The Memory of Fate (Book 4)

26. Having The Conversation

Bennett

"Pat? Really?"

We had barely made it out of the apartment before Theresa asked. I shrugged, watching the door click closed. I started walking down the hallway before I answered. "What? I'm allowed to kiss him if I want to."

"But he's a slut. He's just going to hurt you."

I smirked, nudging her arm as I pulled open the door to outside. "Yeah, but he's a hot slut." She shot me a look and I sighed, following her through the door. "I know what you're thinking. Believe me, I've been thinking it too. But he said he wanted to be my boyfriend earlier, so that's gotta be a good thing, right?"

Theresa stopped walking. "He asked you to date him? What did you say?"

"Well he didn't exactly ask. And I didn't really say anything. I kissed him, then you walked in."

She sighed, but started walking again. I followed. "I'm just saying. He knows how you are about relationships, right? What if he's just trying to get in your pants? As soon as you give him that, he'll turn around and be with someone else. That's just how he is and you know that."

"I would let him."

"Bennett Baxter, who are you?"

I threw my arms up in defense. "What? He's good, okay?"

"Just because he's had a lot of practice doesn't automatically make him good. He might actually be really bad and that's why he never sleeps with the same guy twice."

I shook my head, laughing a bit. "Oh, no. He's good. Trust me, he's good."

Theresa slapped my arm. "Tell me you didn't."

I blushed. "I did. Three... weeks ago?"

"And I'm hearing about this now?"

We stopped at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. "Okay, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But we weren't even talking about it with each other and I figured mentioning it to you would make it awkward, you know? Like, both of your roommates just happened to sleep with each other one night. It just wasn't a huge deal then."

"And now?"

The light changed and we started walking again. "I don't know, T. There's a lot to think about here. But right now..." I stopped in front of a store, my hand on the door. "I think we have to focus on finding you the perfect outfit for your date tonight."

She groaned. "Do we have to? I don't need this date. My love life isn't nearly as interesting as yours right now."

I pulled open the door. "That's not true. Get in there."

We spent the next couple hours trying to find a good outfit for Theresa's date. It was her first one in almost six months and she was nervous. I didn't blame her, but I was glad she was getting back out there.

Every once in a while, our conversation would turn back to Pat. She had a point about not trusting him. He distinctly told me when we first met that he didn't do relationships, but now here he was saying he would date me. Then again, I said I never wanted to do the whole hook up thing, but here I was willing to sleep with him just to sleep with him.

I eventually decided that I was going to talk to Pat when we got back home. I wasn't going to let the conversation turn into a makeout session again, no matter how much I wanted it to. He and I needed to have a real conversation about all this.

Unfortunately, he wasn't there when Theresa and I got back. I had no clue where he had gone or when he was going to be back, but that didn't change my plan to talk to him as soon as he did get here. In the meantime, I helped Theresa get ready.

"Are you sure this looks okay?" Theresa asked for the third time.

I nodded from where I was laying, sprawled across her bed. "Yes, you look amazing. He's gonna want to do so many naughty things to you." I sat up, accidentally knocking one of her many pillows to the ground as I did so. "But you can't let him. That's, like, third date privileges."

She scoffed, picking up the pillow and tossing it at me. I think we were both surprised I caught it. "Says you, Mr. sleeps with Pat because he sleeps with everyone else."

"Hey!" I threw the pillow back at her. It missed. "That's not why I did it and you know that!"

"Am I allowed to know why?"

I jumped at the sound of Pat's voice and turned towards the open doorway just in time for him to step into it.

"Wow, look at the time," Theresa said, tapping her wrist. It would have worked better if she actually wore a watch. "I better go before I'm late. Both of you: out of my room."

I slid off her bed, not looking at Pat. I couldn't believe he heard us talking about him like that. "Be safe tonight, T."

She smiled and I left her room. Pat had disappeared but I knew I needed to talk to him. Now even more so than earlier.

I found him in the kitchen. "Hey," I said, leaning against the counter.

He looked up at me from the table, stopping just as he was about to pour himself a bowl of cereal. "Hey."

"I think we really need to talk."

Pat looked back down as he poured his cereal. He didn't say anything until he put the box back on the table. "You keep saying that."

"I promise I won't kiss you again." He raised an eyebrow at me. "Okay, maybe, but that depends on the end of the conversation. We need to make it there first."

Pat nodded and motioned towards his cereal box. "Do you want some?"

I shook my head. "No thanks. I need to make myself an actual dinner later." I went over and sat across from him. "Listen, Pat." I sighed, unsure where to start. "I like you. But are you sure you like me enough to date me? Because as much fun as hooking up is, apparently, I can't continue doing that with you. Yeah, it was fun the first time, and I would have enjoyed a second time, but I know that I can't keep doing that. It's just not me. It's not who I am."

He was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke. "I meant what I said this morning. This afternoon?" He shook his head. "Whenever it was. I like you a hell of a lot, Bennett, and yeah, I do want to date you. But I have no idea how."

"Well," I put my elbows on the table and leaned forward, "you can start by asking me out. I might just say yes."