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Embarrassment threatens to creep into my complexion. “Is it?”
“Yeah, but like good insane.” The clarification is swift and sweet. “Like if I had billionaire money, you bet your ass, I’d have a Star Trek collection that surpasses this.”
I can’t resist laughing at her cockiness. “Surpasses?”
“Naturally because Star Trek is better.”
No, but she is better.
Better than any woman I’ve ever met.
Could’ve envisioned.
Dreamt.
“Does Puppet Boy know this place exists?”
“He does.”
“Did your ex-girlfriend know about your collection? I assume it was just starting then.”
“Not to this extent,” leaves my lips in a much quieter tone.
“Again,” Bryn sassily states on her way back to me, “that bitch’s loss.”
“Your gain.”
“One hundred percent.” Her arrival in front of me is accompanied by a dramatic cape toss. “What’s your all-time favorite Bat book?”
“Ooo,” my lips purse together in an intense fashion, “impossible answer.”
Her eyebrows launch upward in wordless counter.
“I mean how do I even choose? The Killing Joke is one of the best graphic novels to ever exist despite the whining critics who just don’t understand the impactful ending. But technically that’s a novel not really a comic book. So, if we’re going comics, I could easily pick something from The New 52 line, which revamped and relaunched all of DC – the publishing house – or I could go way back to the ‘Knightfall’ story arc where Bane breaks Batman’s back and the set of events eventually leads to modern creation of the so-called ‘Bat Family’.” It takes a moment to realize how much I’ve rambled; however, the second I do, I casually clear my throat as though I didn’t just go from mysterious billionaire to lives in his parents’ basement geek in sixty seconds. “I’m simply trying to explain that there is not a simple answer to your question.”
“Uh-huh,” she snickers obviously at my expense. “Let me try this a different way.”
An open gesture is given in her direction to continue.
“What would you choose for me – a comic virgin – to begin with?” A devilish grin that makes me leery crosses her lightly glossed lips. “And don’t worry. I’m not going to sneak in here and borrow one. I’ll swing by Crack That to purchase my own copy.” All of a sudden, she gasps and gives the edge of my hoodie an excited tug. “Or we could plan a date to go nerd diving at one of the old thrift stores downtown! That could be fun!”
Her suggestion changes my entire demeanor.
And she notices.
Because that’s what happens when you let someone get closer to you than you probably should.
“I’m not saying like…today…” Bryn’s back peddling is slow. Subtle. “Or even…this week…just…sometime?”
I struggle to keep my stare connected.
“Anytime, Wes?”
My lips press tightly together, presenting her with an answer.
An answer I know she doesn’t want.
That I should’ve known from the beginning she eventually would.
