Page 49 of The Reading

I stared up into his hypnotizing blue eyes, and I found myself really, really, really wanting to go out on this date with him. Even though it sounded crazy, and I wasn’t entirely sure of what I was getting myself into, I found myself realizing that Madam Brousseau’s prediction didn’t matter. I wanted to go on this date with Wyatt. I owed it to all my teenage emotions to see what this could be.

“Fine,” I sighed. “We can go to dinner tonight.”

“Text me your address, and I’ll pick you up at six,” he quickly replied, and it was sweet how eager he seemed.

Starting my car up, I couldn’t believe I was finally going out with Wyatt Valinsky.

Chapter 3

Chanel~

“Dude, I heard that your entire classroom was trying to hook you up with Wyatt Valinsky.”

I laughed, and I wasn’t even surprised. “How’d you hear?”

“At work.” Alessa worked at Drops of Heaven, and the woman heard every-damn-thing that happened in this town.

“Oh, God,” I groaned.

She just chuckled. “Dillon Hartford came in with a couple of his fellow officers and told me to ask you about career day.” Dillon had been my career day officer, and it was no secret in this town that Alessa, Zara, Kit, Vivian, Sloane, Hattie, Rachel, and I were great friends.

“God, Alessa, it was so embarrassing,” I muttered. “I mean, seriously. I had a classroom full of seven-year-olds trying to hook me up to have a date, get a husband, then have babies. They were on a mission to push me into Wyatt’s arms.”

“Yeah, well, Dillon also said that Wyatt had confessed to liking you,” she replied slyly.

“No, that’s not how it happened,” I corrected. “His niece, Carly, outed him. She told the entire class that Wyatt would ask her dad about me.”

“Oh, my God!” she squealed. “That’s so freakin’ sweet!”

“It’s so freakin’ crazy,” I retorted. “I mean, he’s a professional hockey player, Alessa.”

“Aretiredprofessional hockey player,” she amended. “One that admitted to liking you in front of your whole class.”

“Alessa-”

“Anda cop, firefighter, doctor, and veterinarian,” she added. “Something that he knew would spread like wildfire.”

“Which obviously did if you’re calling me already,” I griped.

“Chanel, you’ve always talked about how you had such a huge crush onthe man when you guys were kids,” she reminded me. “Now he’s back, and he’s interested in dating you.”

“One dinner is not a date,” I argued lamely.

“He said he liked you,” she went on relentlessly. “He told your entire class, and his niece confirmed it.”

“I just don’t want to get my hopes up,” I admitted. “I have this…it’s like…you know, meeting your favorite celebrity, only to find out that they’re rude as hell or an awful person. What if Wyatt’s not everything that I dreamed he was back in high school?”

“Then you tell him thank you for the date, then move on,” she replied understandingly. “Yeah, you’ll be disappointed, but at least you can leave high school Wyatt Valinsky back in high school and move on from those girlhood dreams.”

“And what if he’s great and it’s the other way around?” I posed. “What if he’s disappointed in me?”

“That’s impossible,” she huffed. “You’re awesome. You own your home, pay your taxes, and teach little minds, for Pete’s sake. Plus, you’re hot as hell. What complaints could he possibly have about you?”

I laughed. Alessa had a way of always making a person feel better about themselves. “Thanks.”

“It’s true,” she insisted before letting out a heavy sigh. “Don’t overthink it, Chanel. Go to dinner with the man, and if it goes well, then great. If it goes badly, then it’s just one night of your life. He won’t be the first worst date that you’ve ever been on.”

“Good point.”

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