The Boyfriend Project (16 page)

As Chase drove us to the movie theater, I was determined not to compare him to Jeremy—not even once. I wasn't even going to think about Jeremy. Chase was totally different, his own person. He had his own way of doing things.

When he parked, I immediately opened the car door and got out. I caught up with him, smiled when he took my hand. He bought the tickets, then we stood in line for refreshments. He ordered two small, buttered popcorns and two drinks. I told myself that he was being polite, that we didn't know each other well enough to share, but maybe someday we would. I went to the butter stand that allowed for more butter to be added to popcorn and pressed the spigot five times.

I turned to him. “Do you want some more butter?”

“Nah, this is fine.”

After we made our way to theater three, he guided us to seats in the middle of the first row.

“Hope this is okay,” he said. “But you come to a theater for the big screen. If you don't sit in the front, then you lose the advantage of a big screen and it's just like watching a TV.”

Okay, I didn't really get that but since he bought the tickets, I didn't feel like I could suggest that we at least sit where we wouldn't have to crane our heads back to see the entire screen. “This is fine,” I said.

“Previews are my favorite part,” he said.

I smiled. “Mine too.”

“That and the popcorn.”

He'd kept his promise and we were going to see a romantic drama. A romantic comedy or an animated movie might have been better for my mood, but I appreciated his attempt to do whatever I wanted. This morning when I woke up, I'd almost texted Jeremy with a simple, “Be happy.”

If Jade made him happy, then I hoped things worked out with them. And here I was thinking about him when I'd promised myself I wouldn't.

The previews started up. Chase made comments on each one—“No way.” “Definitely going to see that.” “Dumb.” “Maybe.” “What were they thinking?”

When the movie began, he went silent and I breathed a
sigh of relief. I liked to get totally engrossed in the movie, escape into the fantasy.

After a few minutes, Chase leaned over. “Who is that guy? I've seen him in something.”

He was one of those actors who always had bit parts, but had played a gazillion roles. I didn't know his name and couldn't think of anything specific I'd seen him in. I just shook my head.

Chase pulled out his phone. Was he searching IMDb? He was.

“Oh, yeah,” he whispered. “I've seen him in a lot of stuff.”

He turned off his phone. I decided if he asked about anyone else, I was just going to make up something.

“Want to grab something to eat after this?” he asked.

“Sure,” I whispered.

“Pizza or burger?”

I shook my head. Really? We were discussing this now? “Pizza.”

He settled back into his seat, and I was glad there were very few people around us. He shifted in his seat a couple of times, looked at his watch. I wished we'd gone to something he wanted to see.

“I don't understand what she saw in the guy,” he said as we were leaving the theater.

I almost said,
He didn't talk when he took her to the
movies.
But in all fairness, they'd only shown about three minutes of the couple at a movie. For all I knew, they had talked.

“He accepted that she wasn't perfect,” I said.

“I guess I can see that.”

“I really appreciate that you took me to a movie that obviously didn't really interest you.”

“I didn't mind making the sacrifice.”

But if he didn't mind, should he have even mentioned that it was a sacrifice? His comment made me feel a little guilty even though he'd selected the movie.

At the pizza place, we ordered two individual pizzas because we couldn't find anything we liked in common.

Do not compare,
I thought when our food was delivered.

“So next Saturday is the big day,” he said.

I couldn't help but grin. “It is, and we have so much left to do. It's like it snowballed.”

“I've seen you walking around with a big notebook.”

“It has all the information and lists that relate to the event.”

“You should get an electronic tablet.”

“I have one, but I like actually holding on to something that is a visible, physical embodiment of everything that needs to be done. When I write something down, it becomes clearer in my mind and I remember it a lot easier.
I love being able to check off tasks.”

“You can have a task list on a tablet.”

“But it's not as rewarding as pressing a pen to paper and hearing that tiny scratch when you mark something as done.”

“Whatever works for you, I guess.”

I didn't think he was judging me, but still I felt compelled to say, “This works for me.”

“It's going to be a great event. Although the gun show is going to rule.”

“It's definitely the most intriguing part of the event.”

