Part 3 (2/2)
”I never have”
”Well, that's the first thing you need to do” He turned to the bartender and motioned for another Macallan 15 ”Act like who you want to be, down to every last little detail, and eventually, you'll becouy He started to relax and forget about Doreye and contemplate who he wanted to be James Bond immediately jumped to mind The man seemed to relax too, as they drank their Scotch and made small talk
”I have another problem,” Adam confessed
”What's that? Let's see if I can solve that one too,” thehiirl”
”Uh-oh Here we go Tell hed ”Aren't they all? At first, anyway”
”She's smart and funny and beautiful andI think I love her But she's holding back, and I think I knohy Well, I do knohy It's because she doesn't think her father would approve of me”
”What's not to approve of? You seem perfectly respectable”
”It's just that her father is kind of a big deal, and I'm not”
”Can I tell you a secret?” The man leaned in and whispered to Ada deal,' and there's nothing about you I wouldn't approve of”
He pulled back and sipped his Scotch ”Especially considering whoJesus Nice kid, but no spunk I can't figure out what she's thinking”
Adam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and looked down at the text e
”It's her!” he exclaimed ”She wants to meet at the beach!”
The ”
”May I-?” Adam asked as he reached for his wallet
The ? This one's on irl and her dad”
CHAPTER 10:
Look, But Don't Touch
Adae Christ up to the chandelier, past the designer gift shops, around the pool, and down the boardwalk He didn't slon until he saw Lisa'sof the sand, where they'd agreed tosoftly in the breeze It was like so the length of the boardwalk and up the gazebo steps
She turned and sh-waisted navy chiffon dress with sli shoulders Her hair was pulled back in a side tith a hibiscus flower tucked behind her ear Her ht
Adam was suddenly self-conscious about his flip-flops, shorts, and ratty T-shi+rt, but Lisa didn't seem to notice He put his hands around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss ”You look absolutely stunning,” he whispered
She returned his kiss, but quickly put her hands on his chest, deter I have to tell you”
Adam felt his heart drop Her eyes were serious and sad And he knew: she was going to end it Suddenly, the irlfriend, of how seldo it took her to text him back all hit him like a ton of bricks He'd been in such denial that he hadn't wanted to accept the truth The h for Lisa or her father
”Yeah, I know,” he pulled away, sing hard and turning fro his elbows forward on his knees and looking down at his feet
”You do?” She didn't understand ”Did Amelia-?”
”You're not that intoit”
”No! I mean, that's not what I”
But Adah his veins and he was suddenly feeling confident and articulate-and angry
”You knohat bothers h?” He stood up and walked back toward her ”You never gave me a real chance As sweet as you were, I was always the bar boy from your brother's fancy party I didn't fit into your rich, exclusive world”
”That's not-”
”But you knohat, Lisa? You may be embarrassed to stand next to ht into your little moneyed world and you'll be sorry”
”Ada to do withher head in frustration ”My God, Adam Do you have any idea how much I care about you? How much I love you? But er to her lips to limmer of hope restored in his voice ”What did you say?”
”I said my past is complicated”
”Before that Did you sayyou love me?”
”Yes, Adam I love you But-”
Suddenly all his distress transfor to explode with happiness He grinned fro her ain ”No 'buts'!” he exclaimed ”You lovethat hed and let her arms fall around his He looked so happy, and that made her so happy How could she ruin this moment?
”Whatever it is, it doesn't ether now and I love you so, so ainst his Faint music from the Hawkins party drifted in the air and ”All I Want for Christ, as if on cue Lisa pressed her cheek against Adaht Adam listened to the lyrics and wondered whether Santa did exist, after all And whether (dare he dream it?) maybe from now on he'd be one of those people who flew to Haith his girlfriend's family to celebrate the holidays
Seconds later, Lisa's phone rang in her purse but she ignored it A et that,” she whispered, breaking their e
”It's o” She pouted