Page 11 of Andy

"I went into my room and put in headphones, then avoided them for a few days."

“That was probably a good call.”

“What about you? What made you buy a house? Will you have roommates?”

There were so many things that made him want to buy. “Mostly, I bought it because I’ll be living directly between two good friends.”

“Wait, are they your direct neighbors?”

He shook his head. “No, one lives down the block, and the other lives around the corner. But they are equal distance from me.”

“That’s nice. So I’m guessing no roommates.”

He shook his head. "No, no roommates, but I'll be close to friends, which is great. At first, I’ll be spending most weekends doing repairs.”

“I’m guessing you’re handy with tools?”

“I am. What about you?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m clumsy. Like I shouldn’t pick up a saw clumsy. I might accidentally cut off a leg if I’m not careful.”

“Oh, really?”

“I did hit my head on the table while on the phone with you.”

He couldn’t hold back the chuckle, but she didn’t seem offended. “You’re cute.”

She rolled her eyes, and he wondered if he’d messed up by calling her cute. “I’m short, is what you mean.”

“Not at all. I really meant that you are cute. I find you attractive.”

“Why? Like I’m not conventionally attractive. I’m kind of plain.”

The food came out right then, interrupting their conversation. After he’d poured some ketchup on his fries, he met her gaze, wanting her to understand that he really did find her good-looking.

“You aren’t plain at all. I’d like to go out with you again.” He took a bite of his burger and moaned. “This is great.”

She adjusted the bun on her burger and picked it up, taking a bite. After she finished chewing, she met his gaze. “They are good.”

“This weekend, we could get together,” Andy said.

Mel set her burger down and gave him a serious look. He hoped she didn’t blow him off. He’d been used so many times he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to recover if she dumped him right now. Maybe he’d made a mistake going out with her. It had been so long since his last debacle, and Mel seemed different.

“What would you like to do? Like I said, I don’t like spending a lot of time at the apartment.”

“You could come over and see my house, then we could go out to eat or to a movie.”

Mel held his gaze without speaking. She looked a little shocked. He wondered if he’d pushed too much by asking her to look at his house. He knew the dating scene was tough for women because jerks treated them like trash.

“I don’t know why you want to date me, but sure. Sounds good.”

He didn’t like how she put herself down. Eventually, he’d have to get to the bottom of why she kept downplaying herself.

Chapter 6

Mel couldn’t believe Andy wanted to see her again. He was tall, almost a foot or more taller than her. He was also very strong. She wondered if he could pick her up. She didn’t weigh that much. Maybe a few of the guys she’d dated in the past were weak.

She wasn’t sure what to wear but decided casual was best. Her roommates had gone out, so she didn’t have to be so quiet as she packed a bathing suit and towel in a bag just in case they went to the beach. She grabbed a package of toaster treats and headed out.

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