We talked a little bit more about everything that was going to happen at the Bark in the Park event. I grew much more comfortable and less self-conscious. Our love of dogs, our wanting to help the shelter raise money was something we had in common. I remembered why I liked him, why I'd been willing to go out with him. He had a few quirks, but then so did I.

When we got to my house, he walked me to the door. I stood on the porch, shifting from one foot to the other, wondering if I should invite him in. He leaned in and kissed me, then put his arms around me and drew me nearer.

It didn't make my bones melt or my toes curl. I was comparing it to Jeremy's, so I shoved the thoughts away. I tried to pretend that I'd never been kissed before, that I had nothing with which to compare it. It was pleasant,
nice. Maybe a little tentative as though he knew I might be tempted to compare it.

He drew back and smiled at me. “Better than last night.”

So he was comparing, too.

“I had fun. Thanks for taking me out.”

“Anytime. And I mean that. Literally. I'm just a text away.”

“That means a lot to me, Chase.”

“I'll see you around.”

He walked off. I went inside, grimaced at the screech of his tires. It was comforting to have someone who was interested in me. We might not be perfect together, but maybe perfection was overrated. Or maybe it would come with time.

And when I was with him, I missed Jeremy just a little bit less. But I wasn't sure if I would ever not miss Jeremy at all.

Saturday was the big day. Bark in the Park. The gun show. It was hard to believe that it was almost time for me to strut my stuff. Even harder to believe that I actually wanted to do it, for Kendall, and for the shelter.

Tuesday night I sat in a meeting room in city hall, where the shelter had gathered together all the volunteers, the gunslingers, and the vendors for the event to explain everything. Fletch was in a chair beside me, Avery on the other side of him. I knew she was trying to remain impartial, but she wasn't as warm toward me as she'd once been.

Terri stood behind a podium, projecting layouts of the event, explaining all the various areas and how they would be utilized.

“Friday night the city manager will allow us to begin setting up our event in the park,” she explained. She pointed a
red laser light at an area on the screen. “Here is where we'll have the gun show. Simms Construction will be building a small stage with a canopy the evening beforehand. We don't want our gunslingers to get sunburned. Jade Johnson”—Jade stood, waved like a beauty pageant queen, and smiled brightly at everyone before winking at me—“is in charge of the gun show. Saturday morning you need to report to her by nine thirty. You'll go onstage at ten. You'll have three two-hour shifts, with thirty-minute breaks between shifts. Please remember this is a G-rated event.”

“
G
stands for guns!” Chase called out, and a few whoops sounded in the room.

Kendall, sitting in the front row, turned around and smiled. I wondered why they weren't sitting together, figured it had something to do with their roles in this event. The front seats had been reserved for those who were overseeing key elements of the day.

Terri went on to explain where all the other activities would take place, but I didn't pay a lot of attention. Although when they mentioned the poop patrol, I was glad that I hadn't gotten roped into that.

“Are there any questions?” Terri finally asked.

She answered the few that were tossed out. Then she adjourned the meeting.

“This gun show doesn't sound too bad,” I said as we stood.

“Might even be fun,” Fletch said.

“I'm going to check with Kendall on something,” Avery said. “I'll catch up with you outside.”

I thought about trailing after Avery but I didn't know if Kendall would appreciate it. We hadn't talked since the steampunk ball. Since then I'd written her numerous texts but deleted them all without sending them.

“—come with us.”

Fletch's voice brought me back to the present. “I'm sorry. What?”

“We're grabbing a burger at B. S. Do you want to come with us?”

“That'd be great. I didn't get a chance to eat before the meeting.”

“We'll meet you over there.” He nodded as Avery left Kendall and began heading back to us. He met her halfway and walked out with his arm slung around her shoulders.

Kendall started talking to Tommy Simms. He was another one of the gunslingers. I thought about edging my way over, but a couple of other guys had suddenly queued up to talk with her. I didn't know why. Our instructions for Saturday were pretty straightforward.

“Let's go grab a pizza,” Jade said, suddenly appearing at my side, rubbing my stomach like I was a genie in a bottle and could grant her a wish. She seemed to have no social cues about appropriate public behavior.

