Page 110 of The Enemy Face Off

Less than a minute later, I'm opening the door to Bear's diner for her. She looks at me with a curious look in her eye but doesn't say anything as Bear tips his head to the corner booth he's reserved for me.

We sit down.

"So…" As I steeple my fingers, a jolt of nervous energy crashes into me, much like the nerves I experienced before our first date.

Does Hokeyville need a new president? Because I have no idea how Beth is going to react to this.

I ran what I'm about to do past Boden yesterday, who assured me she'd love it and that it was just the right level of cutesy, so that's the reaction I'm hoping for from her.

"So?" Beth prompts when I don't follow up my opening with anything.

Right.

Talking.

One word followed by another.

Yep. I can do this.

"Do you know what today is?"

"Wednesday?"

"Uh-huh. And the date?"

"August tenth."

"Uh-huh. And do you remember what happened on August tenth last year?"

She shakes her head. "No. I can't say that I do."

"Here's a clue. You were a little mean to me."

"That doesn't really narrow it down, does it?"

I grin. "I suppose not. Okay, then. Spice Girls."

"Excuse me?"

"And Taylor Swift. Plus a few Bruno Mars tracks."

"Wait…Was that the night we went to karaoke?"

"Bingo." I pull out a rectangular box under the table where I asked Bear to stash it for me and slide it over to her. "Happy one year anniversary."

"Anniversary," she murmurs quietly, staring at the box before lifting her eyes to me. "You…you remembered?"

"Uh, yeah. I think I'd remember meeting my favorite person. Also, I do have the whole photographic memory thing."

"Right." She slowly shakes her head, looking a little dazed. "From what I recall—and I may have consumed a few too many glasses of wine that night, so my memory might be a little foggy—but I pretty much ignored you the whole time."

"You did."

"And as you pointed out, I was a little mean to you."

I shrug. "You were."

"So, how do I go from that to being your favorite person?"

---