Shatter (True Believers #4)(39)
Author: Erin McCarthy

How was it he could make me blush like that? He could be so truly nerdy, yet he made me feel way more shy than Nathan or any other cocky douche bag I’d dated before. “I played volleyball, remember?”

“Oh, right. Bump. I should start calling you that. It really applies now.”

I was sorry I had reminded him. “But now I do zumba and Pilates, though not since before Christmas. No energy.”

“Maybe you should try yoga instead for the next few months.”

It was a good idea. “Will you go with me?” I don’t know why I asked that. It was something I would ask Jessica or Rory, not a guy. Nathan would have told me no, then asked to see my legs over my head, if I had asked him that.

But Jonathon just shrugged. “Sure. If I can fit it in my schedule. I’ve never tried it because it’s a bit of a challenge for me to quiet my mind.”

Pleased that he was willing to go with me, I nudged him with my hip. “You can just think about the parasite quality of our baby while you meditate.”

“Fair enough.” Jonathon held the door of the ice cream shop open for me.

It was one of those places where you pile on your own toppings and they weigh the final creation. Jonathon got chocolate ice cream and then loaded it with gummy worms, sprinkles, cookie crumbles, chocolate sauce, and a cherry on top. It looked like something an eight-year-old boy with a gift card to burn would have gotten. I got cookie dough with whipped cream. Keep it simple.

We sat down in the warm shop across from each other, Jonathon clearly enjoying his massive mess of sugar. He pulled a worm out and sucked some chocolate sauce off and chewed the head aggressively.

“Oh, gross.” For some reason it sparked a memory of the Christmas green bean casserole, which had reminded me of real worms. My cheeks puffed out as my gag reflex started.

Contrite, he popped it all the way into his mouth. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Eventually this will go away, right?” I took a teeny bit of my ice cream. The cold did taste good in my mouth. “I do feel a lot better. And, thank you, by the way, for the ice cream. And everything.”

His eyes were warm. “You don’t have to thank me.”

There were so many things I wanted to say to him. To ask him. Feelings I wanted to share, feelings I wanted to earn. But instead, I just said, “Your dad suggested I drop his class.”

Jonathon pulled a face. “Whatever. I know you can pass it if you study.”

I wanted to tell him what Professor Kadisch had said to me, but I knew I couldn’t. It would just hurt him. “That would be satisfying to pass the class, I have to admit. I need to get back to normal.”

“I can study with you if you want. I have it on authority that I’m a really good tutor.”

True that. “Will we really study?” I asked him, suspicious. “Or will you distract me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bump.” He gave me a grin. “If anyone did the distracting, it was you.”

“Me?” I went for indignant, but the truth was, he was probably right. I moved my tongue down my spoon slowly, up and down, enjoying the way his expression changed, his own spoon pausing halfway to his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Reaching over I stole his cherry and sucked on the tip.

“Flirt. You know exactly what you’re talking about.”

I laughed. I hadn’t felt this good, this easy, with someone since long before RAN. He was right—I was flirting with him. And enjoying every second of it. “What’s your favorite Disney movie?” I asked him.

“My favorite Disney movie? And Kylie gets the award for the most random question ever.”

I laughed. “I’m serious. I think it says a lot about who you are. I’m trying to get to know you.”

“Via cartoon?” He licked his spoon. “I’m not sure I’ve seen a whole lot of Disney movies. I was more a Harry Potter kind of kid.”

“Okay. So which house would you be at Hogwarts?”

“Ravenclaw.” There was zero hesitation in his voice.

“Why?”

“Because they value intelligence. You have to answer a riddle to enter the dorms, how freaking cool is that?”

It was a good fit for him. “I agree, you’re totally Ravenclaw. I think I’m Hufflepuff.”

“I don’t know. I see a lot of Gryffindor in you. You’re brave and resourceful.”

I wasn’t sure how true that was. “That’s a stretch. I think I fit more with the Hufflepuff loyalty-and-hard-work kind of attitude.”

“We’ll have to ask the sorting hat.”

Jonathon’s ice cream was almost gone. I wasn’t sure how he had consumed that much in the same time I’d had three small bites. “I guess you like chocolate.”

“I guess I do. And you like whipped cream. That’s the majority of what you’ve eaten.”

“Don’t hate. I like dairy.”

“Honey, the whole thing is dairy.”

“Which is why I like it.”

He laughed. “I have a hard time following your logic.”

“That’s because it’s the world according to Kylie. I just say whatever is in my head, whether it makes sense or not.” I might as well make that clear while he still had time to escape. Not that he could escape entirely, but he didn’t have to be involved with me.

The thought that he might not want to made me more determined than ever that he would. I wanted to laugh and cuddle and spend more and more time with him.

“I find you to be super cute,” he told me. “And as long as your logic makes sense to you, then I see nothing wrong with it. Just be patient with me if I stare blankly at you.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Your ice cream is melting.”

“I think I’m finished.” I actually felt full from a few spoonfuls of whip and ice cream. Geez.

“Can I have it?”

“Go for it.”

His eyes lit up in pleasure. I laughed. “And here I thought I was the ice cream whore.”

“Now who’s hating?”

I pushed it over and watched him pack away the rest of my dessert, looking very satisfied.

I knew the feeling. I was very satisfied.

And falling in love with him.

I was. I could deny it all I wanted. I could tell myself not to hope for something permanent and wonderful with Jonathon, but I couldn’t help myself.