I wrapped my hand around her wrist to still her actions. I didn't want to hurt her feelings but I'd discovered she was just a little too brash for me. Since Sunday, we'd spoken a couple of times at the shelter but we hadn't gone out. “Thanks, but I have plans.”

“Change them,” Jade said.

“What?”

“Change your plans. Come be with me.”

“That would be rude,” I told her. Even though Fletch and Avery would probably understand. It was just a burger. “People are expecting me.”

Okay, it was only two, but still.

Jade shrugged, then gave me a sly smile. “Just so you know, I'm going to give you a primo spot on the stage Saturday,” she said.

“I appreciate that.” Although I'd seen the plans for the stage and every spot was going to be pretty much equal.

“See you later,” she said, and wandered off.

I looked back toward the front of the room. Kendall was gone and so was my chance to talk with her. It was probably for the best. Or at least that's what I told myself.

I texted Avery to let her know I was running late. I'd finally managed to answer all the questions that some of the volunteers had and slipped out without catching Jeremy's eye. Not that he would have noticed me. He was pretty focused on Jade.

Chase was waiting for me, leaning against my car, feet crossed at the ankles, arms folded over his chest. “Hey,” he said.

I arrived a little breathless. “Hi.”

“Want to hit a pancake house?”

“Thanks, but I'm meeting Avery. We need to work out some details regarding Bark in the Park.”

“This fund-raiser is really keeping you hopping.”

We'd only seen each other when we worked the same shift at the shelter. We hadn't had any dates since
Sunday. “Yeah, but I love it.”

“How about we catch dinner Saturday after the event?”

I welcomed the chance to have a distraction. I didn't want to sit around at home and have flashbacks of all the flirting I was certain Jade and Jeremy would do during the gun show. I smiled. “I'd love to.”

“Okay, then. It's a date.”

He walked off. I opened my car door, climbed behind the wheel, set the thick notebook with everything that needed to be done for the weekend on the seat beside me, and sighed. I'd been a little worried that Jeremy might try to corner me tonight, might talk to me, and I wasn't sure I could be totally cool about it. He'd looked so wonderful sitting there with Fletcher, so confident. It occurred to me that he might really have a chance of beating Chase and Fletcher. As far as I was concerned, of the six gunslingers, they were the top contenders.

My phone buzzed.

Avery:

Where are you?

I quickly texted back that I was on my way. Then I started the car and headed out. I'd almost said no when she invited me to grab a burger with her, except that I was hungry and didn't want to eat alone. She was always trying to include me in things she and Fletcher did but it was awkward being the third wheel. I couldn't believe she'd
done it for months before she started falling for Fletcher. It was hard being the odd-numbered one in a group. Briefly I thought about inviting Chase, but I wanted to relax and totally be myself. For some reason, I couldn't do that with him. At least not yet. I told myself it was because we were still in that uncomfortable just-starting-to-date stage. Even though I'd never experienced that stage with Jeremy. I'd been comfortable with him from the moment I met him.

I pulled into the B. S. parking lot, got out of the car, and walked into the restaurant. I staggered to a stop when I saw Avery and Fletcher sitting in a booth with Jeremy. His back was to me. I glanced quickly around for Jade but didn't see her. Maybe she was in the restroom. She seemed to like hallways with restrooms.

I thought about retracing my steps and getting out of here, but Avery smiled and waved at me. Jeremy turned around and surprise washed over his face. He quickly masked it. I walked forward as though I were going to my execution. How could Avery do this to me? I was going to kill her.

Fletcher got out of the booth and slid onto the bench next to Jeremy. Avery glided over and stood up. She gave me a welcoming hug. “I'll sit across from Fletcher.”

I wanted to ask her if this had been a setup, if she was trying to play matchmaker and get us back together, but my voice box seemed to be locked. Besides I knew if I said
anything at all that it would come out snarky.

“Saturday is going to be so much fun,” Avery said as we settled into the booth. Fletcher reached for the saltshaker, set it in the middle of the table, and gave it a spin.

“Yeah,” I said. “I thought you wanted to talk about that.”

“I do, but why don't we grab some food first? I'm starving.”

