“No buts.”
“Except yours, right?”
His eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles, and it’s such a genuine smile. I like those. I haven’t seen one in a while.
Zach has been everything I’d hoped he’d be…so far.
“Right.”
The low murmur from before grows louder as we trek across the park. Before I know it, we’re breaching the edge of the crowd. There are maybe a hundred people spread out on blankets and talking animatedly amongst themselves, and a massive blowup screen fills the front of the area.
“A movie in the park?” The last word comes out as more of a squeal than an actual word. I’ve wanted to watch a movie outside for ages but haven’t had the chance to do so. I even asked Caleb to go with me a time or two, but we never made it happen. He either didn’t want to see what was playing or was too busy with baseball.
How Zach knew I’d love this, I have no idea.
“A movie in the park.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “This is a good thing, right?”
“Very much so.”
“You ever been to one before?”
“No, never. My mom used to tell me about the drive-in all the time, and I figured nowadays the closest I’d ever be is this. I’ve always wanted to go, but it’s never worked out.”
His lips tilt up at the corners. “So you’re saying I’m the perfect date?”
“I’m sayingthisis the perfect date. Jury’s still out on you.”
“It’ll turn out in my favor, I just know it. Now come on, let’s grab a spot before the flick starts.”
He leads me over to a spot off center from the screen where a few other couples are scattered around. We spread out the blanket he brought along and I’m surprised when I find two airplane pillows rolled inside.
“Pillows?”
“In case the ground is uncomfortable for you.”
“You thought of everything, huh?”
He holds up a finger. “But wait, there’s more!”
Zach pulls us down onto the blanket, the cooler sitting between us. I watch as he closes his eyes and holds his hand over the top, wiggling his fingers. “Bip! Bop! Presto magic man, baby!” Once everyone sitting close to us has turned their attention our way, he shouts, “And Zach said: let there be food!”
There are cutesy giggles from the girls and eye rolls from a few guys, but Zach doesn’t notice any of it. He’s too busy pulling our “magic food” from the cooler, and I’m too busy staring at him in awe. He doesn’t care that he made a fool of himself, doesn’t care that he’s made two girls fall in love with him. He’s oblivious to it all, and I kind of adore that about him.
“I brought PB&Js—one with strawberry jam and the other with grape—Nacho Cheese Doritos, and…” He reaches into the cooler again but pauses. “Wait, how old are you really?”
“Really, Zach?”
“Really, Delia. This is age-sensitive stuff we’re dealing with. I can’t believe we didn’t discuss this before. I could have been texting a fourteen-year-old girl for all I knew, and hell, I could have been a seventy-year-old creeper!”
“I’m twenty-one, about to be twenty-two in a few months.”
“Excellent. Carry on then.” He grabs the last item from the bin, holding it out with a grin. “Orange soda.”
“Orange soda is age sensitive?”
“Certainly. Though you probably wouldn’t understand how an old fart like me could love it like I do, it’s the drink of a generation.”
Knowing exactly what he’s referring to, I take the bottle from his hand and twist open the top. Before I take a drink, I grin at him and say, “Who loves orange soda?”
