Page 76 of Searching for Nova

“Thanks for dinner,” she says as I walk her to the door of her building. “And dessert.”

“You’re welcome.”

She tilts her head. “Hey, why were you still out here after you dropped me off? Why didn’t you leave?”

“I was hoping you’d change your mind and come back out. And you did.”

“Only because I was upset. If the thing with Mateo hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have left.”

“Then I would’ve texted you, enticing you with an offer to take you for dessert.”

“I could’ve told you no.”

“You could’ve, but you’re a sucker for sweets. I knew my chances were good you’d say yes.”

She rolls her eyes, smiling. “You keep thinking you know everything about me, but you don’t. I’ve grown up. I don’t like the same things I did as a kid, well, except dessert.”

“So let me find out.”

“Find out what?”

“What the grown-up version of Nova likes. Let me get to know you. Let me take you out again.”

She looks down at the ground. I’m sure she’s going to tell me no, but then she lifts her head and says, “Okay.”

“Okay, as in you’ll go out with me again?”

“Sure. When do you want to go?”

“Is tomorrow too soon?”

She smiles. “I work at the diner tomorrow until eight.”

“You care if I stop by?”

“I can’t stop you. Anyone can eat there.”

“I have practice until six, but I’ll come by after that.”

“What about your family dinner?”

“Shit, that’s right. So it’ll probably be closer to seven.”

“Okay.” She pauses, then looks around. “So I guess I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah. Bye.” I go to hug her just as she turns toward the door. She opens it and goes inside.

Something about that goodbye felt awkward, like we were on a first date trying to figure out how to end it. Tonight kind of did feel like a date.

I’m not sure where we go from here. I want to keep seeing her, but when I do, I want to kiss her, hold her hand, wrap her in my arms. I shouldn’t be doing that if we’re only friends.

What if we were more than that? What if we let ourselves go there? Would it really be that bad?

20

Nova

“Nova, wait up!”someone yells as I walk to the bus stop.

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