from the hospital called—something about answers and his dojo. Then I heard the voice again, but first—”
“Rileigh!” Quentin gave my shoulders a quick shake.
I blinked. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
He nodded.
“Can I start over?”
“Please.”
I opened my mouth to try again just as Jeannine, the salon owner, stuck her head through the heavy maroon curtain that blocked the sink room from the rest of the salon.
“Rileigh, you have a visitor.”
“Visitor?” Quentin asked.
“Beats me.” I shrugged.
Quentin helped me up and together we walked out into the lobby.
Jeannine inclined her head toward the door. “He said he’d wait outside.”
“He?” Quentin gave me a wink before helping me untie my smock. “I guess we’ll have to continue our talk later—without the distractions .”
I nodded, glad that my confession would wait. After handing him my apron, I turned and walked outside. I spotted Whitley sitting on a bench in front of the deli. My throat went dry. He was even more gorgeous today, with the sun’s rays making his loose hair hang from his head like threads of gold.
“Rileigh!” He smiled and motioned me over.
My heart pounded harder with each step I took until I was directly in front of him and I thought my rib cage might burst. “Why are you here?” I immediately regretted my choice of words.
His smile melted. “Are you upset?”
“No. That’s not—I didn’t—” I hung my head and sat down next to him. His arm extended along the back of the bench and grazed my shoulders. It felt nice. “I’m sorry. I’ve had a crazy day, and you just surprised me.”
His smile returned. “I wanted to surprise you. I remember you said you worked a double shift today, so I thought I might be able to snag you on a break and take you to get something to eat.”
Of course he did. It turns out Whitley was not only gorgeous, he was surprisingly sweet. So it was just my luck that after a semester of pining over him he’d show an interest in me at the same time I started hearing voices in my head.
“So how about it?” He grinned.
I said nothing. Even the dimples couldn’t cheer me up today. He continued to smile, forcing me to look away. If only he knew what I already did—our relationship was doomed. I was pretty sure most guys put “crazy” last on the list of qualities they look for in girls.
“Rileigh? Is something wrong?”
Not something— everything. Reluctantly, I turned to face him. “Whitley, I’m sorry. It’s so sweet of you to think of me like this. It’s just that … I already took my break. In fact, I better get back inside before I get into trouble.”
“I see.” He didn’t bother to hide the disappointment in his voice. “In that case, I better not keep you.” He stood up and walked into the parking lot.
I pressed my lips together to keep from calling him back. It would only complicate things.
But as he reached the first line of cars, he stopped anyway and turned back to face me. “I have to ask you something.”
I stood up from the bench and waited.
His face remained blank. “Do you feel it too?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
His cheeks burned red and he ducked his head. His hair spilled across his face, forming a barrier between us. He hid like a ten-year-old who had just given his crush a dandelion and my heart melted a little, allowing warm stickiness to trickle down and heat my insides.
Whitley cleared his throat before continuing. “I feel like there could be something between us worth exploring.”
Something between us —as in Rileigh and Whitley? The mere thought made me feel weightless, and I gripped the back of the bench to keep from floating away.
He tucked the curtain of hair behind his ear and looked at me. “Maybe I’m over-obsessing, but you didn’t technically agree to go out with me.” He held his hand up before I could protest. “What I’m trying to say is that I feel something when I’m with you. I
“Rileigh!” Quentin gave my shoulders a quick shake.
I blinked. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
He nodded.
“Can I start over?”
“Please.”
I opened my mouth to try again just as Jeannine, the salon owner, stuck her head through the heavy maroon curtain that blocked the sink room from the rest of the salon.
“Rileigh, you have a visitor.”
“Visitor?” Quentin asked.
“Beats me.” I shrugged.
Quentin helped me up and together we walked out into the lobby.
Jeannine inclined her head toward the door. “He said he’d wait outside.”
“He?” Quentin gave me a wink before helping me untie my smock. “I guess we’ll have to continue our talk later—without the distractions .”
I nodded, glad that my confession would wait. After handing him my apron, I turned and walked outside. I spotted Whitley sitting on a bench in front of the deli. My throat went dry. He was even more gorgeous today, with the sun’s rays making his loose hair hang from his head like threads of gold.
“Rileigh!” He smiled and motioned me over.
My heart pounded harder with each step I took until I was directly in front of him and I thought my rib cage might burst. “Why are you here?” I immediately regretted my choice of words.
His smile melted. “Are you upset?”
“No. That’s not—I didn’t—” I hung my head and sat down next to him. His arm extended along the back of the bench and grazed my shoulders. It felt nice. “I’m sorry. I’ve had a crazy day, and you just surprised me.”
His smile returned. “I wanted to surprise you. I remember you said you worked a double shift today, so I thought I might be able to snag you on a break and take you to get something to eat.”
Of course he did. It turns out Whitley was not only gorgeous, he was surprisingly sweet. So it was just my luck that after a semester of pining over him he’d show an interest in me at the same time I started hearing voices in my head.
“So how about it?” He grinned.
I said nothing. Even the dimples couldn’t cheer me up today. He continued to smile, forcing me to look away. If only he knew what I already did—our relationship was doomed. I was pretty sure most guys put “crazy” last on the list of qualities they look for in girls.
“Rileigh? Is something wrong?”
Not something— everything. Reluctantly, I turned to face him. “Whitley, I’m sorry. It’s so sweet of you to think of me like this. It’s just that … I already took my break. In fact, I better get back inside before I get into trouble.”
“I see.” He didn’t bother to hide the disappointment in his voice. “In that case, I better not keep you.” He stood up and walked into the parking lot.
I pressed my lips together to keep from calling him back. It would only complicate things.
But as he reached the first line of cars, he stopped anyway and turned back to face me. “I have to ask you something.”
I stood up from the bench and waited.
His face remained blank. “Do you feel it too?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
His cheeks burned red and he ducked his head. His hair spilled across his face, forming a barrier between us. He hid like a ten-year-old who had just given his crush a dandelion and my heart melted a little, allowing warm stickiness to trickle down and heat my insides.
Whitley cleared his throat before continuing. “I feel like there could be something between us worth exploring.”
Something between us —as in Rileigh and Whitley? The mere thought made me feel weightless, and I gripped the back of the bench to keep from floating away.
He tucked the curtain of hair behind his ear and looked at me. “Maybe I’m over-obsessing, but you didn’t technically agree to go out with me.” He held his hand up before I could protest. “What I’m trying to say is that I feel something when I’m with you. I
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