Next to Me by AnnaLisa Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

420.”
    “Wonderful. Now, I imagine you have some sleeping to do, so I’m going to tear myself away from the best coffee and croissant date I’ve ever had and let you go.” We both stand and I move to the other side of the table, toward the entrance to the building.
    “Thank you, Landon…for the coffee. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” I reach out my hand to shake his and he looks at me like I’m being silly. Eventually he takes my hand in both of his and grins.
    “Thank you , Jenna.” He holds my hand with his for a few long seconds, gazing into my eyes, before he lets it fall.
    I walk to the entrance to the building and open the door. “Oh, wait, um…I feel like I should give you my number, just in case.”
    “I already have it,” he says with that smirk.
    Of course he does.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
    “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I lay another outfit on my bed in a pathetic attempt to find something to wear on my date with Landon. I decide against a skirt since my idea of a good time does not include having my skirt fly up and flashing him. “I barely know this guy and I’m totally freaking out about what I’m going wear!”
    “What about this?” Spring hands me a top from my closet that still has the tags on it. “This would be great with your white jeans.”
    “You are a life saver! I totally forgot I had this!” I pull on the blue striped top over the white cami I already have on and then paint myself into my white jeans. “Have they always been this tight?”
    “Oh please! You look great. He’s going to flip,” Spring says reassuringly. I determined early on that Spring’s hippy parents knew what they were doing when they named her. She really is the most chipper person I know. She’s a little shorter than me with an athletic build from her competitive swimming days and just the cutest girl ever.
    There’s a knock at the door and I freeze. “Shit! He’s here!”
    “Calm down, crazy! It’s just a guy. I’ll go let him in,” Spring says. I hear muffled greetings and Spring is back in my room within two minutes. “Ok. You’re screwed. That is not just a guy.”
    “Not helping!” I grimace.
    “Just don’t catalog this one’s faults too quickly. I wouldn’t mind seeing him stick around a little longer than the others.” Spring nudges me, raising her eyebrows like a caricature.
    “Yeah, I’m sure your boyfriend will love that,” I say as I nudge her back. “Ok. Deep breaths. I’m good. I can do this.” I repeat this four or five more times before opening the door and walking out into the living room.
    Landon is standing in my living room with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. I thought his whole fitted shirt thing was hot, but the black vest and white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up tops that by a million percent. He hasn’t shaved and is still wearing the same sexy, scruffy beard he wore the morning I first saw him at the studio.
    “Wow. You look incredible,” he says. “These are for you.” He hands me the flowers and I’m immediately impressed. The bouquet is filled with tulips and irises, my favorite flowers.
    “Thank you. That was so sweet of you,” I tell him, feeling the petals of the flowers. I’ve never had a guy bring me flowers. Even Brian Parker who took me to my senior prom didn’t get me a corsage or anything.
    “I’ll take those and put them in some water for you,” Spring says.
    “Oh…I’m sorry. Landon, this is my roommate, Spring. Spring, this is Landon,” I say a bit flustered.
    “Yeah, we met at the door when I opened it for him, Jenna.” Spring gives me a sideways look and the two shake hands anyway before Spring says her goodbyes and goes into the kitchen.
    “I guess we should be going?” Time for me to regroup from my frazzled state.
    “Yes. I made a reservation. I hope you like insanely good Mexican food,” Landon