Lydia's Pine Harbor Christmas, стр. 8
“Four o’clock.”
“Great. See you here at four.” As an afterthought, he added, “If the weather is bad, we can meet inside the admin building over there. I’ll find you.”
“Okay, see you then.”
Bryce smiled. He had a really nice smile. He headed back where he’d come from.
As Lydia headed for her car, she wondered, Is this a date? It seems like a date. But she still wasn’t sure. She’d arrived at the ripe old age of eighteen having gone on three dates total—and those barely counted since she’d only gone on them out of desperation. Apparently, desperation was not a good foundation for a relationship, because those relationships had lasted the span of one evening. While not quite disasters, none could be called enjoyable, much less romantic. But Bryce was different. For one thing, he seemed to like her. That was new. And she could see herself liking him. Imagine that—requited feelings. Weird.
Lydia barely had time to warm up the car before Marco plopped into the passenger seat.
She pulled out of the parking lot. “How was your day?”
“Okay. How was yours?”
“Good. So, tomorrow—”
“I’m driving. Don’t worry. I won’t forget you.” He grinned.
Just say it. It’s not a big deal. “I’ve got a… thing after school.”
“A thing?”
“Yeah. So I won’t need a ride home.”
”Whoa. Hold on there. Back up. Not literally—keep driving. Explain.”
Lydia kept her eyes on the road, but she could feel him staring at her.
“Come on. Out with it.”
“Out with what? I’m… meeting someone for coffee.” When Marco was silent, Lydia cast a quick sideways look then wished she hadn’t. Rolling her eyes, she said, “It’s just coffee.”
“Just coffee?”
“And Christmas window-shopping in town—to look at the displays.”
As if life’s greatest truths had just revealed themselves to him, Marco said, “Oh! So you’re meeting a girl.”
That annoyed her so much that she wished she weren’t driving. “Now, why would you say that?”
“Because what guy would ask you to go looking at shop windows?”
“Oh! So all guys should be exactly like you? Because they’re not!”
“Okay! Sorry! Wow. I guess I touched a raw nerve.”
“No, I just think your philosophy’s a little off.”
“Philosophy? I didn’t know I had one.”
“There’s Marco’s way, then there’s the wrong way.”
“That’s not true. How many times have I listened to you and agreed?”
That was a good question for which she had no answer. “I don’t have a counter. I should really get one. There must be a phone app.”
“The answer is a lot. And I listen to Theo and Allie—lots of people. It’s just that, in this case, trudging along icy sidewalks to look at shop windows wouldn’t have come to my mind as an ideal first date.”
“I didn’t say it was a date. It’s coffee. You and I have had coffee.” And I can regretfully attest to the fact that none of those coffees were dates.
Judging from his silence, she figured that Marco had run out of objections.
Lydia pulled into the Silva Brothers’ Brewpub parking lot to drop Marco off.
Only then did he ask her, “Who is it?”
“Bryce.” There, I’ve said it. It’s out in the open. So why do I feel like I’ve just confessed to cheating? On whom?
Marco looked as though he’d bitten into a lemon. “Bryce Rumsey?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going out on a date with Bryce Rumsey?”
“Not a date.”
“That’s right, it’s—”
They both said, “Coffee.”
He nodded knowingly. “And how do you know you can trust him?”
“Because we’re taking a class together. He’s a nice guy. We have friends in common.”
“Oh? What friends?”
“Well, you, for one.”
“I wouldn’t call him a friend. We’re in one class together. I’ve known him for a few weeks, which means basically nothing.”
Nothing she could say would wipe the skeptical look from Marco’s face where Bryce was concerned. “And what about you? How did you meet the last woman you went out with? Did you do a background check on her? Get references? Run a credit check? Women love that. Hi, my name’s Marco. I see you’ve listed receptionist as your primary job. So this bank job, is that just part time? Oh, I see, you were only the getaway driver. Okay, how ‘bout I pick you up at seven?”
He held up his palms and begged her to stop. “Okay, I get it. But it’s different with guys.”
“So what am I supposed to do? I mean, I thought about becoming an Anchorite monk, but then I found out they won’t let you out for coffee and window shopping, which brings us back to—”
“What’s an Anchorite monk?”
“Never mind. My point is you can’t lock me up—”
Eyes ablaze, Marco said, “I wasn’t suggesting that!”
Lydia was taken aback by his obvious frustration. “I didn’t mean you personally. I just meant that life is a risk. You’re right. Bryce could be a horrible person, as could every man I ever go out with for the rest of my life. But you can’t say that I’m not selective. I’ve been on exactly three dates in my whole life, so it’s not like I’ve kicked up my heels and gone wild. Would you rather I didn’t date at all? Spend my whole life alone? Because that’s not what I want. I’d like to be cared for. I’ve got a right to be loved.” Oh. That was probably too much information.
Marco looked stunned. And why wouldn’t he? She had just vomited her emotions all over everything, and it wasn’t pretty.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m being too overprotective.” His eyes filled with warmth.
That softhearted expression made her forget her frustration with him. “I’m sorry, too—for unloading on you.”
Marco grinned as though that were an understatement. “Go ahead. Go on your date.”
“It’s not a date!”
“Coffee. Have fun.” He leaned over and gave her kiss on the cheek.
Why does he have to do that? It was warm and tender. It was brother-like, but she didn’t feel much like a sister.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” He got out of the car, but