Page 25 of Kiss My Glass
“Acorns, huh.”
Good call, Danny. She’s calmed down.
“Chiara ambushed me at The Silver Saddle,” Frankie says. “Managed to enrage both me and Brendan.”
“Brendan’s in a permanent state of enragement, isn’t he? I thought he hated everyone?”
“True, but he achieved an extralevel of animosity towards Chiara today.”
Frankie sounds gratified. Me, I’ve experienced enough of Brendan’s customary attitude to not want to imagine him when he’s really provoked.
We’re coming up to the winery turn-off, and suddenly, I don’t want this drive to end. Up until now this day has been a write-off. Lunch with Mom should have been nice except that I couldn’t shake my resentment towards Dad. It sat like a vulture on my shoulder the whole time, digging its sharp, mean claws into my flesh. Nate tried to cheer me up on the way back, but it wasn’t until we spotted Frankie and Shelby in Verity that I felt my mood lift. This drive with Frankie has been surprising, but in a good way. A very good way. I wish I could magically lengthen it by twenty more miles.
I’m not prepared for when Frankie swerves onto the grassy verge and hits the brakes.
“Oof.” I catch my breath and gaze at her, wildly. “What was that about? Skunk on the road?”
The engine is idling. Frankie swivels in her seat to face me. She leans forward, and for a micro-second, I think she intends to kiss me. But seems it was a figment of my imagination. Her back is upright now against the driver’s seat and she’s glaring at me. Not with the full Angry Bird eyebrows, but I brace myself anyway.
“Chiara’s also of the opinion that you and I are attracted to each other,” she says.
“Uh—” This conversation is going places I never anticipated in a million years.
“Well? Are you?”
Jesus, what’s the right answer here? I suppose I’d better opt for the truth.
“Yes,” I say. “I am extremely attracted to you. Even though you seem to hate my guts.”
Her big blue eyes search my face, scanning for clues to my sincerity. It was the truth, but I bet I still look shifty as hell. Being scared for one’s extremities will do that to you.
“I’m not sure I hate your guts as much as I thought I did,” she says, and winces as if immediately regretting it.
“That’s good to hear.” I smile to try to lighten the moment. “I swear I’m not that bad once you get to know me.”
Of course, that comes out sounding shallow and unconvincing. Frankie’s eyes narrow a little, and I’m sure I’ve blown it.
“All right, then,” she says. “Let’s get to know each other.”
Again, not what I expected. “Uh, get to know each other as in…?”
“I want to stress-test Chiara’s theory,” she says. “I want us to find out what we do have in common. And whether that’s enough to base anything more serious on.”
“Okay.” Seems a sound idea, though currently lacking in executional detail. Which is why I say, “Thoughts on the best way to do that?”
She chews on her full, luscious pink bottom lip. I might have imagined her wanting to kiss me, but I sure as hell want to kiss her. On that lip, and the one above it, and then?—
Focus, Danny!
“How about we take turns introducing each other to stuff we care about?” Frankie is saying. “Things we love to do, hobbies, sports, special interests, etc.?”
“Like your beer brewing?”
“Just like that,” she confirms. “I’ve got a few other niche pastimes, too.”
She makes that sound slightly ominous, and my apprehension must show in my face because Frankie grins.
“Backing out already?”
