guessing that’s about all you can say about it?”
He smiled. “Exactly. Sorry to be so secretive. Sort of comes with the territory.”
The bartender set their margaritas in front of them, and Brandon handed Cassidy’s drink to her. Again, she was impressed by his manners.
“Welcome to New York. I hope your secret mission was a success.” She held up her margarita for a toast.
“It’s nice to be here.” He clinked his glass against hers. “To old friends who never actually knew each other.”
She sipped her drink. “High school’s strange that way, isn’t it? I knew who you were, of course, but I don’t think we ever met.”
He nodded. “We met.”
“We did? When?”
“Senior year I went to a party at Krista Nelson’s house. You were there.”
“You did? I was?”
He nodded again. “We talked for a minute or two, but then you took off.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. You bolted like your hair was on fire. I may not have been the best student, but I have a really good memory.”
“Then you’re the exact opposite of me. We’d probably crush it on a game show.”
He laughed. “Talking to you is a refreshing change from the deadly serious types I deal with at work all day long. One of the attorneys at my firm has been there for four years and I’ve never seen him crack a smile, much less a joke.”
“Well, even though it was twenty years ago, I’m sorry I ditched you at that party. Will you accept an extremely belated apology?” She certainly hoped she hadn’t been rude. Knowing her, she’d probably bailed on their conversation because she got flustered, fretted briefly about how awkward and nervous she got around boys in social situations, then blocked out the entire experience and gone about her business getting straight As at school.
But still, how could she have done that to a boy who would one day grow up to look like the man sitting across from her now? She silently kicked her teenage self.
He winked at her. “It took a few therapy sessions, but I think I’m over it now.”
She felt her cheeks flush. “I know I was on the timid side back then, but sometimes I also wonder if people thought I was a bit of a snob because I didn’t know I needed glasses.”
“What do you mean?”
“Krista once told me she thought I was rude because I never waved back at her from afar on campus, but then we realized that it was because I couldn’t even see her. I got contact lenses soon after that.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re clearly not rude. Famous, maybe, but definitely not rude.”
“I’m hardly famous.”
“You’re a little famous.” He half smiled, and it was all she could do to keep herself from staring at his lips.
“What about you? What were you like in high school?” She tried to maintain her focus on the conversation.
“Me? I was clueless . That pretty much sums it up.”
She smiled. “I doubt that.”
“I wasn’t a jackass or anything, just a typical teenage guy. Too much gel in my hair, too little time spent on my homework, that sort of thing.”
“Sounds like my brother. He put way more effort into his after-school activities than school itself. Total social butterfly, even joined the prom committee. My mom used to joke that she’d felt him fluttering in the womb.”
“Who did you go to our prom with?” Brandon asked.
The question caught her off guard, and she froze. “I, uh, I didn’t go to the prom.”
He looked surprised. “Why not?”
She took a sip of her margarita and forced a smile. “If you think about it, you can probably figure it out. But just as well—this way I’m assured no embarrassing photos of me in an awful taffeta dress with crimped hair will pop up on the Internet.” She cringed slightly. She was trying to act nonchalant about it, but she was mortified that her single biggest disappointment from high school had just been revealed.
Just then she heard a beeping coming from her
He smiled. “Exactly. Sorry to be so secretive. Sort of comes with the territory.”
The bartender set their margaritas in front of them, and Brandon handed Cassidy’s drink to her. Again, she was impressed by his manners.
“Welcome to New York. I hope your secret mission was a success.” She held up her margarita for a toast.
“It’s nice to be here.” He clinked his glass against hers. “To old friends who never actually knew each other.”
She sipped her drink. “High school’s strange that way, isn’t it? I knew who you were, of course, but I don’t think we ever met.”
He nodded. “We met.”
“We did? When?”
“Senior year I went to a party at Krista Nelson’s house. You were there.”
“You did? I was?”
He nodded again. “We talked for a minute or two, but then you took off.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. You bolted like your hair was on fire. I may not have been the best student, but I have a really good memory.”
“Then you’re the exact opposite of me. We’d probably crush it on a game show.”
He laughed. “Talking to you is a refreshing change from the deadly serious types I deal with at work all day long. One of the attorneys at my firm has been there for four years and I’ve never seen him crack a smile, much less a joke.”
“Well, even though it was twenty years ago, I’m sorry I ditched you at that party. Will you accept an extremely belated apology?” She certainly hoped she hadn’t been rude. Knowing her, she’d probably bailed on their conversation because she got flustered, fretted briefly about how awkward and nervous she got around boys in social situations, then blocked out the entire experience and gone about her business getting straight As at school.
But still, how could she have done that to a boy who would one day grow up to look like the man sitting across from her now? She silently kicked her teenage self.
He winked at her. “It took a few therapy sessions, but I think I’m over it now.”
She felt her cheeks flush. “I know I was on the timid side back then, but sometimes I also wonder if people thought I was a bit of a snob because I didn’t know I needed glasses.”
“What do you mean?”
“Krista once told me she thought I was rude because I never waved back at her from afar on campus, but then we realized that it was because I couldn’t even see her. I got contact lenses soon after that.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re clearly not rude. Famous, maybe, but definitely not rude.”
“I’m hardly famous.”
“You’re a little famous.” He half smiled, and it was all she could do to keep herself from staring at his lips.
“What about you? What were you like in high school?” She tried to maintain her focus on the conversation.
“Me? I was clueless . That pretty much sums it up.”
She smiled. “I doubt that.”
“I wasn’t a jackass or anything, just a typical teenage guy. Too much gel in my hair, too little time spent on my homework, that sort of thing.”
“Sounds like my brother. He put way more effort into his after-school activities than school itself. Total social butterfly, even joined the prom committee. My mom used to joke that she’d felt him fluttering in the womb.”
“Who did you go to our prom with?” Brandon asked.
The question caught her off guard, and she froze. “I, uh, I didn’t go to the prom.”
He looked surprised. “Why not?”
She took a sip of her margarita and forced a smile. “If you think about it, you can probably figure it out. But just as well—this way I’m assured no embarrassing photos of me in an awful taffeta dress with crimped hair will pop up on the Internet.” She cringed slightly. She was trying to act nonchalant about it, but she was mortified that her single biggest disappointment from high school had just been revealed.
Just then she heard a beeping coming from her
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