Page 95 of Hound Dog
Haylee
“I’m just saying,you could have warned me to dress casual.” I eyed the canoe warily as waves from the lake lapped against the wooden sides.
Finn pressed his lips together thoughtfully for a moment, then held a finger up and rushed to where his car was parked off the side of the road. He was back in a moment, holding out folded gym shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt.
“They’re clean, I swear.”
I grumbled and took the clothes from him. “For weeks, I’ve been dressing like a slob to keep you at arm’s length. Now, I can finally dress up for our first date… and I’m stuck wearing your baggy gym clothes.”
He tilted his head. “You were dressing down on purpose?”
I rolled my eyes at his naivety as I tugged the shorts up under my dress. Years of musical theater acting had taught me how to change an entire outfit without revealing a strip of indecent skin. It was one of those weird skills that really paid off more than I ever thought it would.
“Of course, I was,” I said, adjusting the straps of my dress to pull them down past my arms.
“I never did my hair. I’d always wear those face mask things if you came over at night. Have you seen me in anything other than yoga pants, sweats, or t-shirts since I arrived?”
“Other than a couple times out at Bombshells? No.”
“Even at Bombshells, I made sure to wear my glasses and stay dressed down,” I said, shrugging into the t-shirt.
“Those glasses were meant to turn me off? But they were so hot.”
He thought my glasses were hot? He’s insane. “Don’t lie to me. My baggy sweats and coke-bottle glasses are an instant hot guy repellent.”
He smiled. “First of all, itdidn’twork. I wanted you even more, knowing you weren’t trying for me. Second of all, you think I’m hot?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know you’re hot. And itdidwork. We didn’t get together until after Ben and I broke up.”
This morning. Was this as cringeworthy as it felt? Should I wait before moving on with Finn?
My thoughts were interrupted by Finn’s playful snort. “And you think us not getting together until after your breakup had anything to do with glasses and sweatpants?”
I shimmied my dress down over my hips, leaving me fully dressed in Finn’s baggy gym outfit. “I don’t think it hurt.”
“You’re delusional. You’re irresistible no matter what you wear.”
After taking another long kiss, he broke away from me and loaded a cooler into the canoe. With a push off of the public boat launch, the canoe sliced through the glassy water and Finn started rowing.
“Did you bring another paddle?” I asked. It felt weird to let Finn do the heavy lifting—or rather, rowing.
“Listen, birthday girl, I’m not going to make you work on our first date,” he said with a grin.
“It’s not my birthdayyet.”
“Tomorrow is soon enough.” He dipped the oar into the water, and even though he made it look effortless, I still felt bad.
“So, it’s not okay for me to row, but it’s all right for me to makeyouwork on our first date?”
“I’mthe one who planned the date.”
I noticed another oar tucked against the inside of the boat and noted it for later. Maybe he’d let me help paddle on the way home.
But for now, I grabbed my purse. “I wanted to show you something I’ve kept for years because it always reminded me of you. And that night we spent together. Even though I was mad at you for standing me up later that week, it was also one of the most important nights of my life.”
He tilted his head curiously but continued the long strokes with the oar. “If you pull out an old pair of surfboard undies, I’m not sure whether I’ll be impressed or disgusted.”
“Relax,” I said, then revealed the cupcake pen Finn had given me years ago, holding it up for him to see. “I’ve kept this in my purse for six years… which if you know anything about women and how often we change our purses, that’s saying something.”
