Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
I fiddle with the zipper on my jacket and bite my lip. How much do I tell him? “You know. Just making his excuses.” I fumble to put the phone back in my purse, and before I realize it, we’re pulling into the parking lot of my apartment complex.
Holy shit, that ride went quick.
Matthew pulls into a handicap parking spot right at the front entrance, cuts the engine, and jogs around the front of the Tahoe to my door – all before I get my seat belt unbuckled.
I gather my things and gingerly place my foot on the running board, stepping down into the cool September evening. Matthew shuts the truck door behind me, and the ‘blip blip’ of the lock indicator echoes in the air.
Awkwardly, we walk towards the front entrance. In the near distance, since its late night on a weekend, I see several groups of students walking – and stumbling - down the sidewalk, talking loudly and laughing. Off to my right, I watch a few girls fall over themselves in the grass, laughing.
I sigh kind of wistfully as we take the short steps on to the front porch. It’s a chilly forty degrees tonight, and I can actually see steam from my breath in the air. Not to mention, I’ve suddenly got goose bumps.
So much for fair fall weather in the Midwest…
Figures.
Clasping my hands together and hugging my jacket, I shuffle to the large blue door to punch in the keypad code. “Thanks for the ride Matthew. I think I’ve got it from here…”
The keypad blinks green, and I push through to the entryway. The long narrow hall stretches bleakly in front of us, the ugly brown carpet that should have been replaced years ago casts a dreary pallor on the walls. There is a yellow glow from the overhead lights that makes the whole corridor look like the hotel from The Shining.
So disturbing.
“I’ll walk you in. Seriously, I insist.”
A slight movement catches my eye. I swear there’s a crack in Creepy Writer Guys’ door and that he’s watching us. I nod, conceding to Matthew, and let him lead me to my door because quite frankly, I’m a tad skeeved out and have no desire to get dragged into CWG’s lair.
Silently and side-by-side we walk down the hall - this couldn’t be more awkward if it was the ending of an actual date. Fumbling for my keys, we stand in front of my apartment.
24C
My apartment keys jingle in my hands and fiddle idly with the Coach, patent leather starfish keychain my sister gave me for my birthday last year, as we stand there in the dim hall. I don’t know if we should be making idle chit chat, or if I should just go in and shut the door on this whole evening.
I look up into Matthews face, and he’s staring at me from about a foot away. He’s close. So close I can smell the mint from the evergreen gum in his mouth.
Too, too, close.
I back up, my back hitting the apartment door. Shoulders sagging a little as I cock my eyebrow at him, I say the first thing that comes to mind. “So, this just got awkward.”
He shrugs, his large shoulders move up… then down… lazily. “Ironically, this isn’t the most fucked-up date I’ve ever been on.”
I hold my palms up in a ‘stop’ motion. “Whoa buddy, let’s not get a head of ourselves here. This was not a date.” Is he out of his freaking mind?
“In a weird way, don’t you think it kind of was?” He smiles, his bright white teeth light up his entire face, the dimple in his cheek… ugh. Yum. So handsome…
Instead, I wrinkle my nose. “Um, no.”
He laughs and moves a little closer. “I’m so tempted to kiss you right now.”
I gasp and breathe in a whisper, “You wouldn’t dare.”
He makes a face. “Why do you have to go and say it like that?”
I’m not whispering any more. “Because, asshole, you’re the one who ruined my date. Yeah. My real date. You don’t get a reward for someone else’s evening. You are on crack if you think I’m kissing that mouth.”
“Fine.” Matthew stubbornly crosses his arms and pouts, leaning up against the opposite wall.
“Good.”
“Great.”
We stare at each other, sizing each other up like gunslingers in a showdown. Maybe you think I’m crazy for not letting him lay one on me, but I have a little more self-respect than that, thank you very much. Although, with the looks he’s giving me, I’m actually rethinking my resistance…
Just as I’m about to let my guard down and step towards him, the door to my apartment swings open at full force, hitting the wall behind it. Molly stands framed in the doorway, already in her pajamas. She looks at me, then she looks at her brother with an expression of disbelief. “What the hell is he doing here?” She directs her question at me, her alert green eyes curious.