Page 75 of Anyone But Her

"Oh, um, he wants to meet." I unlock my phone screen and read his text again.

"When? Tonight?"

"Yeah." I check the time. "Like in twenty minutes."

"Taylor! You're cancelling on me AGAIN?"

"No! Our plans haven't changed. We're still going to dinner."

She sighs. "But you're going to make it quick so you can go see Luke."

"Dinner can be as long as you want. But I do have a favor to ask."

"What?" she snaps, obviously not believing I won't rush us through dinner.

"After we eat could you drop me off to meet Luke? And then pick me up later so my parents will think I was only with you tonight and not Luke?"

"That depends. How late am I picking you up and where?"

"I don't know yet. Still have to figure that out."

"My shift at the coffee shop starts at six tomorrow. I can't be out too late. Could you be done by ten?"

"Sure. I'll let Luke know." I text Luke as Birdie pulls into the sushi place.

I can meet but only until ten. And I can't meet you until I'm done with dinner. I'm out with Birdie. We just got to the restaurant.

He texts back. Sounds good. I'm going home to change. Text me when you're ready.

Where are we meeting?

At a park on the other side of town. I'll text you the address.

This is kind of exciting. Sneaking around? Secretly meeting Luke? Not sure what's going to happen?

Okay, I text back. See you soon!

"There's that smile again," Birdie says as she turns the car off. "You're gonna end up in trouble."

"My parents will never know. We're meeting on the other side of town."

"That's not the kind of trouble I meant. I was talking about your heart."

"What about it?"

"You're already totally into this guy after being with him for just a week. So what happens later, when you've fallen in love with him and then your dad finds out?"

"Maybe he never will."

"He will. You can't hide it. Look at your face right now."

I glance in the side mirror and see the huge smile on my face. I force my lips down to neutral but then feel that giddiness that happens whenever I think of Luke and my lips pop right back to a smile.

"So I'm smiling," I say. "Big deal. I smile all the time. My family knows that. They won't think that's strange."

"But this is a different smile, and when you make it your eyes get that dreamy faraway look people get when they're in love."

I glance at the mirror again. "My eyes look totally normal. Now can we go in and eat instead of sitting here in the parking lot?"

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