Page 63 of Dead Pretty

What I want to feel is nothing at all.

Maybe it was a mistake, coming on this date.

I take a step back away from him, moving my eyes down to the ground.

I don’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes that I undoubtedly put there.

You want him to stop liking you. This is the way to do it. Being cold. Acting like a bitch.

Only Jack doesn’t deserve any of it.

And now, there’s this awful silence between us that not even the noises of passing cars and people walking down the busy street fill.

“So …” I start, needing to say something. “Will your bike be okay, parked here?”

“Here is as good as anywhere.” He hangs my helmet on one of the handlebars.

“Will that be safe to leave hanging there?” I ask, gesturing to the helmet.

He only just bought it, and I would hate if someone stole it.

Also, I’m a little attached to it.

Attached to a motorbike helmet. Stupid, I know. Because it’s not like I plan on riding on the back of his bike again after today.

It’s just that he was sweet to buy it for me. And I really need to stop thinking of Jack as sweet.

“Yeah, it’ll be fine.”

He seems unconcerned, and I guess it’s not like I’m back in Chicago, where you can’t leave a piece of gum out without someone stealing it.

“So, where are we going then?” I ask him.

“Here.” He tips his head in the direction of the building we’re standing outside of.

I give him a confused look. “Here? Why? Are you getting another cat or something?”

He chuckles, and I like the sound.

I like making him happy, yet I’m insistent on making him unhappy, so he’ll stop liking me.

For God’s sake.

I’m baffling the hell out of myself, so God knows what I’m doing to Jack.

I just need to … what?

Honestly, at this point, I have no frigging clue.

“No,” he answers me. “We’re here to walk a couple of rescue dogs.”

“Walk dogs? So, is … this our date?” I check.

Not that it’s a bad thing. But I just figured we would be going to the movies or something like that. Basically, like any other date I’ve ever gone on in the past.

But then Jack’s not like anyone I have ever dated in the past.

He steps closer to me again, but there’s caution to his approach. “Yeah. Well, it’s the first part of it.”