Page 76 of Anyone But Her

"See?" She opens her door. "You're already rushing me so you can go see your boyfriend."

"I'm not rushing you. I'm just hungry."

I am kind of in a hurry to see Luke but I also want to spend time with Birdie. We take our time at dinner and finish up around eight.

As we wait for the check I text Luke. We're leaving soon. Be there in a half hour.

He texts back. I don't know if I can go now. Cal is making me watch a movie with him.

Damn, I was really looking forward to seeing him. Stupid Cal. He's always getting in the way of my love life.

"What's wrong?" Birdie asks. My face must show my disappointment.

"Cal's making him watching a movie. He doesn't know if he can get away."

"Cal can't watch a movie alone?"

"He can, but it'll look strange if Luke gets up in the middle of it and goes somewhere."

"Hmm." She taps her fingers on the table. "We need an excuse."

"I know but I can't come up with one."

She slowly grins. "I've got an idea."

"What?"

Leaning forward and resting her arms on the table, she says, "Okay, don't get mad at me."

"Why would I get mad at you?"

"Because I'm gonna ask Luke out."

"What?" I sit back, tossing my napkin on the table. "Why would you do that?"

"I told you not to get mad."

"Of course I'm mad. You're going to ask Luke out, knowing how much I like him?"

"Calm down. It's not real. It's just a way to get Luke out of the house so he can see you."

"With you tagging along?"

"No! Geez, you're slow tonight. Must be the whole being in love thing. Makes your brain stop working."

"Just tell me what you meant."

"I call up Luke and tell him what we're up to. He hangs up and tells Cal it was me on the phone and that I asked him out. Cal won't think anything of it because he knows I ask hot guys out all the time."

"You're definitely not shy when it comes to that. But what about Liam?"

"Who?"

"Liam. Opera Guy? I thought you guys were going out tomorrow."

"Oh, shit, that's right." She shrugs. "I'll just tell him things didn't work out between me and Opera Guy."

"If you do, you know Cal will tease you for months, saying how he knew that guy wasn't right for you."

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