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I think I lost the thread of this conversation. If I ever had it. My skin burns with a feverish flush, and I can’t find a safe place to look. Not at Eli’s face, with his mouth tipped up in a half smileand his blue eyes, intent on mine. His shoulders are too broad, his collarbones too inviting.
You know it’s bad when you find yourself obsessing over clavicles.
I’m saved from myself by a huge yawn. Even though it’s only ten-thirty, I’m suddenly exhausted. I have an embarrassingly early bedtime. Beth told me once after I didn’t answer a string of texts around ten o’clock that her eleven-year-old niece stays up later than I do.
I believe it.
“We should probably head out.” Before I get anyideas. “I’m getting tired.”
“What about waffles?”
Immediately, I can see a Belgian waffle, butter glistening in every square, syrup pooling around it in a sticky lake. “I just—” A yawn cuts me off, and I cover my mouth with my hand. Who knows what my breath smells like after beer, a Dr Pepper, part of Shannon’s chili fries, and a few handfuls of Skittles. “Should probably get some sleep. I’ve got the early shift tomorrow.”
Eli lifts his hand. I think he’s going to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, the one that never stays put, but instead, he gives it a gentle tug like he did earlier, then lets it fall back against my cheek. His fingertips graze the side of my neck. I shiver.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t sound very sure.” Eli leans closer and drops his voice to a sultry whisper. “Waffles, Bailey.Waffles.”
Has a breakfast food ever sounded sexy?
“Fine.” I give Eli a playful shove, mostly because my sense of self-preservation kicks in. Having him this close is dangerous. “Let’s see who else wants to go.”
Because I need the buffer Shannon and Van provide. The two of them have been flirt-bickering all night, and it’s the perfect thing to diffuse the probably one-sided electric tension I’m feeling.
“I need to head home.” Shannon is suddenly beside me, the bathroom door swinging closed behind her. She gives me a loud, smacking kiss on my cheek. “Happy birthday, B. Do you think you can give the birthday girl a ride home?” she asks Eli. “I drove her because her car totally sucks.”
“Hey! It drives!”
“Barely,” Shannon says.
So, maybe it needs new tires. And has a dashboard lit up like Christmas with all the flashing lights: Check Engine, the little oil can symbol, and something called ABS something or other. One day I’ll have the extra cash to get all those things fixed. Or at least checked out.
Not anytime soon with the money I just sent off to Gran’s nursing home.
“I’ve got her,” Eli says, and I like the way that sounds—maybe a little too much.
We say goodbye to Van and Shannon in the parking lot, and then Eli leads me to a black SUV and opens the door for me. When he takes my hand to help me up, I exhale a happy sigh. I manage not to protest when his palm slides away from mine. After making sure my legs are properly tucked inside the vehicle, he closes the door and jogs around to his side.
As he climbs in, he pulls out his buzzing phone, frowning as he glances down at the screen. “Sorry—it’s my mom.” He lifts the phone to his ear. “Hey—what’s wrong?”
His frown deepens, and worry pinches my chest. I’d like to reach out, to place a reassuring hand on his arm. The same way he did the other day when I was coughing.
Eli didn’t hesitate or overthink the gesture. He just came right over and made sure I was okay.
I want to do the same, but I can’t quite bring myself to be that brave.
The call ends before my bravery arrives, and as Eli shoves the phone back in his pocket, I tell myself that in ten more seconds, maybe I would have worked up the courage to touch his arm.
“I have to go,” he says, dragging a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. “Something’s wrong, but she wouldn’t tell me what on the phone.”
My bravery chooses that moment to kick in. “I’ll go with you.”
“Yeah?”
Eli’s brows shoot up, and it’s then I realize he might notwantme to go with him. We’ve gone from randomly running into each other in a bar to me meeting his mother. Which is a lot of ground to cover in one night.
