Page 22 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“No.”
I jumped in my seat when I felt his breath on the side of my face. I’d been so busy arranging my popcorn that I hadn’t realized he’d gotten so close. The seats in the theater were squished so closely together that my arm would be rubbing up against his all night.
Shit.
Maybe the movie wasn’t such a good idea after all. At least with dinner, I’d have had a table separating us.
The movie started and though my eyes stayed locked on the screen, I wasn’t absorbing the film. All of my focus was on the man sitting next to me and the arm he’d draped around my shoulders. For two hours, Nick drew circles on my shoulder with his fingertips.
I should have pulled away and told him to stop. The words were right on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t get them out. Why had I let him touch me?
Because I was bat-shit crazy. That’s why.
When the crowd stood to leave, I breathed a sigh of relief that the night was over.
“Good night,” I said when I was safely on the sidewalk, but before I could escape, Nick captured my elbow and spun me around.
“Tomorrow night. Dinner.”
“I can’t tomorrow. Thursday either. I need to spend some time finishing my lesson plans,” I lied.
My prep work for school had been done since the weekend, but I had to get some space from Nick. My mental stability was at stake. Spending last night with him at The Black Bull and then tonight at the theater was too much.
“Lesson plans? Don’t you teach little kids?” he asked.
“After you spend a day attempting to keep fourteen kindergarteners entertained without a lesson plan, you can question their necessity. Until then, trust me when I say they are vital.”
“Fine,” he said with a smug grin. “Friday. Dinner. Prescott Café. Six o’clock.”
I nodded and rushed away before he could say anything else. What was with that arrogant smile he’d given me? Had I missed a joke?
It wasn’t until I was sitting in my driver’s seat that I realized why he had grinned. We had four dates left to fit into six days. If I delayed date two until Friday, it meant that I’d be seeing him Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
A whole weekend of Nick.
“Oh for the love . . .” I muttered before banging my forehead against the steering wheel.
“Ms. Austin!”
“Fuck,” Nick muttered.
My eyes scanned the room, looking for the child who had just called my name. In the middle of the restaurant, Rowen Cleary was wildly waving.
“Hi, Rowen.” I waved back, overjoyed that I could use her as an excuse to get some space from Nick.
We were on date number two at the Prescott Café. Nick had been waiting for me outside the café when I’d arrived, and as soon as I had been near enough, he’d bent to kiss my cheek. I was sure the left side of my face was still bright red because my skin was on fire.
When I reached the Clearys’ table, Jess stood to greet me and shake Nick’s hand while I gave Rowen a hug.
“Hi, Gigi,” I said.
“Emmeline! Great to see you! Sorry I can’t get up.” She frowned, rubbing her stomach. “Jess has to practically lift me out of chairs these days. We couldn’t even sit at our regular booth over there by the window because I don’t fit.”
“Well, you look radiant. Pregnancy absolutely agrees with you.” Her skin was glowing and her hair was thick and shiny.
“Thanks.” She smiled.
“When are you due?”
