accidental love • n.maloley「✓」| EDITING

twenty

anderson

"where should we get lunch at today?" emily asks upon noticing there's only thirty minutes before we take our lunch. as i had expected, we hadn't gotten much business today, only a few of our friends from school and a couple moms that needed their kids hair to be cut.

"mm, there's a mcdonald's right down the road. we could walk there," i suggest.

"sounds good to me," she says, using her free hand to spin her chair around as she uses her other hand to scroll through instagram. having nothing else to do, i open up the snapchat app and take an ugly selfie, sending it to carrington.

"i kinda wanna dye my hair purple," emily speaks up, gaining my attention. "if i dye my hair purple, will you dye yours blue?" she asks, looking over at me.

i roll my eyes, letting out a short chuckle. "there's no way in hell i'm ever dying my hair blue," i tell her.

"aw, why not?"

"because i've worked hard on keeping my hair healthy and i'm not gonna throw all that away for a crazy color that'll last two weeks."

"you're no fun." she pouts, going back to whatever she was doing on her phone.

twenty minutes later, we decide to go ahead and go to lunch ten minutes early. just as we gather our purses, the little bell rings, telling us that someone's entered the shop. "maybe we won't be going ten minutes early," emily laughs as we both head towards the counter so we can see who entered. much to my surprise though, i find nate standing there, baby carrier held tightly in his left hand. "or maybe we will after all, just separately," emily adds in a whisper.

"this is quite a surprise," i say, a small smile playing on my lips.

nate returns the smile, shrugging. "i remembered that you said you'd be here today, so i was just wondering if you'd like to go to lunch with us," he says, motioning to himself and the baby carrier.

"aw, but i was actually about to go with -"

"she'd love to," emily cuts me off. "i really didn't feel like walking anyways." i glance back at her and she nods towards nate with a stern look. turning back towards nate, i chuckle.

"i guess i'd love to," i tell him.

"great." he smiles. "c'mon." i grab my purse and follow nate out of the salon, blowing emily a quick kiss. nate unlocks his black jeep and opens the passenger side door for me before opening the back door and strapping natalia's carrier in. once we're all settled, nate starts the jeep and pulls out onto the road. "where would you like to eat?" he asks, glancing over at me.

"i was originally planning on going to mcdonald's but we can go wherever you want," i tell him, shrugging. he nods but doesn't say anything, simply turning into pizza hut's parking lot. i guess pizza does sound kinda good.

"pizza is fine with you, right?" he asks, and i nod. we then climb out and nate gets natalia before we head inside. "how long do you have for lunch?"

"well, technically as long as i want, since i own the salon, but i'd like to be back within an hour tops," i tell him.

he nods as we take our seats. "and what kind of pizza would you like?"

"meat lovers?"

"ooh, i like you even more now," he says, grinning down at me. i roll my eyes just as the waitress comes over. we order our drinks and the pizza, and the waitress leaves. "okay, so i need your address, so i can pick you up saturday for our date."

"do you want me to text it to you?" i ask, just as the waitress brings our drinks. we both say a thank you and she smiles before leaving again.

"yeah, but you don't have to right now. you can wait until later," he says and i nod.

"where are you taking me for the date?" i question, smiling innocently at him.

"i'm not telling you," he chuckles.

"aw, c'mon." i pout. "i have to know so i'll know what to wear."

"casual clothes will be perfect," he tells me, grinning in amusement as i continue pouting.

"who's gonna babysit natalia?" i question, curious.

nate chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. "that's the problem, i haven't found anybody. my parents live in nebraska, my friends are a definite no, my friend that has a baby himself, will be in nebraska for the weekend, and i'm not trusting some random person with my baby. so, i kinda have nobody."

"emily could watch her," i suggest, shrugging. "she loves babies, and i don't think she'd mind. i could at least mention it, if you wouldn't care for her to watch her?"

"you don't think she'd mind?" he asks, glancing over at his sleeping baby before looking over at me. "she does cry a lot."

"i don't think she'd mind, to be honest. i'll mention it to her when i get back to the salon and tell you what she says whenever i text you my address."

nate nods but doesn't verbally respond, although i'm completely okay with that as our pizza arrives right at that moment.