Page 29 of Gin & Jewels

“I know.” She took another breath. “For some reason, I feel like Ishouldbe doing all of these thingsandtelling you my life story.”

“Hey.” I squeezed her knee. “That’s okay. I feel the same way, and why I told you right off the bat about my job. I’ve been a sounding board for a lot of women, and I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything.”

“How many women?”

I looked at her, and she had a smile on her lips again. “Let’s say more than five but less than one hundred.”

“My number is zero.”

The entire restof the way to the drive-in, I couldn’t believe I’d told this guy I was a virgin.

The entire time we stood at the concession stand, I couldn’t believe I’d told this guy I was a virgin.

And the entire time we sat in the back of his truck waiting for the movie to start, I couldn’t believe I’d told this guy I was a virgin.

And he wasn’t justanyguy. Brad was an escort, and from what I’d heard about escorts, they left the woman satisfied before the date was over. What did he think of me? He didn’t seem to feel awkward because he was still talking to me the entire time, but I didn’t expect that he would want to pursue anything further than a friendship, though a part of me had hoped for more.

So much for that.

“Want anything else before the movie starts?” Brad asked as he sat next to me in the chairs he’d packed. There were also blankets, but it wasn’t cold enough for them. Apparently, he’d thought of everything.

“I’m good.” I smiled and stuck popcorn into my mouth. Being under the stars with a giant screen in the distance was cool and exciting.

“Just let me know if you want anything else. I don’t mind going to get it.”

“You’re a good guy, Brad.”

He grinned. “You’re not so bad yourself, Cass.”

My face flushed, and I took a sip of my Coke Zero to avoid his gaze. “Since you know my age, how old are you?”

“Thirty-one.” He took a sip of his water.

“Oh, wow,” I breathed.

“Hey! I’m not old.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Brad chuckled. “No, but it’s implied in your tone.”

“I mean, you’re ten years older than me.”

“Not quite.” He stole some of my popcorn and stuck the handful into his mouth.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re twenty-two in a few hours. I’ll still be thirty-one for a few more months.”

I threw back my head, laughing. “All right. Nine years and a few months isn’tthatmuch of an age gap.”

“See, told you I wasn’t old.” He winked.

A plane flew over the drive-in, and I looked up, wondering if one day I would have enough money to finally travel in an airplane somewhere. Before my parents died, I thought I would go off to college and need to fly home for the holidays. It’s crazy to think in just a few years I’d sheltered myself so much because of money.

“What are you thinking about?” Brad took more of my popcorn.

“Just that I’ve never been on an airplane.”