Page 77 of Girls Will Be Girls
I bite my lip. “I want to make a good impression.”
“You always make a good impression.”
I half roll my eyes. “You work with these people, and it’s big-time politicians you probably want to impress, so I want to be perfect.”
“You could show up in a trash bag, covered in dirt, and singingCotton Eyed Joe,and you’d still be perfect.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “I don’t know if you know what perfect means.”
“I know that you’re already perfect. Anything you do would be perfect to me.” He says, far too seriously for me to not believe him at least a little. “Don’t be nervous. Just do what you want. Even if you wanna leave, then do that. You don’t need to please anyone today, okay?”
His other hand falls to hold my hand, his thumb rubbing a soft circle on my wrist and down my palm, making me shiver.
“Okay?” He asks again, with a smile on his lips.
“Okay,” I whisper.
His eyes dart between mine like he’s reading something in them. “You want to take a shot? For your nerves?”
I laugh loudly. “No, I’m fine.”
“Sure?” He grins. “If getting wasted helps, then go for it.”
I chew my lip, thinking. Long enough for Lou to dip his head a little to catch my eye better.
“You’re not, like, embarrassed by me, are you?” I finally voice the insecurity out loud.
He stares at me, his face unreadable, until he lifts the back of his hand to my forehead.
“What are you doing?”
He dabs it along my skin. “Checking if you have a fever, because that’s the only explanation for what you just said.”
I slap his hand away. “I’m serious.”
He starts dabbing along my neck now. “So am I.”
I push him off me with an eye roll and head towards the car. I open the passenger door, but he shuts it instantly with his handon top of the door, spinning me around and pinning me against it.
“Is this the job thing again?” He asks.
I avoid his eyes, embarrassed, so he takes my chin in his finger and thumb, forcing me to look at him.
“Anyone who would be embarrassed about you having a kick ass job that you’re amazing at is a fucking idiot.”
A small laugh slips out of me.
“There is no world where I am anything but grateful that you let me hang around you.” He smirks a little.
I don’t say anything, so he strokes my cheek. “Okay?”
I blow out a dramatic breath. “I know I shouldn’t be embarrassed, and I’m not.” He glares at me, and I roll my eyes. “Well, not really. But I’ve been made to feel like I should be, so it’s hard to shake that off.”
He nods. “I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel like that.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
“Once again, I’m happy to go beat someone up.”
