CHLOE BAKER'S LOST DATE

Chapter Twenty-Three: I Like You a Waffle Lot

"Chloe! Hold up, please."

I'm twenty feet from Ben's front door, and all I want to do is break into a run. But the street is crowded and Ben could catch me anyway, so I stop.

"What, Ben?"

"Can we please talk about this?"

"What's there to talk about?"

"Hey," he says, taking hold of my hand. "Hey."

I want to pull away but it's hard to do it when he's looking at me with soft eyes and a contrite expression. I am an idiot for this man.

"What's going on, Ben? What was Rachel doing there?"

He ducks his head. "I don't know why Rachel came over."

"She said you texted her last night."

"What?"

"That's what she said."

"I ... Yes, okay I did do that."

I pull my hand away.

"Not like that. It was before we met at the bar."

That's supposed to make it better? She didn't text him back and I'm the second choice?

I swallow hard. "You asked to see her?"

"No, I ... Yes, I did."

"Which is it, Ben?"

He stands still for a moment. The crowd swirls around us, people annoyed that we're taking place on the street.

"My mom was asking about her yesterday. She hadn't seen her in a bit because I'd told Rachel that we needed to stop having her around my mom so much."

"When did you tell her this?"

"After I saw you again. With Tyler."

"You mean when you went to her apartment with Tyler?"

"Yes."

I can't stand this. Having to pull this story from him piece by piece.

"You have to tell me everything, Ben. If you want something with me. There have been too many secrets."

"I know. I know."

"But maybe you don't want something with me and last night was just a thing and that's okay. You know, bygones or whatever."

"No, that's not what I want."

"What changed?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you weren't ready for a relationship. That you couldn't be with me because of your mom. And I assume that hasn't changed. So, if last night was just something because you were drinking, a moment of weakness, or whatever, I get it, okay?"

I get it because I was weak too. When I saw him at the bar I should've turned and run. I should run away right now but my feet are rooted to the spot.

"No. I don't want that."

"What, then?"

"Can we ... can we go back to my apartment and talk?"

"Is Rachel still there?"

"No. And I took the keys. I'd asked her for them before, and that's what I texted her about yesterday. She doesn't have keys anymore."

"So, that's where you lived with her?"

"Yes."

Ugh, I knew it. I knew it about the sheets. They were way too nice for a guy to pick out.

"Can we talk," Ben says. "Please?"