Promises Promises

Chapter 15

Alex: Are we still on for tomorrow tonight?

My foot tapped anxiously against the leg of my desk as I stared down at the text, trying to sort through all the feelings being summoned.

There was a tightness in my chest, some intrigue on my mind, a touch of indifference in my heart. I knew I was overthinking it.

I'd already agreed to get a drink with Alex. He'd reached out after the weekend to confirm a night that worked for both of us, and that night happened to be tomorrow. My jittery mood made no sense, but I chalked it up to nerves, the sensation of something new. Someone different.

Davina: Yes, still on! Where did you want to meet?

Alex: You feel like venturing into the city? My brother and I have to visit a new produce supplier for the restaurant, so I'll be near a spot called Flask. Wanna go there?

Hmm. Driving into Brighton wouldn't have been my first choice, not by a long shot. But I did know exactly where Flask was. Our senior prom had been held in the hotel next door. 

The last time I'd been in the city felt like forever ago. After graduation, and Dad's trial that followed, I took one measly semester of classes at the community college, but I'd never driven myself. Dalton usually gave me a ride or I caught the bus. I hated driving in the city. Or anywhere outside of Fairhaven for that matter. I still hated it.

But hey, I'd gone all the way to Renlow Park by myself last week! 

Yeah, and you got a flat tire...

Okay, true. But I couldn't let one little incident stop me from expanding my horizons. Plus, there was no way my luck was bad enough for something like that to happen again so soon.

...right?

I was overthinking again. I could totally drive into Brighton!

Davina: That sounds perfect.

It didn't really sound perfect. At best, my spirits were sitting at a cool this is fine. But I was determined to keep living and exploring.  

As Leann stumbled into the room with her refilled coffee mug, a boisterous entrance as always, I set my phone face down on the desk. I was hoping I'd covered the screen fast enough, hiding the text thread from her as she dropped into the seat beside me, but I would have no such luck.

"Who was that?" Her question came out with a bounce, dipped in a healthy dose of taunting. "The hot roofer, I assume?"

I shuffled some papers in front of me, reached for a stapler I didn't need. "Maybe."

"So, you finally agreed to the date?" She squealed a little. "I'm so proud."

"It's not a date," I quickly corrected her. "We're just getting a drink."

"Same thing." Leann shrugged, clicking around on her computer screen.

We both knew she was doing about as much with her mouse as I was doing with the stapler in my hand, but it didn't matter. We only had a few minutes to catch up in peace before Debbie and Marceline came back from their smoke break.

"I'm nervous," my mouth blurted out. Without permission, I might add. But since the words had made it out there, I went with it. "What does that mean? It's just a casual night out with a guy I met. Should I be this rattled?"

Leann glanced over at me, her brown eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "I think it's normal to be a little rattled. You haven't dated much. I mean, you've never really been with anyone other than Spencer."