“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” He nods. “Almonds specifically. You should try it sometime.”
I chuckle. “Thank you, I will. You thirsty? Can I get you anything?”
Swiping the towel from my back pocket, I go about wiping down the counter as he stares at me. His eyes flit down to the end of the bar. He seems anxious or nervous, causing the muscles in his forearms to tense.
“I’m not looking to order anything, actually. I just finished eating with some buddies not too long ago.” He gestures over his shoulder. A group of guys from a table near the back are staring at the two of us. They smile while waving playfully before my eyes fall back on him. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
“You did?” I giggle at how clearly staged this is, yet still taken by surprise. “We went to school together, right?”
I recognize some of the guys he’s with from high school. He looks different than I remember, not sure if I can recall his name. Although I must say, we’re not the same people we were back then.
“Yeah, we did. Ivy, right?”
He smiles. It’s the type of warm smile that would make any girl giddy.
I nod. “Trevor,” I say, his name finally hitting me.
He nods, too. “I’ve seen you around here a couple of times. I was wondering if you would be interested in going out sometime?”
Staring at Trevor, I take in his strawberry-blond waves, looking a little disheveled but in a boy next door sort of way. His green eyes are bright, a smile plastered on his face waiting for me to answer.
He’s the exact opposite of Brix, right down to the sweet way he offered advice to fight my headache. He’s everything you should want in a man.
He’s also not my stepbrother.
Before I can even second-guess it, the words are out of my mouth, taking us both by surprise.
“I’d love to.”
He grins, the nervousness he wore a moment ago vanishes.
He smacks his hand down on the counter with excitement, moving to stand. I realize now how much taller he is compared to me, standing over a foot taller than I do.
He pulls out his phone, and I rattle off my number. My phone vibrates in my pocket when he mentions he’s going to send me a quick text so I’ll have his. Before I know it, he’s heading back to rejoin his friends with the promise to text me tomorrow to make plans.
It’s been over a year since I’ve been on an actual date. His excitement and enthusiasm, once I agreed, give me reassurance we’ll have a fun time.
I watch Trevor weave through the crowd of people, waving at me over his shoulder before he goes.
As he disappears from my sight, my eyes fall back to the stage toward the front of the bar, the same stage I’ve watched Brix and A Rebels Havoc play, and just like that, my mind is back on him.
I tell myself over and over, not to overthink it. Maybe this will be a good thing, and it’ll help convince Brix to leave me alone, at least for a while.
Lies. More and more lies.
Seven
Ivy
I’m regretting my decision to go on this date. It has nothing to do with Trevor. On paper, he’s the definition of the perfect guy. The type you’d want to bring home to introduce to your parents, knowing they’d love him for you for all the same reasons.
The only thing missing is the connection.
I hate how it’s even a comparison. It shouldn’t even be a thought in my mind right now, but the attraction and pull I experience around Trevor doesn’t compare to what I feel around Brix.
This is ludicrous. I’m an insane fool.