Page 56 of Something Like Summer

“Hey, it’s Ben. Look, didI call at a bad time?”

“Ben! Hey! No, not a badtime at all. That was just my sister. She enjoys destroying mysocial life.”

“I know what you mean,”Ben said sympathetically. “I have one of those, too.”

“Yeah, they’re a pain. Shewas just leaving anyway,” he added pointedly. “Hold on.”

Ben listened to a hurriedgoodbye between the siblings, wondering what in the world he wasgoing to say when Jace was free again. How about that flight? Dideverything go okay with handing out the peanuts? Any trouble withthe overhead bins? Usually he met guys at a bar where he was ableto converse in person. Over the phone it felt much moreawkward.

“So, what did Santa bringyou for Christmas?” Jace asked suddenly.

“What?” Benlaughed.

“For Christmas. What didyou get?”

“Uh, actually I haven’teven opened my presents yet. I’ve been with my friend almost thewhole time since landing. My parents are probably dying to see me,actually.”

“They’ll have to wait,”Jace said. “Do you want to meet tonight?”

“It’s almostmidnight!”

“Is it already?” Hesounded genuinely puzzled. “You see what flying so much does toyou? I have no concept of time anymore.”

“Tomorrow would be good,”Ben suggested.

“Can you ice skate?” Jaceasked.

“No.”

“Excellent! Why don’t wemeet at the Galleria Ice Rink? Do you know where thatis?”

“Of course,” Ben answered,his head spinning. This was all going too fast!

“Next to the skate rentalbooth. Around dinner time?”

Ben didn’t answer rightaway.

“I’m not a serial killeror anything,” Jace said, noticing Ben’s hesitance. “It’s just thatI would prefer to stare into those lovely brown eyes of yours whenwe talk.”

“My eyes are green,” Benlied, trying to throw him for a loop.

“No, they aren’t. I’llprove it to you tomorrow. Seven o’clock?”

“Yeah, all right,” Bensaid, smiling into the receiver. “Central time zone. Don’tforget.”

“I won’t, promise. Go seeyour parents tomorrow!”

“All right, all right!”Ben mocked irritation. “Geez. You’d think we were marriedalready.”

“Now who’s rushing things?Goodnight, Ben.”

“Goodnight.”

__________

Chapter 17

Houston’s Galleria might beone of the largest malls in America, but the three million squarefeet could have easily fit inside the pit in Ben’s stomach. Theamount of butterflies there contended with those of his first dayin kindergarten. Dates never made him nervous, but usually Benwould meet a guy at a bar or on campus, where conversation wouldflow naturally until they reached some level of comfort. Insteadthere had been a brief and groggy flight, from which remained onlya fuzzy impression of a handsome flight attendant. Hopefully hismemory didn’t cheat, because his evening was now committed to thismystery date.