and Phoebe because I was afraid she’d get upset with the teenaged drama.
I tossed my apron to be washed , and faced my aunt. “Uh…”
“He says he needs an answer, whatever that means.”
“Oh.”
She remained standing there, and I could tell she wanted an explanation from me . So I told her about Austin’s offer to visit his family’s ranch. We discussed it for a minute, and she asked some of the same questions that my grandpa did, but I didn’t get into the whole other half of the saga.
“So what about this business plan?” I asked her to change the subject . “Oh,” I added, realizing that she might not be happy that I knew about it. “I, uh, know about it, by the way. I’m sorry if that’s not okay…”
“No, it’s fine. He t old me that you knew .”
“So? What, uh…w hat do you think of it all?”
She paused for several seconds before she said, “I think I’m going to do it. Scott and I talked about it and… It just sounds good. There are a few more things to work out first, and I’m going to have a couple of business friends I know look the entire thing over for me, but I feel pretty good about it.”
She actually looked excited, and for Meryl that was a surprise. She was usually pretty serious most of the time and hardly let her emotions go uncontrolled.
When I made it to Austin’s table a few minutes later I said, “You didn’t order anything yet, did you?”
“Uh, no I didn’t,” he smiled. “Why?”
“Because I’m dying for pizza right now. Wanna go a couple of doors down with me?”
He agreed and followed me outside.
“I’m not taking you away from your weekly Clover’s experience, am I?”
He grinned and said, “I’m with my weekly Clover’s experience.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, yeah?”
He slightly nodded as he opened the door to Cici’s for me . “Yep.”
I considered making him clarify , maybe ask him what exactly he got out of coming to Clover’s each Friday, but I was kind of scared to. Maybe I didn’t want to hear him say that he liked coming to see me. I didn’t want anything to get in the way of my goals, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to stand my ground. I’d basically let Levi t alk me into casually dating him. I didn’t want things to go any further with Austin either because my mind was set on getting a job.
“You seem a little…spacey today,” he said as we sat down at a table.
“Oh? Sorry, just have some stuff on my mind , I guess.”
“Like what?”
I didn’t reply at first and I was thankful for the distraction of the waitress taking our drink orders. But when she left, Austin was still waiting for my answer.
“Just school and work,” I replied. “The usual. I, uh, talked to Meryl about your business plan,” I said, grateful for something to talk about. Surely business talk would keep him occupied.
“She told me she was ready to make some changes,” he nodded his agreement. “Is that what she told you, or was she leading me on?” he added with a smile.
I laughed. “Uh, that’s what she told me. She said there are a few things to figure out first.”
He nodded again. “Yeah, she’s a pretty smart lady, which is why this will be very successful.”
It was my turn to nod as the waitress returned with our drinks. We both thanked her, and I took a sip of mine right away.
“So what else is on your mind?” Austin asked. He leaned forward and placed his forearms on the table, seeming content with waiting for an answer for as long as it took.
“Uh, nothing special,” I replied. “How’d your mom’s birthday party go?”
He continued to watch me carefully until a smile slowly appeared. “It was fine. Did you do your taxes?”
“What?” I chuckled.
“It’s tax day. You get your taxes done?”
“Uh, yes I did.”
“Good for you. You do ‘em yourself?”
“Uh, yes,” I smiled.
He nodded. “I’m sure you do them just fine, but if you ever need help, let me
I tossed my apron to be washed , and faced my aunt. “Uh…”
“He says he needs an answer, whatever that means.”
“Oh.”
She remained standing there, and I could tell she wanted an explanation from me . So I told her about Austin’s offer to visit his family’s ranch. We discussed it for a minute, and she asked some of the same questions that my grandpa did, but I didn’t get into the whole other half of the saga.
“So what about this business plan?” I asked her to change the subject . “Oh,” I added, realizing that she might not be happy that I knew about it. “I, uh, know about it, by the way. I’m sorry if that’s not okay…”
“No, it’s fine. He t old me that you knew .”
“So? What, uh…w hat do you think of it all?”
She paused for several seconds before she said, “I think I’m going to do it. Scott and I talked about it and… It just sounds good. There are a few more things to work out first, and I’m going to have a couple of business friends I know look the entire thing over for me, but I feel pretty good about it.”
She actually looked excited, and for Meryl that was a surprise. She was usually pretty serious most of the time and hardly let her emotions go uncontrolled.
When I made it to Austin’s table a few minutes later I said, “You didn’t order anything yet, did you?”
“Uh, no I didn’t,” he smiled. “Why?”
“Because I’m dying for pizza right now. Wanna go a couple of doors down with me?”
He agreed and followed me outside.
“I’m not taking you away from your weekly Clover’s experience, am I?”
He grinned and said, “I’m with my weekly Clover’s experience.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, yeah?”
He slightly nodded as he opened the door to Cici’s for me . “Yep.”
I considered making him clarify , maybe ask him what exactly he got out of coming to Clover’s each Friday, but I was kind of scared to. Maybe I didn’t want to hear him say that he liked coming to see me. I didn’t want anything to get in the way of my goals, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to stand my ground. I’d basically let Levi t alk me into casually dating him. I didn’t want things to go any further with Austin either because my mind was set on getting a job.
“You seem a little…spacey today,” he said as we sat down at a table.
“Oh? Sorry, just have some stuff on my mind , I guess.”
“Like what?”
I didn’t reply at first and I was thankful for the distraction of the waitress taking our drink orders. But when she left, Austin was still waiting for my answer.
“Just school and work,” I replied. “The usual. I, uh, talked to Meryl about your business plan,” I said, grateful for something to talk about. Surely business talk would keep him occupied.
“She told me she was ready to make some changes,” he nodded his agreement. “Is that what she told you, or was she leading me on?” he added with a smile.
I laughed. “Uh, that’s what she told me. She said there are a few things to figure out first.”
He nodded again. “Yeah, she’s a pretty smart lady, which is why this will be very successful.”
It was my turn to nod as the waitress returned with our drinks. We both thanked her, and I took a sip of mine right away.
“So what else is on your mind?” Austin asked. He leaned forward and placed his forearms on the table, seeming content with waiting for an answer for as long as it took.
“Uh, nothing special,” I replied. “How’d your mom’s birthday party go?”
He continued to watch me carefully until a smile slowly appeared. “It was fine. Did you do your taxes?”
“What?” I chuckled.
“It’s tax day. You get your taxes done?”
“Uh, yes I did.”
“Good for you. You do ‘em yourself?”
“Uh, yes,” I smiled.
He nodded. “I’m sure you do them just fine, but if you ever need help, let me
Similar Books
