Page 33 of Totally Fanatic

Duckie nods. “Yeah, I guess that would be pretty cool. The loaded mac and cheese does sound great. I’d totally order that.”

“Me, too,” Pat exclaims, and just like that, they all start offering up suggestions to Tim for ideas for his food truck. His whole face lights up when he talks about it. I don’t know why he wants to wait. I mean, sure, he’s busy playing Banana Ball right now, but he could do both. I could help him.

We eat and talk, and the guys have lots of questions for me. It’s really cool that they want to get to know me better. I tell them all about Chip and Daffin, and Reynolds and King, and I show them pictures. Calvin told me about a time he thought the cat distribution system was choosing him, but the cat ran away. I tried to reassure him that if he’s meant to have a cat, it will find him.

Duckie had the most questions, but I think he’s like Tim’s best friend so that makes sense. Mary Beth is my best friend, and she’s always asking about what is happening in my life.

“Thank you for tonight,” Tim says as we walk slowly behind the others on their way back to the hotel.

“I was happy to have dinner with you and your friends.”

“Not just that. For everything. You really are wonderful, you know that?”

“I don’t know. I guess I am just me. But if you say I am wonderful, then it must be true.”

“See. That right there. I say it so it must be true. You really have that much belief in me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know. We only just met. I mean really met and our friendship is so new.”

“I guess. Well, you have a game tomorrow, so you should probably get some sleep. I’ll be the one in the stands cheering the loudest.”

He laughs, and that sparkle is there in his eyes. The same sparkle that glistened the moment before he kissed me. Does he want to kiss me again? I know I want to kiss him, but we’re in the street, and there could be anyone watching.

“Do you want to come up?” Tim asks, and immediately, I say, “Yes,” and follow him into the hotel.

I walk behind Tim all the way up the hallway of the second floor of the hotel, listening to the faint sounds of muffled voices as we pass each door.

“This is me,” he says, swiping his access card and pushing open the door. “Can I get you a drink or anything?”

“Water would be great,” I say, following him inside.

The room is cramped, a twin bed sits centered on the far-right wall, but large windows covered by sheer white curtains overlook the parking lot and city streets below making it feel bigger than it really is.

“This is nice,” I say as he hands me a glass of water. I drink it down greedily and hand the glass back.

“It’s okay. Most of the places we stay are like this, tiny, but cozy. At least here I have my own room, and the beds are usually comfortable enough.”

My gaze immediately goes to the bed.

“I should have asked before I kissed you last time,” he says, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“I would have said yes if you did.”

“Really?”

“I will always say yes.”

“So, if I asked you if I could kiss you again now…”

I step closer to him and slide my palm beside his face, my fingers cupping the back of his neck. “Ask me.”

“Can I kiss you?” he asks, and I lean down my lips an inch from his.

“Yes.”

The moment the word escapes my breath, his mouth is on mine. His tongue plunging past my lips, tasting mine, fighting for control, and it’s even better than I remember.

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