Page 56 of Freshmeet
“Perfect,” I grumbled, kicking the flat tire. Connor was working out at the Thousand Hills construction site, so he was meeting me at the lake.
Mona had a Panhellenic meeting for all new sorority presidents, so she was riding with those girls.
Kat had a lunch shift at Lotus, and Jamie wasn’t answering his phone.
I was dialing Emily when a voice from behind me said, “Need a ride?”
I turned and smiled at Carter hanging out the driver’s side window. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Hop in!” He slid back into the car, and I caught sight of Hailey politely smiling from the passenger seat. Getting in the back seat, I said, “Thanks for giving me a lift. No one was answering their phone.”
“No worries.”
The drive to Thousand Hills was short and silent. The tension between Carter and Hailey made me regret accepting a ride.
I should’ve called Emily.
Carter parked next to a long line of vehicles on the edge of the forest because the lot was still taped off and full of construction equipment.
“Thanks again,” I said, waving as I juggled my cooler and bag.
“Let me help you.”
Carter reached for the cooler, but I pulled back.
“No, that’s okay!” I turned and made a beeline for the shore. The cooler slipped from my hand, and I stumbled trying to catch it. Unfortunately, I ran right into a person. “Oh! Sorry.”
Connor steadied me, gracefully catching the handle of the cooler and saving the food I’d brought for us. “Careful there.”
“Thanks. I tripped on—” I glanced at the smooth path. “Nothing.”
Connor chuckled. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
“Sun, fun, food, and booze. You ready?” I looked up into his clear blue eyes, the skin around them wrinkled from squinting against the sun.
“I guess so.” The corners of his lips turned up. “You promise not to throw me to the wolves?”
Wrapping my arm around his, I squeezed. “I like the swim trunks.” I eyed the hot pink material next to his tan skin.
He glanced down, running a hand down his tight-fitting white t-shirt. “Thanks. They’re my favorite color.”
“Mine too,” I said, gesturing down to my gauzy, pastel pink cover-up. “It’s kind of my color.”
His eyes slowly trailed down my body.
“I don’t think there’s a color that would look bad on you.” The naked appreciation in his voice was the ego boost I needed to make it through this kind of, sort of, not really, date.
“Orange. And some shades of yellow.”
“No one looks good in orange or highlighter yellow.”
I checked out the bronze god next to me. “You make neons work.”
Connor’s cheeks crimsoned, and he laughed. “You’re a sweet talker, Sarah Tilney.”
“I only speak the truth.”
He slid his hand down my arm, lacing our fingers together in a decidedly more than friends hold. Swinging our hands between us, I floated down to the picnic tables. Everything with Connor was organic, easy, and I hated that we couldn’t stay in this bubble of just the two of us.
