Page 77 of Searching for Nova

I look back and see Rielle racing up to me. “Are you going home?”

“No, I have to work at the rink tonight. I’m going there now.”

“Oh.” She frowns. “I was going to invite you to dinner. Karla gave me a gift card for that pizza place you like. I thought we could go there tonight, but maybe we could go some other night. How about tomorrow? Are you working?”

“No, but I already have plans.”

“With Mateo?” She rolls her eyes. “Don’t tell me you took him back.”

“I didn’t. I haven’t even talked to him since we ended things.”

“So who do you have plans with?” She smiles. “Anyone I know?”

“You haven’t met him. He’s that friend I told you about. The guy I used to know when we were kids?”

“The rich guy? The one who plays hockey?”

“Yeah, that’s him. We’re going to dinner tomorrow.”

“That’s it? Just dinner?”

“Yeah. Why?”

She shrugs. “I thought maybe there was something going on. You’ve seemed different this week. I thought it might be because of a guy, but not Mateo. He never made you smile.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Today in the hall. I waved at you and you smiled. You never do that.”

“I smile,” I insist.

She shakes her head. “You don’t. But hey, nobody here does. What’s there to smile about? We’re all just trying to survive.” She looks down at her belly. “The only reason I’m smiling is because of this little one.”

She’s so excited about the baby. I’m starting to wonder if she’ll really give it up.

“I need to get to the bus stop,” I say, “but maybe we could go out next week.”

“Yeah. See ya!” She waves as I leave.

If she’s right and I’ve been smiling more this week, it’s because of Easton. He’s been taking me out every night after I get off work. Now it’s Thursday and I told him he could stay home and be with his friends, but he insisted on coming to the rink. It’s open skate night and he told me he needed to practice, but it’s just an excuse to see me. He’s determined to make us friends again, but I’m not sure I can do it. Why be friends when he’s just going to leave?

I should be trying to avoid him, telling him to leave me alone, but it’s not what I want. I thought I did, but Sunday night, something changed in me. When we talked that night, I remembered why I loved Easton so much when we were kids. He was the only person who really listened to me, and understood me, and accepted me. He was the only person who made me feel like I mattered. He made me feel that way Sunday night, and every day since then. I’m starting to miss him when he’s not around, which scares me and makes me think I’m getting too attached to him. But I can’t let him go, not yet. I want more time with him, but more time means getting even more attached, and falling for him even more.

We kissed again, which led to doing more. I can’t help myself. When I’m around him, I want to touch him, hug him, lay my head on his shoulder. He’s the same way with me. We can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. We try not to kiss, but then it happens, which leads to other things happening, but only to me. Easton doesn’t let me get him off, which is strange. When I’ve been with other guys, it’s all about them. They don’t even try to please me.

I keep thinking one of these times Easton and I will go all the way, but Easton always stops us before that happens. I guess that’s good, but I really want to do it with him. I just need to be careful and keep my emotions out of it.

“Start with the bathrooms,” Rod says when I arrive at the skating rink. “There was a birthday party this afternoon and the kids made a mess. I think one of them might’ve puked.”

“Great,” I say with a sigh.

“And then later I want you to work the snack stand.”

“Really?” I sound excited because I am. Working the snack stand is way better than cleaning and I’ll get to see Easton as he skates around the ice.

“Jodi quit,” he explains, “so I’m giving you a try. If you do good, I might give you the job.”

“Meaning I wouldn’t have to clean?”

---