"Not really," she admitted. "Not yet, anyway. We've only been on a couple of dates. But we have so much fun together, and he keeps asking to see me again."
"Then do it," I urged, completely freaking out on the inside that I was encouraging my mother to date a younger guy, or to date at all. She beamed at my acceptance.
"You're going to the concert with Evan tonight, right?" She took a sip of her coffee, unable to keep the smile from her face.
"Yes," I replied, eyeing her jovial expression apprehensively.
"Shit, I'm going to be late," she exclaimed suddenly, glancing at the clock on the microwave and jumping up from the chair. She looked to me and tensed excitedly, and before I knew it, she threw her arms around me and squeezed. I was too stunned to move. "Thank you," she squealed.
As I was walking into school alongside Evan and Sara, my mother texted me. Going out with him again tonight! So excited! I couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?" Evan asked.
"My mother's dating," I explained with a shake of my head, "and she's more nervously excited about it than most girls at our school."
Evan raised his eyebrows. "That's got to be interesting."
"You have no idea," I responded, rolling my eyes.
"She has more of a social life than I do," Sara added, having heard my spiels about my mother's late nights and the sleepovers she'd host.
"Does she go out a lot?" Evan asked, not knowing any of it. I shot Sara a wide eyed glance.
"Sometimes," I replied casually.
When Evan was out of earshot, Sara stated, "I didn't know you didn't tell him about how much Rachel goes out."
"I was afraid of how it would sound to him," I explained.
"Who cares," Sara countered. "It's not like it's you who's bringing home strange men."
"Yeah," I explained, "but I don't want him worrying about me being in the same house as the strange men."
Sara nodded, understanding how that would rouse Evan's protective side.
"Besides," I continued, "she really seems to like this guy. So maybe the string of one-nighters is over."
"Em, you never saw the guys. Maybe it was the same guy each night."
I flipped my eyes toward her and shook my head. "Don't think so."
"Oh," Sara said with a shocked look of understanding. "Well, let's hope he's a keeper."
The sweat had barely dried from my skin, and my tank top and hair were still damp from the exertion when I ran into the house, slamming the door behind me and flying up the stairs. Of all the nights for Coach to torture us with sprints. It's not like we lost by that much in yesterday afternoon's game.
I glanced at the clock as I pulled jeans from the closet and a long sleeved shirt from the dresser, tossing them on the bed. I had twenty minutes to get ready. From the quiet, I could tell I was alone in the house. She was probably on her date.
I kicked off my sneakers and tore at my socks, then pulled my shirt over my head and dropped my shorts somewhere along the way to the bathroom. My urgency didn't help cool my skin. I turned on the shower and made myself calm down long enough to wash up―and hopefully stop sweating.
Wrapped in a towel, I scampered out of the bathroom toward my room, and I heard the front door open. Shit. I wasn't fast enough.
"I'll be right … " I started, peering down the stairs. At the same time, the guy at the bottom hollered, "Rach … "
We both froze and stared at each other. Neither of us anticipated seeing the other―especially me in just a towel. I tightened my hold of the fabric wrapped around my body, water running over my shoulders from my dripping hair.
"Whoa," he exclaimed in surprise. "You're not Rachel."
"Uh, she's not home," I answered, but he'd probably already figured that out. I remained still. My instinct was to rush into my room and shut the door, but I couldn't move.
"I knocked," he defended, looking up at me in apology. "Sorry. I shouldn't have just walked in like that." It didn't seem to faze him that I was dripping wet, half naked. He didn't avert his dark eyes. "I'm Jonathan."
I widened my eyes, dumbfounded by his casualness. "Emma," I uttered.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Emma," he responded with a smile, still looking me in the eye. "I guess I'll just call her. Have a good night." Before I could say another word, he was out the front door. Within seconds I unglued myself from the floor and was right behind him, securing the dead bolt while exhaling the breath I'd been holding at the sight of him.