Dare (Finding Love Book 1) (5 page)

I feel stupid telling them my situation, but I don’t know what to expect. They do. “Help. On everything. I’ve never been out on a date before,” I tell them sheepishly.

Hayley snorts. “Neither have I. Well, there was one time, but that was so awful I don’t count it as one.”

I’m about to ask about it, but then Jaclyn cuts in. “Leave it all to me. I’m a pro.” She grins with pride.

“You’re a serial dater,” Hayley says.

Jaclyn gasps in mock outrage, her right hand shooting to her chest. “I am not! I’m not dating right now. In fact, I’m taking a break from boys.”

“See how long that lasts,” Hayley murmurs.

“Okay! Let’s focus on what I was saying,” I break in.

“Right, okay. Where is he taking you?” Jaclyn asks.

“I have no idea,” I shake my head.

She sighs in frustration. “Okay. Here’s what to do…”

The rest of the night is a flurry of planning, and I can only hope this date goes well.

I’m brushing my teeth the next day when I get the text with a smiley face. Smiling, I open it.

Tonight sound good to you? Six o’clock?

I tap the buttons, my toothbrush hanging out from the side of my mouth. Jaclyn said to play hard to get, but I don’t really know how to do that.

Sur
e

I finish brushing my teeth and get ready for the day, anticipating his next text. I can’t stop glancing over at my phone and frowning every time I see there is nothing new from him. Jaclyn said that’s how it usually works sometimes, but if this is a ploy to get me to want him, it’s working. And I hate it.

Finally, as I’m walking out of the apartment, my phone chimes with a text.

Wear something nice. I’ll see you tonigh
t


I’m so giddy, it feels weird. Unnatural. For once, I’m really excited to be around a guy. I don’t know how tonight will go, or if he’ll change his mind about me later on, but I’ll take what I can get. I text Jaclyn and Hayley a few minutes later as I practically skip down the street. Nothing can ruin this day for me. I won’t let it.

Jac: oooo! I’m so excited to get you ready. You’ll look magnificent!

Hayley: I’ll make sure you look normal. That means NO SEQUINS, Jac!

I shake my head at the two. It’s a wonder how they can live together, their personalities are so different.

I’ll need both of you to help! I’m freaking out!

Jac: don’t freak out, Jen. We got this.

Hayley: we’re here for ya, girl.

When I arrive at class, it’s only half-full, and I spend the whole time day dreaming about the date. The pesky butterflies are having a fit, and for a few minutes, I wish they would settle down.

But they don’t, because really, I don’t want them to.

_*_*_*_

“Finally you’re here!” Jac exclaims as I walk through the door later on.

I drop my bag onto the floor and kick my shoes off. “Oh, that feels good. My feet are killing me!” I say as I fall onto the couch.

Jaclyn comes over to me and pulls on my hands. “No time for sitting! We have to get you ready!”

“It’s only four, Jaclyn. It won’t take me
that
long to get ready.”

She rests her hands on her hips and purses her lips. I roll my eyes. She seems to think that pose makes her look scary, but really, it just makes her look like a toddler who didn’t get a cookie. “Yes, it will. Now come on. We’re running out of time. Did he say where you’re going?”

I trudge behind her, gawking at the mess of clothes in my room. “Uh, no he didn’t. Did you go through my closet?”

“Eh, maybe. Okay, here wear this.” She tosses me one of my good dresses. It’s peach color, with thick straps and a tight, heart-shaped bodice. The skirt stops just above my knees, and the material is so soft, I consider using it as a blanket sometimes. I put the dress on the bed and sit down next to it. “Now, these shoes will work. You need more choices, by the way,” she points out.

“Gee, thanks,” I tell her sarcastically. I take my white, lacy flats. She then tosses me a white shawl thing. “This isn’t mine.”

She claps her hands. “Well, duh. It’s Hayley’s. She insisted.” Absently, she adds,” I wonder where she is?” Widening her eyes, she snaps back at me, her eyes wide. “Don’t just sit there! Get dressed!”

Slightly afraid of Jaclyn, I do as she says, and I hurry into the bathroom and change into the dress. Taking a glance in the mirror, I smooth down the skirt and nod to myself.
You can do this, Jen. No problem.
Or so I hope.

