Mackenzie let out a breath. “No. But maybe we should call and check it just in case. Report it.”
I frowned. “And say that we got random flowers and don’t know who they’re from?”
Mackenzie leaned forward. “Maybe they can check who sent them. Do we know the name of the driver?”
Elise shook her head. “No, they just showed up at the house. I checked through the peephole. They said they had a delivery for Nessa, and then I told them to leave them on the porch. I didn’t even open the door until they were gone.” Elise groaned into her hands. “I was trying to be smart about it.”
“That was smart. We’ll figure it out. I’ll probably still report it because there has to be something here. If it’s not Xander, then… I’m just paranoid.”
“Go get ready for your date,” Mackenzie said as she nodded tightly. “We’ll handle this.”
I sucked in a breath. “You guys, they were addressed to me.”
Elise nodded. “We’ll handle that, too. However, you need to get ready. We love you.”
“We’re here for you. No matter what.” Mackenzie turned me around and slapped me on the ass before pushing me into my room.
“Did you just slap me?” I asked, laughing.
“You know, guys do it in sports. Why can’t I do it here?”
“I don’t know if that’s what you should base your spanking on.” Elise snorted. “Anyway, we’ll handle this. You get ready.”
“We’re only going to a little diner,” I said before I took a deep breath. “Not the same one Xander took me to.”
Mackenzie nodded. “Good. No need to double that trouble.”
“So, I’m just going to dinner. No need to dress up, right? It’s only Miles. It’s not like I’m going on a real date with him. This is ridiculous. We’re friends, and we both said we didn’t want to ruin our relationship. And, hell, I make abysmal decisions when it comes to guys—no offense, Mackenzie.”
Mackenzie held up both hands. “No offense taken. Remember who my ex is?”
“She’s got you there,” Elise said, and Mackenzie rolled her eyes.
“Seriously, though, just have fun. You both said you’re looking to have that. It doesn’t even have to be about sex,” Mackenzie added.
My eyes widened. “I’m not having sex tonight, am I?” I asked.
Elise raised a brow. “No, you’re not having sex tonight. Not if you don’t want to.”
“Not that I don’t want to because…have you seen Miles?”
“Oh, we have,” Mackenzie added with a wink.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not ready to have sex. I don’t even know if I’m ready to date.”
“Why?” Elise asked.
We turned as Natalie came into the hallway, as well. “Yes, tell us why you are so afraid to go on a date with the lovely and sweet Miles.”
My heart twisted. “What if I hurt him? What if this isn’t a crush? Why the hell do I keep having crushes on the roommates? Again, no offense, Mackenzie.”
“You have remarkable taste,” Mackenzie said, her voice soft.
“The thing is, I thought I had feelings for Pacey that were more than they were, and it twisted me up inside. It almost hurt you and Pacey in the process. I realize that we are so much better now, but I don’t want to be that person again. Only, here I am, about to go on a date with another of the guys.”
Natalie sighed. “Those four men are great. Except for Tanner, but you’re not going on a date with Tanner.”
I snorted. “No, that won’t be happening. But Tanner’s a good guy, too.”
“Yes, and he’s handy around the house. But he’s sometimes a judge-y asshole. However, I digress.” Natalie sighed, shaking her head. “You are going out on a nice date with a sweet guy, and what are you going to do? You’re going to have coffee with him. Or dinner at the diner or whatever. You’re going to enjoy yourself. Get to know him beyond him being your study friend. And then maybe kiss him because I know you’ve done that before. Then, you’ll come home, do more work on your book or homework, and then go to bed. Not everything we do in college when it comes to those we date has to be forever. Elise and Mackenzie may have found theirs, and I say may because, hello, we’re still in college. And I’m not going to go crazy and say marriage. We’re allowed to date and have fun and not think about big, grandiose plans.”
The three of us just stared at Natalie and her big speech. The woman blushed.
“What? I may be a virgin, but it’s not because I’m saving myself for marriage. I just have to like the guy I’m going to sleep with. I tend to not like a lot of the guys around me because I’m awkward and I talk too quickly, and then they think I’m too stuck up or too much of a virgin, so they don’t want to touch this unless they want me to be another notch on their bedpost. It’s not my fault that everybody keeps snatching up all the good guys. Again, all your fault. But I love you.” She laughed, and I shook my head.
“I don’t want forever,” I said. “I don’t even know what I want beyond this moment, but I said I was going on a date, and I will. Those flowers...” I let my voice trail off.
“We will deal with the flowers,” Mackenzie said, nodding tightly. “Natalie, go get her dressed and ready to go on her date. We will handle this. When we need you, we will get you. You’re going to have fun tonight, damn it. Miles is a great guy. Have fun, kiss a bit, and then just come home. You do not have to do anything you don’t want to do. We love you.” Elise leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. Mackenzie did the same.
Natalie practically skipped into the room and closed the door behind her. “Okay. First, what flowers?” She laughed. “Let’s get you ready.”
I swallowed hard and stared at my friend. I knew I needed to do this.
There was so much going on inside me. I could barely think. I was usually the one prone to fun and going with the flow—like Corinne—but that had led me down the wrong paths. I wasn’t a planner as much as the others were, but I needed to be. And right now, I would be. Finally.
I sat across the table from Miles, feeling slightly awkward yet not knowing what to say.
“I would ask how your burger is, but I think I already did that,” Miles said as he played with a fry. I winced and looked up at him. “Why are we so bad at this?” I asked, my eyes widening. “Not that you’re bad. I’m the bad one. I should know how to speak to you. We talk all the time.”
“We do,” he said, his voice soft. “I think both of us spent so long not talking about that kiss that it gave us something to ramble about. In other words, everything else.”
I cringed. “I’m not good at this. As evidenced by my very scattered dating history.”
Miles snorted. “Pretty sure mine is worse than yours. I’ve never had a serious relationship.”
“Me, either. I had a lasting crush, and we know how that ended up.” I cringed. “I shouldn’t bring up Pacey when we’re on a date.”
“He’s my roommate, your best friend. He’s going to come up. You guys handled that, haven’t you?” I could hear the hesitancy in his voice.