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“Nice to meet you, Chelsea.” She gave me a sly wink.
My heart caught in my throat, and I turned away without another word. I got the barrel in place under the bar on the other side, then went out to get the next one. I took a breath as I worked. I had been so awkward, borderline rude. Tara probably thought I was a huge weirdo.
“Did you just move to Burlington?” I asked, peeking into the bookstore again as I got the second barrel inside.
She looked up from her cart of books, probably surprised I could talk without squeaking. “A few months ago, yeah. I just started this job.” She followed me as far as the entryway while I moved into the bar area.
“How do you like it so far?” My words came out in a mumble, and I couldn’t quite look at her.
“The city or the job?”
“Either/or.” I shoved the barrel as hard as I could to get it into place, then straightened up.
“They’re both good.” Tara leaned against the wall, smiling. “Actually, the job just got a whole lot more interesting.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. She was definitely into me. A girl had never flirted with me before. Luckily, I was a pro at gracefully turning down guys. I assumed it would be the same with a girl. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” Just friendly enough to be polite while also giving no hint of returning her interest.
She smirked at me. “I am, too.”
How could she look so smug and self-satisfied? Didn’t she realize I was turning her down? I needed to change the subject. “Where are you from?”
“Boston.”
I thought about that, still trying to catch my breath. “You don’t sound like it.”
“Oh, should I tawk lahk this?” She exaggerated the accent, then laughed at herself. “Nah, that’s really only South Boston.”
“I never knew that.”
“Have you been there?” she asked.
“Not yet. Maybe one day. I do like to travel, but I usually go to warm places with my best friends, or for beer conventions.”
“Boston’s not far.”
I knew it was about three and a half hours away. “Is there much to do there?”
Tara shrugged. “Depends on what you’re into.”
The way she was looking at me made me quiver inside. “I’m not into anything.”
Her smirk was back, and it was smugger than ever. “Nothing at all?” she asked softly.
I opened my mouth, then closed it. This girl had me completely flustered. Was she flirting with me, or wasn’t she? And if she was, hadn’t I made it clear that I wasn’t interested?
“I mean, you know, normal things.” I swallowed hard. “Regular, ordinary things. Nothing… weird.”
She tipped her head to one side, looking at me with amusement. “That’s good to know. Here I was thinking you were a total freak.”
My stomach flipped over. I had to go. Now.
“Nice meeting you, Tara.” I raced for the door.
“Nice meeting you, Chelsea,” Tara called after me. “See you Wednesday.”
If I didn’t have a heart attack first.
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