_*_*_*_

The knock comes promptly at six, and I grab my stomach, feeling the nervous flutters. I still can’t believe this is happening. I open the door and smile at Cole. He’s wearing nice, dark jeans and a vest over a white, long sleeve shirt.

He smiles down at me. “Wow, you look great.”

I try hard not to blush but dang it, it happens anyway. “Thanks.” Jaclyn clears her throat, and I roll my eyes before turning to her. “Cole, these are my roommates. Hayley and Jaclyn.”

He shakes Jaclyn’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you both.” Hayley waves instead of shaking his hand, and Cole looks a bit confused but doesn’t say anything. Hayley is fine around other girls, but guys are a different story.

“So, where are you taking our girl?” Jaclyn asks.

He chuckles while sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’m taking her to Marcello’s for dinner.”

I have no idea what that is, but apparently Jaclyn does. She gasps in awe and winks over at me. “That’s an awesome restaurant! You’ll have to tell me how it is, Jen.”

“I will make sure to do that. Well, we should get going, yeah?” I ask Cole, who has been watching on with amusement.

“Yes, we should get going.” He turns to Hayley and Jaclyn. “Ladies, it was nice to meet you.”

Before Jaclyn can ask more questions, I pull Cole out of there. “Sorry about her," I say once we're outside.

He shrugs as he holds open the car door for me. “She was fine. She’s just looking after you.” He closes the door and rounds the car.

“She does that,” I tell him after he gets in the car. “So, Marcello’s? I’ve never been.”

He starts driving, peeking over at me with a smile. “Marcello’s is the best. Great Italian food, you’ll love it.”

“Great. I love Italian.” We ride in silence. For me it’s because I have no idea what to say. It’s become stifling. We aren’t at the library now, and the jokes aren't coming. It’s all I can think about until we reach the restaurant.
Just relax. Maybe he’s nervous too and can’t be his usual playful self.

The maître d’ greets us with a fake smile. I’ve got that down to a tee and can spot them anywhere. He brings us over to our table by the window. Cole pulls my chair out for me, and I sit down, murmuring a thank you. “This place is beautiful,” I say to him.

He leans in close, his attention rapt. “It is. Not as beautiful as you are, of course.” He winks.

Pointing at him, I say, “That was cheesy. Stop it.” We both laugh.

We order our food, and that’s when the lull happens again. We’ve talked about his family, growing up, and his high school years. Luckily, I got him to keep talking about himself. Though that’s what I want, I can’t help but feel like it’s one-sided. He doesn’t even try to ask questions about me. Is it because he doesn’t want to pry? This dating stuff is harder than I thought it would be.

“What are you majoring in?” He finally asks something.

I fold my napkin, playing with the edges. “Oh, nursing. It’s been something I’ve always wanted to do.”

He gently puts his hand on the table, palm side up. Does that mean he wants to hold my hand? I clench my hands, wincing at how warm they are. What if they sweat? That would be embarrassing. “Nursing? That’s great! Did you want dessert? They have ice cream to die for. Here, I’ll get some.” He beckons the waiter before I can respond. I don’t have the heart to tell him I don’t like ice cream, never have. Mo thought I was crazy.

After forcing myself to eat the cold food, I’m glad to be in his car. As first dates go, I guess it was okay. He paid for the meal, held open doors and was nice. What more can a girl ask for?

“Did you enjoy dinner?”

Looking over at him, I can see he truly had a good time. So it’s just me? Am I so wrong in not feeling anything other than boredom? I want to like Cole; I do, but is that possible? I can tell he’s a great friend, but boyfriend?

“Yeah, I did. It all tasted good. Did you?”

“I always do. My family practically lives there.” He beams.

That’s another thing about Cole, he doesn’t know bad things. From what he’s told me, his family is loving and kind people who never let Cole want for anything. He isn’t spoiled or anything, but he’s
so
different compared to me. That’s what I should want though, right? Someone without baggage? My only problem is, the longer I spend time with him, the less I want to be honest. I feel like if I tell him about my past, I'll taint to him somehow.

“Your family sounds cool. You said you have a sister? What does she do?”

