Dream Date (31 page)

“The only danger I can think of is that you might want to prepare yourself for a few brawls. With a woman like Amanda, lots of guys will hit on her. It’ll piss you off.”

Nathan looked at the floor, lost in thought.

“Do you think Kayla will ever talk to me again?”

“I hope so, but she’s hurt right now.”

“I really want to talk to Kayla, but I want to give her some space. Let her think this through.”

“She’ll recover, Nathan. One day soon, you’ll be able to talk to her again.”

“The worst thing is that Kayla thinks it wasn’t real for me. She accused me of using her as a ‘consolation prize’.”

“Understandable,” Claire said. “When people are hurt, they don’t think straight. They say harsh things.”

Nathan didn’t reply to that.

“I want you to know it was clear to me that your love for Kayla was true. You didn’t use her. You just strived to make her happy.”

“Hopefully she’ll realize that soon.”

Nathan didn’t see either Amanda or Kayla the next few days. He could understand why the latter wasn’t talking to him, but Nathan didn’t know why Amanda hadn’t even texted him back. Had she meant it when she said she only wanted to be his friend? And he had gone and confessed his love to her.

During those days, Nathan had managed to secure a room at Lansing West. He felt lucky to have gotten an apartment there, especially one of the cheapest. By Friday, Nathan had moved in and unpacked.

Almost a couple of hours after coming back from work, Nathan’s smartphone vibrated in his pocket.

Where are you?

A feeling of surprise came over Nathan when he saw that the text was from Amanda. He also felt relieved that she had contacted him after days of being a no-show. He typed up a reply.

In my room @ LW

Nathan smiled, waiting to find out what Amanda’s reaction to that would be. She didn’t know that he had moved to Lansing West with the intention of being closer to her.

Amanda’s reply came seconds later.

Seriously? Ur at Lansing West?

Yep. Had to move. I can no longer stay @ dorm.

Nathan waited before Amanda’s next reply.

OK. I’ll meet u there.

The message made Nathan’s eyes widen. Amanda was meeting him in his apartment! He texted his room number to her and then waited. Nathan didn’t live in the same building as Amanda lived, but at least he was close.

Fifteen minutes later, Nathan heard his door bell ring. He put his Kindle to sleep and set it on the coffee table. Then he walked to the front door and opened it.

Nathan gasped when he saw who was outside. It was Amanda, but she looked different. For starters, she was wearing a purple hoodie.

“May I?” Amanda asked.

“Of course.”

Nathan let Amanda into his apartment and then closed the door. He turned to look at her.

“Why are you dressed like that?”

Amanda frowned in confusion.

“Because it’s cold outside. And it’s drizzling. I think it may be raining now.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“No problem. I just…um, I wanted to show you something.”

“Really?”

Amanda nodded, and then she unbuttoned her jacket. When she pulled the hood to uncover her head, Nathan suddenly forgot how to breathe.

“Wow, Amanda. You look…fantastic.”

Amanda smiled, showing off her perfect white teeth. What had dazzled Nathan about her appearance was her hair. She had cut some of it, so that the tips were now between her shoulders and elbows. Amanda had also added a few blue streaks to her hair, which brought out the color of her eyes.

“Is this why I haven’t seen you?”

Amanda nodded.

“Yes. Also, I needed time to think over what you told me. I want to say that you were right.”

“Huh?”

“I like you, Nathan.”

Nathan beamed at the revelation. Nothing had ever made him feel so good. Amanda said she liked him.

“You don’t know how much those words mean to me,” he said as he walked up to her and stroked her hair. Amanda closed her eyes, relishing the touch.

“And I should tell you something else, before you find out some other way.”

Nathan looked quizzically at Amanda.

“My agent called me yesterday. He said I may be in consideration for the
Sports Illustrated
Swimsuit Issue.”

Nathan looked Amanda up and down and whistled.

“That’ll shoot your fame through the roof. The heat alone would be felt across the world.”

Amanda laughed, shaking her head.

“Are you saying I’m hot?”

“That’s putting it mildly. You’re smoldering.”

Amanda reddened, her gaze lowering. Nathan caressed the side of her face.

“What would you say if I asked you on a date?”

Amanda looked up at him with widened eyes.

