Page 13 of More To Us

Matt's starting to grow on me. I kind of like how he keeps to himself, letting Amber and me talk, but interjecting now and then with a useful comment, or a comment that riles up Amber, which that one just did.

"She totally liked him," she says to Matt. "Look at her. She's blushing."

"I'm not blushing." I hold up my drink. "It's the alcohol. Always makes my cheeks pink."

"That's true. I forgot. So is Matt right? You didn't like him?"

"I liked him," I say casually. "He seemed nice. And he got me the table."

"But he's not your type," she says, trying to figure this out. "You don't like how he looks. Is he too scrawny? You hate scrawny guys."

"He's not scrawny. He's tall. And really muscular."

A loud voice comes over the speaker. "Just an update for everyone. We're having an issue with the mic but we're getting a new one. The band will start shortly."

Amber ignores the update. "So what's the deal? Why won't you go out with him?"

"What's his name?" Matt asks.

Amber looks at him funny. "What difference does that make?"

"Sometimes girls are turned off by a name."

"That's not true," she insists, but then says to me, "Is it?"

"It could be true, but in this case it's not. I like his name."

"So what is it?"

"Austin. He didn't tell me his last name."

"You mean the guy in the band?" Matt asks me.

"What guy in the band?"

"The lead guitarist's name is Austin."

"Oh, um, no. It must be a different Austin. This guy didn't say he was in the band."

Amber turns to Matt. "Do you know what the Austin in the band looks like?"

"Yeah. So do you. He's that guy you and every other girl are always drooling over."

"You mean Austin Wheeler?"

"Yeah. The guy with all the muscles. I wonder how many hours a day he has to work out to look like that." He takes a swig of his drink.

"Okay, wait." Amber shakes her head really fast like she's clearing her thoughts. "So Austin Wheeler's part of Vandyl? No, that's not right. He's in a different band but I can't remember the name."

"No, it's this one," Matt says. 'I told you that the other night when I was telling you about the lead singer coming into the store."

She pauses a moment, then nearly bursts out of her chair as she turns back to me. "Are you telling me that Austin Wheeler asked you out?"

"It's not him. He's not in the band."

"Tall?" she asks. "All muscle? Short dark hair? Gorgeous blue eyes? Around our age?"

That pretty much describes him. What if it is him? But if it is, why wouldn't he tell me he was in the band?

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