A fond smile reaches his lips. “I have two older sisters actually. Carly and Lola. Carly works as a lawyer and has a daughter, Amelia. Lola is a fashion designer. She’s actually in Paris right now.”

“Wow, remarkable. I’m impressed. And all I want to do is become a nurse.” I laugh.

He reaches over and pats my shoulder. “Nah, nursing is a great job. Lots of work.”

By the time we reach the apartment, I’ve decided to take another chance on him if he asks me out again. He walks me to my door, and I start to get nervous again. Will he kiss me? Do I want him to? Kissing isn’t something I’ve done either. Unless you count the 6th grade play when I played Juliet and had to kiss Romeo on the cheek.

As he leans in closer to me, panic sets in. No, I don’t want to kiss right now. Not outside the door. I always dreamed my first kiss would be magical, not with someone who I’ve known for a day. I need to get to know him a lot better before
that
happens. Just before he reaches me, the door opens and I sigh in relief. Jaclyn starts to apologize, but I cut her off.

“Thanks, Cole, for dinner. I had a great night. I’ll text you later?” I wait for him to nod before going inside. I can breathe now. I sit down on the couch, kicking off my shoes and wrap my blanket around my shoulders.

“Spill,” Jaclyn demands, her hazel eyes dark with anticipation. Hayley sits down next to me, waiting for the story. I tell them about the night, explaining how nervous I felt. It’s when I get to my conflicting feelings that Jaclyn interrupts.

“Wait, so you don’t want to date him because he’s
too
normal?”

“I know that makes no sense-“

“It makes perfect sense. You’re worried t he won’t relate to or understand what you’re going through.” I stare at Hayley in surprise.

“How…” I shake my head, lacking the right words to say.

She grimly smiles, understanding in her eyes. “There's nothing wrong with feeling that, but give yourself some time. You don’t have to tell him everything right now.”

Jaclyn is nodding. “She’s right. This is about you being comfortable.”

Tears well up, and I laugh in embarrassment. “Sorry,” I choke out. Their response is hugging. Though Hayley is stiff and obviously uncomfortable, I appreciate the gesture of her trying. Somehow, we all have a common ground: we understand each other’s pain without knowing what it is. That’s what makes them real friends.

“So, what if he asks you out again?” Hayley wonders.

I tug at the strings on my blankets, the soft wool comforting. “I don’t know. Maybe I should give him another chance. It only seems fair, and I do like hanging out with him.”

Jaclyn nods once, firmly. “Then do it, but only if you want to.”

I smile at them. “Thanks. You two are the best.”

Jaclyn grins and wiggles her eyebrows. “You won’t be saying that when you see what I did to your wardrobe.”

Abruptly, I leap off the couch and run into my room, a wacky girl laughing behind me and a quiet one watching with a smile.

_*_*_*_

Working at the library alone and at night sucks. It’s huge, and every sound echoes off the walls and ceiling, creating a creepy atmosphere. Especially since some lights are out in the stock room.

Today has been a long one. I had three major tests already, and I’m pretty sure I failed two of them. If I wasn’t so hooked on Cole and wondering why he hasn’t texted me yet, I’m sure I could have studied better. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. I came here right after my last class of the day and worked on a few chapters that need to be done before next time.
I can’t let myself fail. I won’t let them be right.

Just then, my phone goes off, starling me. Heart pounding, I will it to calm down while I pull out my phone. Gasping, I look around in fright.

The pink skirt looks good on you.

The skirt is Jaclyn's, one of her older ones.

Hurrying to stack the last book, I slip the cart into the stock room and slam the door shut, locking it with shaking hands. Then I race down the stairs, foregoing the slow elevator. The lights flicker, and I stop in my tracks. My heart is racing, pounding with dread against my rib cage. I close my eyes, telling myself that he isn’t by me, but my brain won’t comprehend.

I’m having a panic attack.

I’ve had a few before, but Mo was always there with me. I haven’t had one since the night Mom told me he died. I’ve never been alone through one though. And then, as if by magic, there are arms around me, pulling me in tight and whispering words. I don’t know what they are, everything is like mud, but it’s somewhat comforting.

Black spots cloud my vision as I blink to look at the man before me. “It’s you!” I mutter before blacking out.