Page 80 of The Chemistry Coach
He held the penguin out to Daisy.“For you!You deserve the best prize.We never would have come together like this without you.It was the best option to represent the Freeze.”
Daisy hugged the penguin close to her chest, the size dwarfing her.She beamed at Lover.“I love it so much!”
With his arms free of the giant stuffy, he handed them each a string of beads.
Hazy laughed.“Bro, friendship bracelets?”
“Aww,” Daisy kept her grip on the penguin but held her wrist out for Lover to tie her bracelet.“I love this one, too!”
When they stuffed her penguin in her car and she drove away, Connor kicked himself for offering to drive.If he had let Hazy drive like he’d offered, he could have gone home with Daisy.Instead, he had to get Hazy and Lover home before he could get there himself.
“Finally taking Daisy home tonight, huh?”Hazy prodded when they pulled out of the parking lot.
“Wait, for real?”Lover asked.“Haven’t you only been on one date?”
Connor furrowed his brow, second-guessing his choice.They had been on one official date.Plus one interrupted breakfast.Was he moving too fast?It felt like he’d known her for years.Taking advice from a boy who had never had an actual partner was maybe not his best path forward.
Hazy interrupted his internal panic.“Dude, all these activities we’ve done have basically been dates.And they were making out in the dark earlier, so I’d say she’s on board.”
Lover got quiet.
Connor considered the situation.“The timing is right,” he decided, voicing the sentiment.
“You had better hope so.You can’t fuck this one up; we need her.”Hazy told him.
Lover agreed with him.“True.She says she’s not part of this, but she’s the glue to our line.”
Hazy and Lover were right, but he wasn’t concerned, because he’d do anything in his power to make sure she stuck around.
Chapter 25
Daisy
Daisysethernewpenguin next to her bookshelves and rushed around, trying to gather everything she would need for a sleepover.
She took an everything shower because hanging out in a bowling alley for hours was non-conducive to feeling sexy.She took her time, making sure her legs were smooth and moisturized.Then she stared into her closet, unsure what to wear.Lacey black underwear was an obvious choice, but she could also forego underthings in their entirety.Which would Connor appreciate more?
She daydreamed about all the possible scenarios as she stuffed a few items into her overnight bag.
Daisy tried to remain calm as she drove across the city.She refused to turn around and hide in her home forever.He’d probably come find her, anyway.There was something daunting about getting in your car and driving to do something you’d thought about a million times.She didn’t know how she’d wandered into the fever dream of a life she was living, but she liked it.
Each stop sign and red light was agony.Her fingers tapped the steering wheel at a frantic speed, and her heart beat out of her chest.When she got to Connor’s apartment complex, she couldn’t get out of the car.
She was being silly.This was Connor.Her Connor.The man she’d been daydreaming about for years.If she fucked this up, she’d be so pissed at herself.She rested her head on her shaky hands, leaning into the steering wheel and taking deep breaths to work up the courage to go inside.
A knock on her window interrupted her spiraling.Connor opened her door for her.
“Are you okay?”
She stepped out of her car and into his personal space.The smell of oranges and salt encompassed her, and she relaxed.This was her Connor.Her friend.She shouldn’t be nervous.
“I’m fine.Nervous.For this.For us.”
His lopsided grin set off a flutter in her chest.He circled her car, opened the passenger door, and slung her bag over his shoulder, adding it to his already large grocery load.“We don’t have to do anything, Daisy.We can hang out, have dinner, watch a movie, maybe snuggle.No expectations.I just want to be with you.”
Daisy clicked the button on her keys to lock her car, then trotted after him, linking her fingers through his when he offered his free hand.She squeezed his hand.
“Okay.Dinner and snuggles.Easy.Got it.”
