AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Noah’s phone chimed. “Thanks.”
I popped the top of my soda and took a long drink. When would be too soon to excuse myself? It was a nice evening. Not too cold, for all it was just after Valentine’s Day. Maybe I could swing by the bookstore and convince Kayla to go for a walk. We could grab ice cream or something.
“Earth to Austin.” Scott grinned at me when I looked over. “Where’d you go?”
“Sorry. Just thinking.” I definitely didn’t want to share my thoughts. The guys would never let me hear the end of it. Even if it was only two of them.
“Uh-huh. Thinking about Kayla, I assume.” Noah wiggled his eyebrows. “Fill us in.”
“No. I mean yeah, I was, but there’s nothing to fill in that you don’t know. We went to the banquet for youth on Saturday, and she finally agreed that we could date exclusively.”
“Finally?” Noah shot Scott a look. “Did you know they were dating non-exclusively?”
“I did not. When did that happen?”
I shook my head. “It didn’t. We weren’t. I just—there were some weird moments in there before I asked her to the dinner, because she’d been going out with Luke, and I guess she didn’t think I was serious about us. I don’t know. It’s fixed now, though.”
“So no more dates with the youth pastor?”
“No. Turns out, he wasn’t feeling it, either. So that’s good. At least she won’t go down as the woman who left the guy heartbroken.”
Noah snorted. “They went out what, twice? I don’t think heartbreak can come after two dates.”
“I don’t know.” Scott spun his soda in little circles. “I would’ve been pretty heartbroken if Whitney had dumped me after two dates.”
“Aw.” Noah patted over his heart. “Twu Wuv.”
Scott grabbed a poker chip and tossed it at Noah, but he ducked.
“Children. Do I need to send you both to the principal?” I grinned and ducked when Scott threw a poker chip at me.
“Maybe it’s time to go.” Noah drained his soda in several long swallows and set the can down on the game table. “My new home isn’t going to find itself.”
“Probably not.” I chugged the last of my drink as well, then stood. “I think I might stop by the bookstore.”
“Talk about true love.” Scott rolled his eyes, but they were glinting with humor. “Tell my wife I’m home alone, would you?”
“Maybe. Then again, maybe she secretly looks forward to this time away from you.” I picked up both my can and Noah’s. I could toss them in the recycle bin in the kitchen on my way to the front door.
“Next time you talk to Jenna, tell her I said hi.” Noah grabbed the handle to the front door and tugged it open.
“Will do. See ya, Scott. Thanks for hosting.” I stepped through the door and paused on the porch, turning to look back in where Scott stood. “Do you want to get back to rotating? Now that you’ve got a better handle on things with Beckett and all?”
Scott shrugged. “I can do whatever. If someone wants to host, just let me know.”
That was fair. I didn’t have a burning desire to host, but I didn’t mind doing it if Scott was feeling overburdened. We did trade off on snacks—although this week, Tristan had been in charge of food, so that hadn’t worked out super well. It wasn’t like him not to let us know if he couldn’t make it…what was up with him?
I pulled the door closed and jogged down the steps to the street. I was definitely going to drive over to the bookstore. If the girls didn’t want to end their evening early, that was all right. I could grab a book and get ice cream on my own.
But it really would be so much better if Kayla would come.
19
KAYLA
The bells over the door jingled and I looked along with Megan and Whitney. My heart gave an extra little thud when I spotted Austin. My face heated and my mouth went dry. It had been like this ever since our walk by the river Saturday night.
Had it only been a week? Really?
