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Chapter Fifteen

Pagan

I had a date with Dank A real date, not an impromptu breakfast--a real date Just us I was as excited as I was nervous However, I wasn’t sure what to wear Thisready to go out with Nathan

"You can pull off the boy shorts and bra well, but I’ tonight," Gee said as she walked into the roo

"Funny," I replied frowning at her "I can’t decide what to wear He said I could dress however I wanted to dress but that isn’t very helpful"

"I’ optional," Gee drawled as she plopped down onht just parade around in hed, "On second thought, he’d probably like that I still vote for the clothes though"

"Should I wear casual or dressy? Which would he prefer?" I asked Gee as I scanned my limited wardrobe

"You want lanced back at her over my shoulder, "Yes I do You know hireement "Okay, wear that pink dress with those pink heels He’ll be a puddle at your feet"

The pink dress? Really? I wasn’t even sure why I owned that dress I had never worn it before I reached for the hanger and pulled it out It was sexy in an innocent kind of way Might be a little dressy but then he hadn’t said not to be dressy I remembered how he’d picked up those heels and held the for pink heels

"You wear that and he won’t be able to concentrate I can swear to you about that"

Gee knew hio with her opinion "Okay If you say so"

Two hours later I was shaved, plucked, dressed and ready when soo reat hall in five minutes Miranda was still out with Nathan They’d had a lunch date that was still going strong according to her es Gee had bailed on h all the pri she could handle

I opened the door and Dank stood there in a pair of khaki slacks, a dark blue dress shirt that was left open at the collar and, of course, his boots, holding a dozen red roses He lookedHis surprised expression as he took in what I earing didn’t go unnoticed What was he surprised about? That I could clean up nicely?

"Pagan, you, uh, , I… I really like you in pink"

I really liked this side of him The not so cool and confident side The one that was vulnerable I pointed to the roses, "Are those for otten flowers in his hand and chuckled, "Yeah, they are" He held theuy had ever broughtback to let him in If he’d been spotted in the hall then so by noanted to puthiht I didn’t have a vase in here… I scanned the roo to putover toup my empty pencil holder that Miranda had insisted we buy to match our other cute desk items It was perfect

"Yes! It finally comes in useful," I took the pencil holder and went to the bathroom to clean it out and fill it ater When I walked back into the roo at the pictures I’d pinned up there froh school Several had Wyatt in them A few had my mother but most were just Miranda and h school EspeciallySos likesee Wyatt that messed with my head Miranda felt the same way so that made sense She’d lost her boyfriend but we’d both lost one of our best friends

"That’s Wyatt," I explained as I walked up to stand beside him "He was Miranda’s boyfriend and a close friend of mine He died last year"

Dank nodded his head There was a sadness there almost like he understood that kind of pain Had he lost soh"

Yeah it ful "I hate death It’s a tragic thing that comes for us all Some sooner than others"

Dank shoulders tensed and he shifted away fromabout tonight Death was so ht up such a sad topic"

I watched as Dank stared out theinstead of looking atI just wished I knehat After what felt like several minutes but was only seconds in reality, he turned his attention toward me "Death can’t help what fate decides"

That wasI’d expected to coht but still I nodded, "That’s true I guess we can’t bla anyone can control"

Dank let out a heavy sigh The guy must have had to deal with death one tooupsetting and screw up thethe uncomfortable silence