“I’d like that. Tonight, though, I don’t feel like going out. I’m a bit tired.”

“Okay. Then, would you like something to eat?”

Amanda thought for a few seconds, and nodded.

“Are you cooking?”

“I haven’t fully stocked the refrigerator yet. If not, I’d cook something.”

Amanda raised her eyebrow.

“So you can cook?”

Nathan winked at Amanda.

“You wait. Once you taste what I can cook, you won’t be able to make do with ramen ever again.”

Amanda giggled.

“Right now, I have sweet bread, though.”

“Sounds good.”

Nathan led Amanda to his kitchen. He grabbed a white bag from on top of the refrigerator and put it on the table. Nathan opened the bag.

“There’s a variety of pastries here. Have your pick.”

Amanda walked next to Nathan and looked into the bag. She checked its contents and then pulled out a cinnamon roll.

“You like those?”

“Of course,” Amanda said, tearing a napkin from a roll in the center of the table. “By the way, I bake them.”

It was Nathan’s turn to be impressed.

“They must be as yummy as you are. I can’t wait to try one.”

Amanda laughed.

“I’ll keep that in mind. My friends love my cinnamon rolls. Especially Emmy. She’s got a sweet tooth.”

“I guess you do, too.”

“I do.”

Nathan pulled out a square pastry and tore a napkin. He then went to a cabinet and grabbed two glasses.

“Would you like milk, or something else?”

“Milk is all right.”

Nathan nodded. When he filled the glasses with milk, he handed one to Amanda. She thanked him.

As they sat down and started eating their food, Nathan pondered through some stuff.

I wonder why Amanda decided to give me a chance. What was she so afraid of before? Is it gone? Or was she never afraid of anything, just unwilling to be with me because of Kayla?

Amanda noticed Nathan looking at her.

“Mesmerized?”

“You’ve got no idea, Amanda. You’re so beautiful.”

Amanda smiled without showing her teeth. Then her expression got serious.

“I should ask you something, Nathan. Are you and Kayla still…you know…”

“Together? No.”

“Oh,” said Amanda, nodding. She looked at what remained of her cinnamon roll.

“Don’t feel sorry. It wasn’t right for me to stick with Kayla when I didn’t love her the way she thought I did.”

“You love her?”

Nathan looked at Amanda, wondering what her reaction would be.

“Very much. But I’m in love with you. I always will be.”

Nathan reached across the table and took Amanda’s hand. She intertwined her fingers with his.

“Did you know…when you met me?” Amanda asked.

“Know…?”

“I meant to say, did you fall in love at first sight?”

Nathan thought about that.

“Fall in love,
immediately
, no. However, I knew right then that you were special. I felt drawn to you in a way that made me sure that you would be a very important part of my life. I soon knew you were the One.”

Amanda sighed.

“You must have felt disappointment when you saw me with someone else.”

Nathan shook his head.

“I was, but that wasn’t your fault. We just didn’t have a chance to spend time together. I was in my senior year, and you were a sophomore. I thought I would never see you again after graduation.”

Amanda sighed, reminiscing about the old days.

“I still wonder what would have been if I’d paid attention to you.”

“We’re together now. That’s what matters.”

Amanda smiled as if about to tease Nathan.

“I made you fight too hard for me, didn’t I?”

“Sweetie, you’re totally worth it. I’d confront anyone and anything for you.”

Amanda thought about something. While she was distracted, Nathan walked closer to her and stole a kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she promptly closed them, losing herself in the kiss.

“Nathan,” Amanda breathed when he started planting kisses down her jaw and her neck.

“If there was a star for every time I’ve dreamed about this, you could fill the sky,” Nathan told Amanda.

“You’re getting better. Keep saying things like that and you’ll win my heart,” she replied, gasping in pleasure when he brushed a sensitive spot on her neck.

Nathan pulled Amanda’s jacket off her, revealing a long-sleeve white blouse over a black undershirt. He placed his hands on either side of her body, just under the curves of her breasts. Nathan caressed Amanda from there to her waist. When he tried to take off Amanda’s blouse too, she stopped.

“Not now. Please, let’s take things a little more slowly, okay?”

“All right.”

“It’s not that I don’t want it,” Amanda added for caution. Nathan placed his hand on the side of her face.