Page 61 of Up All Night

Ouch. I shouldn’t care that I’d been friend zoned, but it definitely hurt my ego. I’d just been thinking about how much I wanted to kiss her while she was making sure I knew I was firmly in the friend category.

She stepped in close, one of her hands resting on my arm as she placed a feather light kiss on my cheek. She pulled back with a soft smile, but her eyes held a playful glint. “Good night, West.”

I stood there as she opened her door, frozen from feeling her lips on my cheek. Time slowed as shock rippled through me at how casually she’d kissed me. Like it was a thing we did, we were friends who kissed each other on the cheek. I could still feel the warmth of her lips on my skin.

Before she had fully shut the door, I sprang back to life. “Good night, Halle.”

Her face held a wicked grin at what I was positive had to do with the look of shock on my face.

The door clicked shut, and I stood there staring at it for several seconds.

If someone were to ask me what had just happened and where Halle’s and my relationship was going, I’d tell them I didn’t know.

But you know what I would tell them? I’d tell them I wanted more of Halle Parker in my life.

19

Halle

“Idid it!” I yelled out into the street.

I stamped my feet excitedly on the sidewalk.I did it, I did it, I did it!

I’d gone into the bank this morning feeling like I was going to throw up, but I had walked out feeling like I was on top of the world.

I had given my pitch to them exactly as I had practiced it the fifty times before, and now they were going to give me a loan. It felt surreal to be finally moving closer to my goal, the dream that had only ever felt like a dream. I was one huge step closer to opening my own dance studio.

I pulled out my phone and called Kate.

She answered on the second ring. “So? Did you get it?”

“Yes!” I screamed into the phone. “I got approved for the loan.”

“Halle!” she screamed right back. “That’s so amazing! I get to be your first employee, right?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Of course!” I was still talking at an insane volume. I was too happy to talk at a normal level. “Although, you’ll have to take a pay cut until I get the place up and going.” I wished I could pay her what she deserved, but the reality was that I had a lot of work to do to get to a place where I could do that.

“I’ll pick up more clients with my graphic design business to help bridge the gap.”

I smiled, grateful she was willing to take a risk on me. “You’re going to not only be my first employee, but my only employee for a while.”

“We should celebrate tonight,” Kate said excitedly. “Have a little get together at our place.”

“That sounds perfect.” I hadn’t had a night hanging out with friends in way too long.

“Yay!” she exclaimed “I’ll start texting people from the dance studio, and then you can invite whoever else you want.”

“Okay, sounds good.” I started walking toward my car that was parked on the street. “I’m going to swing by that building for rent that I’ve had my eye on, and then I’ll head home.”

“See ya soon,” she said.

“Bye.”

I hung up with her and slid into the driver’s seat of my car. I had one more person I wanted to tell my exciting news to. I pulled up my text messages and typed out a quick message.

Me:I did it! You’re talking to the newest person in debt!

West:LOL

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