Page 67 of Sunshine with You
“Grandpa? I’m thirty.”
“Oh, is that all? You could have fooled me, Mr.My-old-ass-music-is-better-than-yours.”
“Hold that thought.” He comes around and opens my door, offering his hands for me to grab while I leap from the lift on his SUV.
“Whew! I feel like I just went cliff diving. Might need to bring a step stool next time.”
“Short and cute, just how I like 'em.” He winks, curling his fingers around mine as we walk across the parking lot.
The butterflies in my stomach collide with a pang of guilt when Hunter flashes through my mind.Should I be doing this? But then Trevor smiles, and I brush it off. I’m not doing anything wrong by casually dating two people. It’s just not something I’m used to yet.
Our conversation flows so easily over the next hour; I hardly notice when our empty plates are pushed to the side for an unobstructed view. Trevor doesn’t take himself too seriously, which makes him easy to talk to. I don’t know the last time I’ve laughed so much on a date.
“So tell me about your ink.” I zero in on the tattoos peeking out at the wrist of his Henley. He’s got to have a good story for that sleeve of his. “What was the inspiration?”
“Pure boredom.” He chuckles, and I smile at the cute little dimples in his cheeks. “I got the first part at seventeen—right after boot camp—and I’ve slowly added to it. Every single addition was due to having nothing better to do at the time.”
Oh… Guess not. “But you’re right-handed. Why’d you choose your left arm?”
“You got a pen?” He nods to my purse.
I grab my pink felt-tipped pen and hand it over to him. “That’s all I’ve got.”
“Even better!” His smile grows as he rolls his sleeve up to his elbow, displaying more of the nautical tattoos on his arm. Mermaids, a ship, and various sea creatures cover his skin. I cock my head while he fills in the lines with pink. “It’s my own personal coloring book for whenever I get bored.”
“That might possibly be the cutest thing I’ve seen from a grown man. You listen to ’90s popanddoodle on your arm when you get bored? You’re adorable.”
“Thanks.” He comically raises a coy shoulder like a flirtatious Saturday morning cartoon.
I melt a little on the inside. With Trevor, it’s like being wrapped in the middle of a warm, gooey cinnamon roll. He’s comforting, and his sweet, open nature is an attractive safety feature I’m drawn to.
Vastly different than Hunter.He’s snarky and sultry, with an intense air of protective—Why am I thinking about Hunter right now?
Guilt pinches my stomach again. I’m no expert in casual dating, but I doubt I’m supposed to be thinking of another man whileona date. At the very least, I need to tell Trevor I’m seeing someone else. It’s only fair.
“So I should probably tell you something,” I say slowly, scratching the furrowed lines on my forehead.
“Okay…” He caps the pen, rolling it in his fingers while he watches me. “What’s up?”
“You and I…We…haven’t really talked about what we’re doing here…”
“Well, you see, we’re sitting at a table, eating dinner, while you tell me how cute I am.”
I cover my giggles with a hand. “No, I just mean…logistically, with how far apart we live, we haven’t set any ground rules beyond taking things slow. You should know that I’m also dating someone else.” I should tell him it’s Hunter. It’s the right thing to do—lay everything out on the table. But some little part of me wants to keep that blaring detail safe in LA. An even larger part is afraid of looking like the biggest dummy on the West Coast when this bet blows up in my face. So I keep it to myself.
“I mean, that’s fair. We’re having fun getting to know each other. You know I prefer to go slow, so I’m not worried about you seeing other people right now. Is it serious?”
Is starting a dating bet with your best friend, who you’re secretly in love with but also terrified to admit it, serious? “It’s…new.”
He nods slowly, and I watch his face for flashes of wayward emotion—jealousy, rage, anything really. There’s no change. “Alright. Good to know there’s a little competition to keep me on my game.” He winks, and I’m almost confused by his response. No clenching fists or grinding teeth. No intrusive questions or persuasive arguments. I’m used to guys needing that control, but he doesn’t appear to be fazed one bit. I think I might like him more for it.
Trevor sits back and smiles. “Now, it’s my turn… Will you be my date to the wedding?”
“The wedding?”
“Yeah, you know the thing happening in a few months, with the dresses and flowers. Rings…?”
“Boy, I know what a wedding is!” I laugh, shaking my head at his playful mansplaining. Biting my nail, I consider his proposition a little longer than I would have a month ago. Saying yes to him should be quick and easy. There’s no doubt we’d have a blast together, and we’ll both be at the wedding anyway…with Hunter.
