Page 41 of The Bad Boyfriend Curse
“Yeah.” But I doubt that Quinn’s Toronto and my Toronto are the same. “What did Kaitlyn mean when she called you a bleeding heart?”
He pushes his floppy blond hair off his forehead. “Last summer there was a homeless encampment at a park near the club, and I made the grave error of posting on social media that there’s something seriously wrong with Cherrybridge if people have no choice but to live in a tent next to a country club with annual dues that could pay their rent for a year.”
My eyes widen. Is that how much the club’s dues are? “What happened to the encampment?”
“What do you think? The people were removed. The town chartered a bus to get them out of Cherrybridge.”
“Really? Where did they send them?”
He shrugs. “Kitchener? Toronto? Who knows? A place that has resources for unhoused people.” He sighs. “I wouldn’t worry about those guys,” he says, indicating outside. “They’re still in their Cherrybridge bubble. Once they get out of this town, they’ll see what the real world is like.”
I wonder what Quinn knows about the real world. After all, he was born and raised in the same Cherrybridge bubble as his friends. But before I can give it any more thought, he looks at me, his expression changing into a smile.
“I have a confession to make.”
I frown, confused. “Okay…”
“I didn’t come in here to help you carry popcorn. I’m pretty sure you can carry popcorn on your own.”
I laugh. “So why did you follow me?”
“I wanted to ask you if you would go for dinner with me tomorrow night.”
My eyes widen. Quinn is asking me out? “Oh… Um, I mean—”
He raises an eyebrow. “Unless thereissomething going on between you and that singer?”
I laugh nervously. Something tells me that “kind of” would be the wrong thing to say. “No. I mean, Noah and I are friends. But I had kind of a messy situation before getting here. It’s a long story… that ends with me in community service. I think—”
“You think dating is a bad idea right now? I hear you.”
I smile, relaxing. Quinn’s all right. Yeah, he’s the most conventionally handsome guy I’ve ever met, but he’s nice, too. I kind of understand why Liv said it’s a heady feeling to be on the receiving end of attention from Quinn Carrigan. It feels different from when I’m talking to Noah, but it still feels good.
And… I’m thinking about Noah again. I need to stop. Something Noah said to me pops into my mind. It was my lack of experience, not the curse, that made me make a mistakewith Gabe. But how can I get more experience dating when I’ve decided never to date?
“How about going to dinner with me as a friend, then?” Quinn offers. “No strings, I promise. I can show you that Cherrybridge is more than country clubs and dive bars with donuts.”
Why not? It’s not a real date. And who knows, maybe getting attention from another guy will cure me of this Noah Jacobs obsession.
“Okay,” I say, smiling. “A friend date.”
The smile Quinn gives me almost melts my insides, and I wonder if I’ve just made another monumental mistake.
CHAPTER FIFTEENMeera’s Makeover
On Friday, Noah, Kennedy, Ash, and I are the only ones who show up for CROP. I know why I haven’t missed a day: I am incapable of skipping, especially something mandated. It goes against my entire honor student persona.
While we’re planting some ground cover between the perennials in the garden bed, I ask Noah why he’s only missed the one day.
He raises a brow at me. “Um, where else would I be? I have court-ordered community service like you.”
“Yeah, but the other kids don’t show up every day.” I laugh awkwardly. “I mean, I’m a total nerd. I’ve never even skipped school.”
His eyebrow is still sky high. “And what makes you think Ihaveskipped school?” he asks.
I bite my lip. I guess I kind of did expect that he’d been in trouble before this. Someone laughs behind me. It’s Kennedy.
“Yeah, as if Mr. Perfect would ever miss a day of school. He couldn’t have gotten a full ride to college without perfect attendance.”
