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I found myself hiking to the nosebleeds and sitting next to my date, who was dressed more appropriately for a NASCAR race than a basketball game. Mullet included.
While I did appreciate the arena’s excited buzz in the air, sitting next to Joe Dirt and smelling something sour every time he raised his arms definitely put a damper on the whole experience.
“You’re not a serial killer, then?” I asked, smiling slightly. “Not on a Friday. I try to take the weekends off.”
And when Duke held his hand out behind him, his fingers beckoning to me like a lifeline, I took it.
I was suddenly desirous for him to know that tonight had been a very unusual moment in my extremely boring, work-all-the-time, go-to-school, non-dating, just-missing-the-cats, cat-lady life.
Was getting turned on by watching your date be a conscientious driver a sign of maturity? Asking for a friend.
Life can’t just be studying for a test you don’t need to retake.”
My list could change based on whatever he pulled out for us to do tonight. I’d either match his crazy or be significantly less crazy.
Is someone gonna march my freak
I smiled at that. The idea of a free few days with no responsibilities was mind-boggling on its own, but to hop on a plane with no planning beforehand. To have money not even be an issue…
“I think we need to go full-out Wedding Crashers—we eat the food, dance on the dance floor, tell guests stories about the bride and groom, hug the mother of the bride…that kind of thing. Our goal here is to make memories and do the unexpected. Sneaking into a reception and grabbing a slice of cake isn’t something I’ll remember in five years.”
“It’s your fault. I only said it because your cheeks turn pink when I tease you. No man on this earth would be able to resist trying to make that happen over and over. Strings or no strings.”
“It’s been exactly six hours since we first met.” “Is it our six-hour anniversary already? I didn’t get you anything.”
No. I wasn’t embarrassed by the work. I was embarrassed by my life.
“He pushed me back against the wall with my body. His lips took full advantage of my gasp, while his hands held my neck and caressed my face, moving my head to whatever angle would satisfy…”
LMAO 🤣 the perks of listening at 2.7x speed is no one can understand it
“Bummer. Maybe I’ll stop by tomorrow to try my hand at vacuuming.”
“I’ve always wanted to re-enact a scene from a certain movie.”
“With your girlfriend?” Anita purred, leaning closer like she was in on some great secret. He shook his head and grinned. “That’s classified. I’ll report back if I get it done.”
Kiss Cam, Heard about the tires. I was once told there wasn’t much a DP couldn’t fix. PS. I made sure it fell.
“Why were you crying?” he whispered a long moment later, his voice low and in my ear. I swallowed, remembering myself. “Because I’m cleaning the men’s bathroom. Happens every night about this time.”
A factual fact? How interesting. Now you won’t have to buy me a Coke. His message puzzled me most of the morning, until I opened my bottom drawer to grab a new pen and found it stacked full of Coke cans. I couldn’t help but glance behind me toward his office and was startled to see him leaning against the doorframe, taking a swig of his Coke. He lifted the can to me in a cheers before slipping back into his office. That dirty, rotten flirt.
“Looks like beef and broccoli.” “Ugh. That’s yours.” “You don’t like it?” “I’ll eat the beef, but my mom is the only person who can get me to eat broccoli. And she’s not here.”
The side of him that knew my secrets and weaseled information out of me while stuffing me full of sweet-and-sour chicken and MSG was by far the most dangerous Duke of all.
Our little Nora. If there were ever words that made me want to punch another person in the face, those might be three of them.
“Have you checked to see if a Coke tastes better when it falls?” “I don’t think I’d care either way. I just like the sound it makes when I open it from a can. I feel like I’m in a Coke commercial, dancing somewhere on a beach.”
With a deep breath and a nod to all the romantic comedies I’d watched that included a motorcycle ride with the hot guy, I put my hand on the throttle and rotated it toward me.
Deepest of sighs at how to lose a guy in 10 days
“That’s where I saw my brother sneaking a kiss with the farmer’s daughter from next door.” Then he motioned toward the rope swing. “That’s where I broke my arm when I was seven.”
“I’m about to jump in a pond with you to reenact a questionable scene from a movie. I feel like that’s pretty interesting.” His eyebrows raised. “Eh, but is it something we’ll remember in five years?”
“First one to the swing on the dock wins something from the other person.” I swallowed. “Wins what?”
“Whatever you want,” he said, low and hot, before his gaze flitted back up to mine.
“So, if I tell you to clean the men’s bathroom for a whole week, you have to do it?”
He smiled. “Yup. And one more thing.” “What?” “We live in the moment. We’re here now. No worrying about anything else. Just have fun.”
“Deal?” “Yeah.”
“What do you win?”
“I’m still deciding. But I'll keep you posted.” I stilled. Okay.
“No unnecessary touching. And nothing we wouldn’t do at work.” His lips curved into a smile. “You’re greatly underestimating the things I would do at work.” Holy crap. “DUKE!”
A light-cream ceramic cat with big disturbing blue eyes stood probably four feet tall on a table opposite the stairs. His mouth was open, with his tongue painted a soft pink, and his head cocked at just the right angle to be disturbingly creepy. “What, Fluffy?” Duke asked, motioning to the devil incarnate. “What is that thing?” “That’s their pet cat.” “Holy crap.”
“Hope and fear like to think they can occupy the same space, but there is only room for one.
“The point is, reward takes risk. Life is messy. People are messy. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but oftentimes, it can be even better than perfect.”
I had known my two grandmothers, but never a grandpa. I’d never witnessed grandparents together before. I’d never seen the interaction of two people so weathered with age and experience and love.
The app had been spotty before, so I wasn’t overly surprised when another error message popped up on my phone. I made a mental note to try again the next day.
Hes totally gonna have it paid
“Hey, Kiss Cam. What are—” “Did you pay off my student loan?”
Called it obvi
“Yeah, they bought necklaces and fancy clothes. They bought her affection. They used her to make themselves feel like big men. Duke took a burden away from you. Quietly. Because he is so in love with you he can’t stand to see you hurting.” She shook her head. “I don’t know about you, but I kind of feel like that’s a huge difference—and pretty freaking hot, if you think about it.”
“Nora—“ He broke off, shaking his head slightly, pinning me with his stare. “You were never the rebound. She was.”
The audacity of Duke Webber. If my life were a romantic comedy, that would be the title.
My family needed me. They loved me, but they needed me. Duke didn’t need me. He wanted me, and that made all the difference. Hope and fear often occupy the same space. But in reality, there can be only one. You have to choose.
finished my lunch in a daze and made my way back to my desk, arriving to see four cans of Dr. Pepper scattered across the top. My brow furrowed as I sat down, wondering once again at the audacity of Duke to be so brazen. For the first time since I started here, they were cans, not from a fountain. I lifted one soda and unfolded the note. To my surprise, it wasn’t Duke’s slated scrawl that greeted me.
Mike: We don’t want him anymore. Please take him back. Ryan: He’s a good guy. I promise. Please put us all out of our misery. Mike & Ryan: Seriously, he’s a bear when he’s lovesick. At least he was three years ago. Mike & Ryan Shawn: You are the happiest whenever he walks into the room. Go get him.
You make me want to forget every plan I’ve ever made and run away with you. Which is why I’ve tried to keep my distance. You are the most terrifying thing because I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you. And that kind of life doesn’t happen to me.”
“I’ve seen your heart, Kiss Cam. And I must be selfish because I want every bit of it. I have since the night we met.”
“I think making my bed is stupid, so I never do it.”
