Page 25 of Shame

“All right then.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “So, when are we going on a date?”

“A date?” I blurt.

“That’s right. A date.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that. I don’t have time for… Dating isn’t really…” I frown, holding his gaze, then let out a sharp breath. “Look, you’re really nice and cute—well, handsome. Hot, actually, but uh…” I clear my throat, feeling my cheeks burn. He’s grinning like a maniac. “I appreciate what you did for me, and I will pay you back, but I don’t have time for dating.”

“Oh, I think you do.”

“I don’t.”

I shift on my feet, tightening my grip on my purse strap that’s hanging over my shoulder.

His determination is attractive, so is the way he’s pushing it. It’s not weird or creepy, it’s fun. I would love to go on a date with him, but truly, I don’t have the time or the mental capacity.

“What about a friend, then?” he asks.

“Friend?”

“Yeah, let’s be friends. Let’s have some fun. You know, just hang out.”

“Hang out?” I ask.

His smile widens, that humor still shining in his eyes.

Fun sounds nice. A date sounds stressful. But fun? I could use some fun. After all this stuff with Dad, I could use a break. All I do is deal with him and go to work. And don’t get me wrong, I love him, and I love helping him, but it’s tiring. It’s so tiring.

“Fun sounds nice,” I admit, and don’t regret it. Not yet anyway. I’m sure I will, but not right now.

“Fun it is then. When are you free?”

Free? When am I free? I’m not really free at all.

“That’s the thing,” I begin.

“How much longer you going to be?” Snapper shouts. Shark holds his hand up, giving his brother the middle finger while keeping his eyes on me. His brother scoffs, the mutters something under his breath.

“Is he…”

“Just grumpy. Ignore him,” Shark says. “Back to fun.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the thing. I only have so much nursing to help me with my dad, and usually when they’re there, I’m here, so you see, there isn’t—”

“How about I hang out at your place?”

“My place?” I blurt, my chest getting a little tight at the thought of him being in my house.

“Sure, friends do that, right? I can bring over some food. We can have dinner together. Watch a movie.”

“The… three of us?”

He can’t mean that, can he? He wants us all to hang out? Me, him, and… my dad?

“Sure, why not?”

“Did you see what happened the other night?” I ask carefully, shifting nervously.

“I did. Would you think I’m lying if I said it wasn’t the weirdest shit I’ve seen?”

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