Page 79 of Wish I Might
They trooped over, Nash almost dropping the elephant twice, and sat.Nash piled his loot—technically, her loot—on the bench beside him, then reached for the nachos.He lifted a chip, dripping with cheese, and crammed it into his mouth.“God, these are disgusting.”
“I know.”She snagged one for herself, savoring the creamy cheese sauce and the bite of the jalapeños.“But so good.”
He grunted in agreement and continued to eat.“We need a drink.”
There was a lemonade stand directly across from them.“I’ll be right back.”
She had to wait in line, so by the time she got back with two giant cups of lemonade, there were only a few nachos left in the bowl.
Nash traded them for one of the drinks.“Saved the last ones for you.”
“You’re too generous.”She sat down, and with the lemonade on the ground between her feet, polished them off.
“I have a question about the group project.”
She glanced at Nash.“Okay.”
“Where do you want to have it?”
“You mean like, what location?”She sucked cheese sauce off her thumb.“I hadn’t really thought about it.What are my options?”
“At home, or an in-call space of one of his friends.”
She frowned.“Not a hotel?”
He shook his head.“Sawyer nixed that.Too risky.”
“Oh.”She couldn’t think why a hotel would be risky, but he was the professional.“Why don’t you choose?”
“Me?”
“Sure.I trust you,” she said, then jerked when the phone in her pocket buzzed.She pulled it out, then stilled when she read the text from Chloe in the group chat.
On my way to tell them.Wish me luck.
“Shit.”
“Problem?”Nash asked.
Bailey looked up, then back at her phone.“Maybe,” she said, thumbs flying as she texted back.
Do you need us?
Depends how this goes,came the reply.
Gwen replied before Bailey could.On standby.Keep us posted.
Will do,Chloe replied.Love you guys.
Bailey sent back her customary heart emoji, then looked up.“I need to go home.”
If Nash was caught off guard, he didn’t show it.He stood, carried the empty nacho bowl to the trash can a few feet away, then came back and picked up the elephant.“Okay, let’s go.”
Bailey got to her feet, nearly upending the forgotten lemonade.She picked it up and tossed it in the trash, then reached for the elephant.“I can carry that.”
“I’ve got it.You get the bag.”
She scooped up the bag that held the T-shirt, keychain, souvenir mug and the caricature she’d made Nash sit for.“Thanks, Nash.”
