Just not yet. That was his new mantra. He wasn’t too crazy about it either.
CHAPTER TWO
Macie stepped out of the arts building into the heat. She’d spent all weekend talking to Lauren about the wedding, and she’d never been happier to go back to class on Monday. It was wedding-overload.
It wasn’t technically summer, but Mother Nature gave zero shits about the seasons in Louisiana. It was either mildly hot, hot, or oh-hell-no hot. That was all they got. Not that Macie complained too much. She’d rather have hot than a blizzard.
Her phone buzzed in her hand.
Come over around nine. Lauren was always polite when she wanted Macie to come over. This was more of a command. That meant something was up. Macie texted back that she’d be there.
It was only twelve-thirty. Her work study at the library started at one. She had to walk across campus to her dorm and drop off her bag. Hopefully her bitch of a roommate would be nowhere in sight. Macie had lucked out with Lauren through her junior year. When Lauren and Ford decided to share an apartment for their senior year, Macie got screwed. Jackie had been a nightmare since day one. She was messy, loud, and had no problem putting a white towel on the doorknob when she was screwing the basketball team. Macie couldn’t care less about who Jackie entertained, but it made it almost impossible for Macie to get anything done in her own room. She’d spent far too much time at the library these past two semesters.
“Hey, Mace. Wait up,” a voice shouted behind her.
She turned around and smiled. Kyle Capshaw was in most of her classes. Like her, his major was graphic design. Unlike her, he wasn’t that great at it. Also unlike her, he already had a job. She hadn’t figured that one out yet. Then again, Macie was holding out hope that her internship at Rivot Design would turn into an offer. Macie wasn’t afraid of a gamble. She’d only applied to Lafayette, knowing she’d get in. She just knew in her heart that Rivot Design was where she belonged. She was all-in, even if it wasn’t the smartest move.
“What’s up?” Macie asked as Kyle fell into step beside her.
“Can you believe we’re almost done?” He huffed as if the short distance between them had stolen his breath. Kyle wasn’t exactly in shape. His form leaned more toward basement dweller than athlete, but over the last few years he’d started to trim down, and his face cleared up. His glasses even shrunk in size to something more fashionable than the Coke bottles he wore that covered his pale green eyes.
Macie chided herself for being so damn judgmental. “Crazy, right?”
Kyle nodded and shot a glance at her from the corner of his eye. She knew that look. Too well. He’d asked her out twice this semester. He was due. Sometimes she wondered if he asked because he had also asked out Meghan Hanson, another graphic design major. Meghan also shot him down multiple times. She shook it off, though. Kyle wasn’t that big of a dick.
“So, what’re you doing later?” His voice hitched on the last word. Hope filled his face, making her smile.
What could it hurt? One date. That’s all he ever asked. In a few weeks, they’d probably never see each other again. And he wasn’t that bad. He was sweet, kind of like a lost kitten. “I’m heading over to the library for a shift now.” She paused as his face dropped. “But I’ll be free later. Coffee?”
Kyle’s eyes widened. “Serious?”
“As a heart attack.” She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and put a hand on his forearm. “Java Junkies at eight?”
“I was thinking something more ... date-like.” Kyle dipped his head as a blush covered his cheeks. “Dinner? I’ll pick you up at seven, and we can go to Peking Palace?”
That was a little more commitment than Macie wanted to make, but why the hell not? It wasn’t like she had any other plans. Except to stay home and message a virtual stranger on Blind Friends. Of course, that was more complicated than her friendship with Kyle. Over the last week, she’d thought about nothing other than meeting Guy, as she’d started calling him. They’d been communicating for months. Why shouldn’t they meet? It wasn’t like she didn’t want to. But it was that fear of failure buried deep inside her. The same fear she’d already shared. She didn’t want to fail with him.
Kyle smiled as worry crossed over his face.
“Sounds good,” she said at last. A night out wouldn’t kill her. She could just pretend it wasn’t a real date, because it wasn’t really, and have friend with a nice guy. “But I’m paying for myself.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up then.” Kyle back away. A huge grinned covered his face. “Oh, and Macie, I miss the purple hair.”
Macie faked a smile and realized her mistake. He’d want another date. Then another. Then another. That was something she couldn’t give him. Not that Macie didn’t want a boyfriend. It wasn’t in the cards for her. Just like her mom who’d raised Macie on her own and never asked anyone for help after her biological father split when Macie barely had a heartbeat. Macie never knew him. She never wanted to either.
Besides, there was Guy. The messages between them were more real than any relationship she’d ever had. Even if he wasn’t real. Well, real in a virtual way, and Macie knew he was flesh and blood, but it was easier to think of him as code sometimes. That kept him at a safe distance. Sometimes it felt like he was programmed for her and her alone.
She wanted to learn more about Guy. Kyle wasn’t even slightly interesting. God, she felt like such an asshole for accepting. Macie glanced toward where he had gone. She should cancel. In the two minutes since she accepted, he’d disappeared.
Her phone buzzed. She glanced
