Page 22 of Love and Other Goals

Neither of us says anything; we just sit there looking at each other, the evening breeze rustling my hair as 2Cellos softly swirls from the speaker and the crickets join in to sing around us. There’s a touch of magic charging the air that both of us seem reluctant to interrupt.

I finally speak quietly. “Well, I think you’d make a great soccer coach and a great therapist. You’re certainly good at observing and listening to people.” Mateo just smiles at me in return.

I have a feeling that Mateo wouldn’t refuse me anything at this point, so I decide to push my luck. “Can I have one bonus question? You know, since you’re such a gentleman?” I ask with a teasing smile.

“Ah, how could I possibly refuse when you phrase it that way?” Mateo responds with a chuckle. “Ask away.”

I look in his eyes and consider how to phrase my question. “You’ve said you liked me for a long time, and you’ve definitely proved that you were paying attention all the times we hung out with each other at Arrow stuff. I know you said you were giving me space because of Aaron, and I get that. But…I guess my question is, why didn’t you give me even a hint that you liked me? I had absolutely no clue that you saw me as anything more than a friend. All those Arrow trainings and Tuesday mornings we spent together at Summer Project, why didn’t you give any sort of signals?”

Mateo smiles softly, his single dimple showing, then leans his head back against the side of the truck looking up at the sky. After a moment, he looks back at me and says, “I didn’t want to lead you on, Lana. Yes, I liked you—a lot—but if I wasn’t going to officially pursue a relationship, it didn’t seem fair to hint at my feelings.”

I ponder his logic…a sharp contrast to Aaron’s. “Kind of a risky move though, to blindside me with your feelings and hope I’d say yes to a date?” I assess with raised eyebrows.

He shrugs. “I guess I’d rather take that risk than play with your heart. And I’m willing to take things at your pace as you catch up from the blindsiding,” he adds with another soft smile.

I bite my lip and look down at my hands before responding. “That’s actually very considerate, Mateo. I’ll try to be honest about where I’m at pace-wise going forward.”

A grin spreads across Mateo’s face as he says, “Does this mean this isn’t our last date?”

I laugh. “It’s definitely not our last date.”

“Well, I suppose that means I can take you home instead of just extending this night into forever then,” he jokes with a wink.

I help him pack up the picnic supplies, and he leads me to the passenger door so I can hop in the truck before he turns off the string lights. I have a moment in the total darkness by myself before he comes around to the driver’s door. Adrenaline rushes through my body, making my hands shake and giving me the shivers, but it’s the greatest sort of rush.

I just had the best time with Mateo. I did not see that coming.

Mateo starts the truck and begins driving back toward the highway. I ask if I can connect his phone to continue playing music. I’m not sure how much I trust my conversational abilities right now.

“The truck is faithful but old, so you’ll have to use the aux cable,” he tells me, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He hands it to me. “The code is 3147. Just pull up Spotify.”

I type in the number and click the Spotify icon. The music we’d been listening to pops up, and I hit the play button right as I notice that the playlist is titled, “LANA .”

My thumb clicks the screen off as my eyes dart over in the darkness to look at Mateo’s profile. His eyes are on the road (the deer in Kansas are a real and present danger), but he starts humming along to Ed Sheeran’s song.

Perfect.

Yes, Ed, I do think this night was perfect.

CHAPTER TEN

Mateo pulls up in front of the AOPi house, turning off the truck and coming around to walk me up to the porch. It’s 10:00 p.m. on a Friday night, prime time in college world. Thankfully, few girls are home because there’s a huge party at ChiSig tonight. I just had an A+ date with Mateo and feel less apprehensive about being seen together, but I’m still grateful to have a private moment to end our evening instead of inquisitive stares and gossip.

I pause with my hand on the doorknob to turn to Mateo in the porch light. His hands are in his pockets, and he’s looking down at me with that one-dimpled smile. “Thanks for going out with me tonight, Lana.”

I smile back at him and say, “Thank you for asking me. Really, I’m so glad that you asked. I enjoyed tonight a lot. I’ll see you sometime next week?” I ask, realizing how intensely I hope to see him again soon.

“Definitely,” Mateo says as his smile spreads wider. “I’ll text you.”

“Okay,” I say as I turn the door handle. I take one step through the door but turn back around. “Good luck at your soccer match tomorrow. I hope you wipe the field with the other team,” I say with a wry grin.

Mateo laughs and takes a couple of backward steps away from the door. “Thanks, Lana. I’ll let you know how we do.”

I wave my fingers at him standing there on the porch and slip the door closed. I lean back against it in the dim lighting and take a few breaths with closed eyes.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t prepared to have such an incredible time with Mateo. Our night together was so easy; the conversation flowed naturally, the silences never awkward. He planned such a perfect date and asked such great questions. All of my insides are giving high-pitched squealing girl energy.

My phone buzzes with a text while I’m still leaning against the door. I glance at the screen and see it’s from Mateo.

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