Derailed (Clayton Falls #1)(13)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“You do realize we just saw each other two days ago, right?”

“Hey, a lot can happen in a few days. Like, didn’t you get a job?”

“It sounds like you are already well informed about my time.” I bit down the stalker comment that wanted to come out.

“Not one for small talk, I see. You really make a man work for it, huh?”

I shrugged. “Just saying.” I took a seat at the table, snagging a chip and dipping it in salsa.

“You didn’t ask, but my past few days have been good.” He sat down next to me.

“Oh?” He had more nerve than I expected.

“Yeah, I couldn’t stop thinking about this girl I met and wondering if she’d let me take her out.”

I groaned to myself. Did he really have to do this so early in the evening when I couldn’t just slip away? I certainly wasn’t going to make it easy on him.

“Good luck with the girl. You’ll have to let me know how it goes next time I see you.”

“And when will the next time I see you be?” He drowned a chip in the salsa.

“I’m not sure. I guess whenever Tom and Kelly decide to get us all together.”

“And what if I don’t want to wait that long?” He abandoned his chip to look at me.

“Hey, be careful. That girl you like might think there is something going on with us the way you’re talking. There’s no reason to give the wrong impression.”

“There’s every reason to give that impression.”

“Okay, I didn’t want to have to say it outright, but clearly you’re not getting the hint—” I started to explain.

“The hint?” He smiled sheepishly.

“I’m not ready to date.” I tried to be diplomatic.

“When do you expect to be ready?”

“Not anytime soon.”

“Okay, then how about a non-date?”

“Excuse me?”

“A casual dinner between friends. I’ll even let you pay your half if you want.” He tried to salvage the original chip with a new one. He was clearly the type who didn’t give up easily.

“So going Dutch somehow makes it a non-date? And why would paying for my own dinner make it more appealing?” I would definitely be paying my own way if we went out, but it was fun making it hard on him.

“Okay, so I’ll treat. Plus, I promise to keep my hands to myself and to try my best to avoid staring at you longingly, although I can’t guarantee the last part—especially if you look like you do tonight.”

I looked down at my sundress, not sure what made it particularly special.

As if he read my mind, he continued, “Although I’m sure you’d look good in a paper bag.”

“Well that last part was a deal breaker—if you can’t promise not to look at me like that.” I tried to crack a smile. “But I appreciate the offer.”

I looked around for Kelly to save me, but she had disappeared inside with Tom.

“Can’t you give a man a chance? I’m really putting myself out there.” He looked at me like a puppy begging for a bone.

I shook my head. “Oh no, no putting this on me.”

“At least think about it? I know you’d have fun.”

There was something wrong about a man that big still having the ability to put on a killer puppy dog face. I didn’t think I could take much more of it. “If I say maybe, will you lay off the rest of the night?”

“Yes,” he responded immediately. “Scout’s honor.”

“You were a Boy Scout?”

“Does that surprise you?” He leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

“No, not at all.”

“So what do you say?”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

He grinned. “Great. Okay, so just in case you say yes, do you like Italian?”

“I do, but really, don’t get your hopes up.”

“Don’t worry about my hopes. Just focus on making the right decision.” The pleading was gone, replaced by over-confidence.

I shook my head and forced a laugh. “I’m going to go find out where our hosts are.”

Discovering Kelly sitting in the kitchen doing nothing even remotely cooking related, I gritted my teeth, ready to let her have it. That is until Tom came around the corner and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, how are things going out there? I figured you two would hit it off.”

“What gave you the impression I wanted to date anyone? And even if I did, I don’t need you playing matchmaker.”

“I know you’re still hurting, but maybe you just need to get back out there. Gavin’s a great guy. I think he’ll be good for you.” Tom was sounding too big-brotherly for someone who wasn’t actually related to me.

“Kelly, a little help here?”

“I know what you want me to say, but maybe Tom’s right. Maybe you should tell Gavin …”

“Tell me what?” I’d have said that Gavin picked an inopportune moment to come inside, but I had a feeling he’d been listening to us the whole time.

I tried to come up with a plausible line, but Kelly was faster. “How inexperienced she is with dating. She’s only really ever been out with two guys: Ben in high school, and then she met Adam her freshman year of college.”

“I’m guessing Adam is the ex-fiancé, and do you mean Ben Mathews?”

“Yeah, they dated for years growing up,” Kelly explained.

“Oh, I didn’t know you two had been an item. Somehow, I can’t picture you dating a musician.”

“It was high school.” Of course, I had just kissed him the night before, but no one else needed to know that particular detail.

“So you had a bit of a wild side to you in high school then?” Gavin laughed.

“Molly and Kelly both had a wild streak growing up. Seriously, these two always knew how to get into trouble,” Tom happily supplied.

Kelly playfully hit Tom on the back. “We weren’t that bad. Don’t exaggerate.”

“How many times were the two of you busted for skinny dipping? Or wait, what about the time you took Mr. Cleaver’s boat for a joyride, or when you were caught drinking on the junior high roof?”

Gavin burst out laughing. “It doesn’t sound like you were wild as much as you were good at getting caught. Although, I have to know, do you still have a thing for skinny dipping?”