“Got it covered,” Fletcher said as he climbed out of the booth. I reached for the shaker he'd abandoned, then pulled my hands back and sat on them, as I remembered Jeremy pointing out some of my control issues. I was working not to have them, but salt and pepper were supposed to stay together, not be separated.

Of course, I'd thought Jeremy and I would stay together forever, too. Look how that turned out. Maybe nothing stayed together.

“The usual?” Jeremy asked.

“Yeah, but I'll get it.” I gave Avery a little nudge.

“I've got it,” Jeremy said.

“At least let me give you some money.” I started to open the small wallet that also housed my phone.

“I've got it,” Jeremy repeated.

“I wouldn't feel right.”

With a shake of his head, he slid out of the booth and followed Fletcher before I could give him anything. I
turned to Avery. “Was this setup on purpose?”

“No, I didn't know Fletcher had invited him until he got here.”

“You could have texted and warned me off.”

“He's still my friend. Besides you can't avoid him forever. He's one of your gunslingers.”

“He's not mine.” Not anymore, anyway.

“You're going to run into him at college. Probably a lot since you're living in the same dorm. You might as well start practicing how you'll act when you run into each other.”

Easy for her to say. She hadn't seen her boyfriend in a lip-lock with Jade.

When the guys returned, they distributed the food. A burger to me and a basket of fries to share with Jeremy. Only I wasn't going to share with him. I'd just have the burger. I checked it out. Layered just the way I liked it. Then my gaze shifted to that lone saltshaker, my fingers itched—

Jeremy picked it up and set it back into its place. My heart did this stupid, dumb flutter because that was so Jeremy—to know what was bugging me and to try to make it right. Then his gaze settled on mine, and he nudged the basket toward me. “Help yourself.”

Just one. Maybe two.

“So I wanted to run this by you. Dot would like to feed
the crew readying the park on Friday,” Avery finally said.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Have them go to the restaurant on the beach afterward?”

“No, she'll bring the food to the park.”

“That's awfully generous.”

“You know she's an animal lover. So she wanted to do something to help out this weekend.”

“I don't think it will be a problem, but we'll need to talk to Terri.”

“That's what I thought but I wanted to get your opinion on it.”

Right. Like we were going to turn down free food. I knew a lame excuse for getting me here when I heard it. If she hadn't told me that she needed to talk to me about something regarding Bark in the Park, I might have walked out when I saw Jeremy sitting here. Yeah, this had definitely been a setup.

Although I wasn't sure what she thought she would accomplish. Maybe letting us both put the breakup behind us. As she'd said, he was still her friend. While her first loyalty was to me, our breaking up had to make things difficult for her. I hadn't even considered that.

Nor had I considered how nice it would be to just be with Jeremy. He'd been my friend before he'd ever been my boyfriend. As we started talking about how we'd begin packing for college right after Bark in the Park, I feasted
on French fries and finished off my burger. In a way I wished Jeremy and I had chosen different schools. It might have made things easier. On the other hand, I knew that if I ever needed him for anything, he'd be there. And I'd be there for him.

It was nearly eleven o'clock when Fletcher said he needed to go because he had to get to work in the morning. So did Jeremy.

“I enjoyed tonight,” he said as we walked out to the parking lot.

“Me too. I thought it would be awkward when I saw you sitting there.”

“I think they set us up.”

With a smile, I leaned against the hood of my car. “You didn't know I was meeting them here?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Would you have come if you'd known?”

“I don't know.” He shifted his stance, studied the ground for a few seconds before looking up. “It's strange not having you around. I keep writing texts to you and then deleting them.”

“I wrote you some emails, but I didn't send them.”

“What did they say?”

“Little things, silly things. Nothing really important. I'm glad we had tonight.”

“Me too.”

I shoved myself away from the car. “I should go.”

He opened the door for me, and my chest tightened at the gesture. So Jeremy. I wondered if Jade appreciated all the small things he did.

I slid behind the wheel. He closed the door, and I rolled down the window. “Good luck Saturday.”

“I'll see you before then.”

“But we might not talk before then.”

He gave a quick nod. “Right.”

When he stepped back, I started the car, backed up, and headed for the street. Just before I reached it, I glanced into my rearview mirror to see Jeremy still standing there, hands shoved into his jeans pockets, watching me.