Veer (Clayton Falls #2)(13)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

I knocked on Matt’s door for the third time that day. “Hey, I emailed you this too, but here’s a hard copy.”

“Great. Are you headed out then?”

“If that’s okay…”

He smiled. “It’s fine. But do you need a ride? You mentioned your car was at the garage.”

“I have Molly’s car, but thanks.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Have a nice night, bye.” I grabbed my stuff and headed out. I wondered if I had been imagining everything. Matt was fairly normal at the end of the day. Either way, I was beyond excited to get home and relax.

Chapter Nine

Becca

Matt toned things down a little over the next few days, but he still had me on edge. I spent most of my time buried in legal research. I appreciated the job, but it definitely wasn’t the most thrilling I’d ever had. I wasn’t too excited when Ronny called to set up our coffee date for Thursday, but I’d said yes, so I needed to go.

Ronny wasn’t there yet when I walked into Marney’s Café. It was a cozy little place with a comfortable feel. I went right up to the counter to order something to drink. An older woman came to wait on me, and I knew it had to be Gail. Molly had told me all about her.

“Hi there, you must be Molly’s friend.” Gail smiled warmly. She wore her long, silvery gray hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

“Hi, Gail. It’s great to meet you. I’m Becca.”

“How are you enjoying your stay so far?”

“It’s been interesting.”

“Care to talk about it?” Gail straightened a pile of flyers on the counter. I saw they were about some festival.

“I would, but I’m actually meeting someone here.” There was just something about the petite woman that made me want to spill out my life story.

“Who?”

“Ronny…” I realized I didn’t even know his last name.

“Oh. Be careful with that one. He’s a good boy, but he can be intense.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”

“Can I at least get you something?”

“Yes. A large coffee would be perfect.”

“Coming right up.”

I started to pull out my wallet when Ronny arrived at the counter. “I’ve got it.”

“Oh… okay, thanks.”

He ordered himself a coffee as well. Gail handed us our cups, and I added in some skim milk and Splenda. Ronny waited for me without adding anything to his cup. As soon as I finished, I followed him over to a table by a window.

“Hey, I’m glad you could make it. I was beginning to think this wasn’t going to happen.”

“Yeah, it’s just been a busy week—getting used to the new job and everything.” I wrapped my hands around my cup.

“I can imagine. You seemed pretty frazzled the other day at lunch.”

“Yeah, I just really want my car back.” I forced a laugh.

“Things are slow here.”

“I know. It just takes a little getting used to.”

“So tell me about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?” I took a sip of hot coffee.

“Everything,” he said flirtatiously.

“There isn’t too much to tell.”

“What does a beautiful law student in Boston do for fun?”

“Oh, well, if it’s baseball season, I’m usually watching, otherwise I swim and go to a lot of movies.” God, I sounded so boring.

“Do you go out a lot? Things have to be more exciting in the city.” He moved his leg under the table and it brushed against mine.

“Not so much anymore now that Molly moved.”

“Oh, okay. That’s cool.”

We sat awkwardly until I remembered to ask him what he was into. Sports, Nascar, and hanging out at the beach seemed to round him out. After forcing conversation for an hour, I was ready to leave.

“Would you maybe want to come hang out at my place for a bit? Have a drink or something?”

Was he serious? “Oh, thanks for the offer, but I’m going to head home. Thanks for the coffee though.”

“Oh okay, maybe next time.”

“Yeah…” I got up and tossed my empty cup in the garbage.

“Hey, I’ll walk you out.”

We stopped in front of Molly’s car, and I awkwardly waved before getting in. That had to be the worst date ever. I pulled my phone out before starting the car, and I had six text messages waiting for me.

***

Jake almost gave me a heart attack even though I knew he would be there. Stretched out on a lounge chair by the pool, he grinned when I jumped a mile high.

“Geez, kid, you scare easily.”

“You can’t call me ‘kid.’ I’m older than you.”

“By only a couple of months.”

I sat down on a chair next to him. “The same logic still applies. You can’t call me ‘kid.’”

“How about, geez you scare easily, old timer.”

I smiled. “Let’s stick with ‘kid.’”

“I thought you’d see things my way.”

“By the number of texts you sent me, I take it she wasn’t ‘Ms. Right?’” We’d planned on meeting up after our respective coffee dates to dish. Jake was really something else.

“If by ‘Ms. Right’ you mean a total bitch, then sure.”

“What’d she do?”

“She yelled at a mom because her baby was crying. The poor woman was just in line to buy something. It’s not like she was sitting there with a wailing baby.”

“That’s really sweet.”

“What? My psycho date yelling at her was sweet?”

“No! You caring about that is sweet.”

“If you say so. But I’m just getting started.”

“This I have to hear.” I leaned back in the chair, enjoying the slightly cooler air of the evening.

“So then, in the middle of a boring conversation about her friends, she starts dissing a couple sitting across from us—making fun of what they were wearing.”

“Wow, she really is a winner.”

“Needless to say, there won’t be a second date.”

“Haha, I wonder if she’ll be surprised when you don’t call.”

“She won’t be.”

“How do you know?” I turned to look at him.

“She asked if I wanted to come home with her, and I said no.”