. “I…I’m sorry.”
“You should be.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “I don’t know what your problem is, but think about other people besides yourself.”
Deana tried to hide her smirk with her hand.
Beatrice’s cheeks reddened and her eyes watered slightly. She seemed thoroughly embarrassed. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to come off that way.” Her apology seemed genuine.
“It’s okay.” I opened the menu and looked for something to order. I hit my knee against Theo’s, silently telling him to pick up his conversation with Deana. He did as I asked.
After I decided what I wanted, I put the menu down.
Beatrice was staring at me, a new look on her face. “What are you getting?” Her voice was quiet.
“Pizza.”
“Good choice.”
I nodded then sipped my beer.
“How are your classes going?”
At least she was making an effort. Maybe snapping at her was a smart move. “Good. I have a lot of papers to do this semester, but I guess that’s expected since this is my last year.”
“Did you like the books you checked out from the library?”
What did I check out again? I couldn’t recall. “Yeah, they were interesting.”
“Do you read a lot?” She seemed genuinely interested.
I shrugged. “For the most part. What do you do for fun, Beatrice?”
She thought for a moment. “I like to garden.”
I hadn’t expected that from her—at all. “Where do you garden?”
“Well, I have an apartment, so I have to put the plants on my balcony. But I have a lot of different things. I grow peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs and spices, and of course, flowers.”
“Cool.” I looked into her eyes, seeing the emerald color I was so fond of. They reminded me of a summer meadow in the middle of nowhere. “When did you start doing that?”
“My mom and I used to do it together. I guess I carried on the tradition.”
Did that mean her mom was dead? I couldn’t tell. The way she worded that sentence was odd. “It’s a good tradition. Nurturing a garden requires skill and love.”
She smiled. “I give my plants more love and affection than I do to people.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” I smiled while I said it, letting her know I was teasing her.
She laughed lightly. “I’ve been told I have a rough exterior…”
“You don’t say.”
She laughed again then shook her head slightly. “I really am sorry I offended you. You seem like a nice guy.”
I wasn’t. “I have my moments.”
“So…what’s your favorite Star Wars movie?”
“You know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask that?” I rested my elbows on the table and leaned toward her.
She didn’t lean back. Instead, she flashed me a beautiful and wide smile. Her teeth were pearly white and straight. Her lips were red and soft. I could tell just by looking at them. And when happiness escaped her body, it made her green eyes flash in a brighter shade of color. They emitted more light than the sun. I could look into them forever. “So, what is it?”
“Return of the Jedi.”
She shook her head slig
htly. “That’s everyone’s favorite movie.”
“No,” I argued. “All my friends like Attack of the Clones.”
“Also cliché.”
“You’re cliché,” I teased.
“How is that possible?” she demanded. “I’m a girl who likes Star Wars. That’s unheard of.”
“No, a girl who has taste isn’t unheard of. But it’s rare.”
The waiter came to our side of the table and took our order. I ordered a bottle of wine, wanting Beatrice to loosen up more. She and I had made a lot of progress tonight, more than any other meeting.
She sipped her wine. “It’s pretty good.”
“You would know.”
She smelled it before she took a sip. “You don’t need to own a vineyard to know good wine.”
I took a drink then put it down. “I think wine in a box is good. So I think your theory is flawed.”
She laughed. “Wine in a box?”
“Don’t act like you haven’t had it,” I teased. “Who says wine can’t be cheaper than milk?”
“Any person who’s had wine.”
I shrugged. “Well, I’m pretty easygoing when it comes to stuff like that.”
“I can tell.”
I poured more wine into her glass then put the bottle down. “Can I ask you something?”
“I guess. But I may not answer.”
“Why don’t you want to take over your father’s company?”
“I just don’t want to.”
“Come on, Beatrice. What’s the real reason?” I stared at her without backing down. I made my confidence apparent.
“Why don’t you want to run a software company?”
“Because software is boring,” I said. “I don’t even know the mechanics behind it. All I’d be doing is pushing paper around and deciding when to invest and when to fold. Wine sounds a lot more fascinating. Vineyards are beautiful, and wine is delicious.”
“There’s more to it than that…”
“Enlighten me.” I sipped my wine while I looked at her.
She stared out the window for a moment before she turned back to me. “Everyone in the business is fake. It doesn’t matter about the quality of the wine or how it will please people. All that matters are profit margins. And when you have a large company, it’s difficult to tell who loves you for who you are or what you can offer. And when there’s a lot of money involved, there’re also threats.”
