Page 16 of How We Fooled

“Bye,” I reply as I head up the walkway to the house.

When I open the door, I turn to wave goodbye, and my entire heart melts when he holds up his pinkie and kisses it.

I think I’ve died and gone to boy heaven.

CHAPTER SIX

Liza

I wake up the next morning, still in a dreamland haze of my date with Eli. There was just something so different about him. He was real. Not some cocky guy who was trying to say all the right things or trying to be someone he wasn’t.

He engaged in the conversation, but didn’t try to take it over or be all boastful about himself. He listened to everything I said and seemed to really take it in before he commented. I felt like I was having a conversation with a true adult and not some kid not able to grow up yet.

I look at the clock and realize it’s almost ten a.m. and laugh, not remembering the last time I slept this late.

Sliding the covers off of me, I hop out of bed, grab my robe, and slowly make my way out to the kitchen, thinking I’ll have to remake some coffee since my aunt and uncle probably finished theirs hours ago.

Country music plays softly in the background as I enter the kitchen and see Aunt Heidi sitting at the barstool next to the kitchen counter, going over some paperwork.

“Well, there she is,” Aunt Heidi says with a knowing tone to her voice. “Someone had a late night.” The expression she gives me makes me giggle in glee.

I nod with the cheesiest grin. “I really did.”

“Do I get to hear all about it?” she asks as she gets up to grab a mug from the cupboard and hands it to me, then points to the coffee. “I made sure to keep it on so it would be hot when you woke up.”

I take it from her. “You’re the best. Thank you for doing that.” I pour the liquid gold in my cup and turn to face her, trying to hide my smile behind my mug.

“Well, if that grin says anything about your date …” She leaves the rest of the sentence hanging there for me to finish.

“It was amazing. We seriously did nothing but hang out and talk. We went to Wren’s, then Twisted Sisters ice cream and ate as we walked around downtown. When he drove me home, neither of us wanted the date to stop, so we literally sat in his truck for hours, parked out front, just talking. We didn’t even notice the time until his mom called to check in on him.”

“Oh, so he still lives with his parents? How old is he?”

I shake my head. “I’m not exactly sure what age he is, but I know he’s still in school.”

“So, tell me more about him.”

“He’s an athlete. He plays football, basketball, and baseball. Oh, he knows Matthew and says he’s hit at his facility a few times.”

A huge smile grows on her face at the thought of her daughter’s stepson. Justine lived in New York for a few years, and they never thought she’d come back, so I’m sure they’re thankful that she and Tucker married, even though there’s a pretty big age gap between them.

“That’s nice. Matthew’s really doing some neat things there. So, tell me, is he handsome?”

My head drops back with a sigh. “He’s so handsome and tall and built.”

“How tall?”

“Six-five. And not skinny, like most tall guys are. He’s solid. Total athlete build.”

Her eyes open wide. “That is tall, especially next to you.”

I laugh at how I’ve never felt like I was short, being five-five, but next to him, I felt super tiny.

“So …” she singsongs. “Did he kiss you good night?”

I blush at her question, trying to hide it by taking a sip of my coffee, and nod, which makes her laugh.

She rubs my arm in that loving motherly way. “I’m happy for you.” She walks to the other side of the counter to get back to whatever she was doing before I woke up. “I take it, there will be a second date then?”

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