Page 38 of All of Him
Amanda looked taken aback by my suggestion and finished off her beer, crushing the can with her hand.
“Like a…” she started slowly, seemingly put off by the idea of it being more than just hanging out.
Her reaction simultaneously crushed and relieved me.
“Not like a date. That’s not what I meant. Two friends getting a beer. You can share one of your stories then.”
She raised her eyebrows and leaned further back against the railing, cocking her hip to the side.
“I will probably say something dumb again,” she started, smirking. “But spending my Friday night with you sounds like it’ll be the best Friday night I’ve had in a long time.”
“That’s sad.” I laughed. “I’m kind of a loser.”
Amanda’s smile fell, and she stood up straight. Something about my self-deprecation unnerved her, and I realized she’d caught on to how deeply I felt the words. And letting someone see past the armor I put up? Not part of the plan. Internally, I felt something give way with her concern.
Amanda stepped toward me curiously, and I sucked in a breath. Her eyes stayed on mine, her approach giving off more confidence than usual. When she finally stopped, the porch creaked under our feet, the joists not used to having two people stand in the same spot.
My new favorite spot.
“You’re not a loser,” she whispered.
I clenched my jaw and swallowed hard as she let her bent index finger lift my chin.
“Say it, Noah.”
I nodded curtly, then obeyed, unable to think with her so close to me.
“I’m not a loser.”
She stepped away, a smile playing at her lips, but I grabbed her wrist gently. She gasped, turning to look back at me.
“Neither are you, Manda,” I whispered. “Okay?”
She jerked her head up and down, surprised by my assertiveness. But she’d needed to hear that. Because despite her lack of complaints, she was also always alone. And I knew that feeling.
“Good night, Noah.” She finally spoke, pulling her wrist from my grasp.
I put my hands in my pockets, standing silently on the creaky porch planks. My eyes didn’t leave that girl until she was well into the house. And down the driveway.
And my heart never did stop pounding.
21
Amanda
FRIDAY NIGHT, I SHUTthe passenger door to Teel’s car and turned to face the bar. It was a gastropub in the city that hadn’t shown much life since it’d opened two years prior. There were just so many other better ones in the area that no one cared to go to this one. It would be perfectly “low-key” for Noah, but it also had a good drink selection.
I’d tried not to care too much about what I wore, but I still ended up with makeup on and my nicest fall sweater. It was strictly a meetup between two friends, but I was still a little nervous about going out with Noah on purpose. Every other one-on-one encounter had been for a specific reason. I was doomed to say something embarrassing, but I would just have to embrace it.
Soft ‘90s rock played throughout the pub, and I grabbed one of the many empty stools. A few people sat at the bar, and a few more sat at tables, but it was empty for a Friday evening. I looked toward the door, noticing Noah walking up from his truck. His eyes were aimed at the ground as he pulled the door open, only glancing up to look for me.
“Hey.” He smiled, his hands nervously in his pockets once he reached my spot at the bar.
He wore the same jeans and old sneakers he always did, but he had on a tighter-fitting thermal instead of a T-shirt. It accentuated his pecs, and I awkwardly gave him a once-over before gesturing to the stool next to me.
“Right.” He laughed.
“I’ll have a gin and tonic,” I said to the bartender, trying not to notice that Noah was wearing some kind of cologne.
