The Reckless Collision

Chapter Six

"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known..." I sang softly, letting the words flow out without much thought. My voice carried through the room, and I glanced over at her, catching her watching me with an amused expression. I grinned and left Billie Joe Armstrong to finish the tune as I gestured to the bookshelf. "You weren't lying when you said you love books."

"You should see my bedroom." She froze for a second, then laughed awkwardly, her cheeks flushing. Adorable. "That didn't sound right. I mean, most of my collection is in my bedroom. The entire wall is a giant bookshelf."

I couldn't help but smile at her rambling. She was adorable when she got flustered. "I can tell you're a big Michael Morris fan. You've got all his books and they're signed." I held up one of the novels, tracing my thumb over the signature. "I hope you don't mind. I looked around a bit."

"As long as you didn't mess with my book order, we're good." She smiled back, her voice light and teasing. "Did you read all the signatures in the books?"

I couldn't help but glance at the novel in my hands as I placed it back on the shelf. "No, looked at the titles," I admitted, holding up the same book I'd been thumbing through earlier. "This book is the best of the series. I love Josie's character." My face grew hot as I continued, unable to help myself. "She's my book crush."

Sam lowered her phone onto the table and sank into the couch, casual elegance in the way she moved. "Jo is a tragic character," she said, sipping her coffee. "I like Detective Noah better."

I shook my head, smiling. "She's complex and passionate. That's what's so great about her. And the way she loves her grandfather? It's so genuine. Don't even get me started on her sarcasm and brilliance." My voice had risen with enthusiasm, and I realized I sounded way too intense. Before the conversation could drift too far into books, I asked, "So why did Scott call?" I tried to sound casual, but my curiosity betrayed me.

"To talk about last night," she said, shrugging like it was no big deal, but her tone held something unresolved.

"Oh, okay." I pointed to the brown paper bag on the table. "I brought you some pastries. I didn't know what you like, so... there's a bit of everything."

Her gaze softened as she looked at the bag. "Thanks," she said.

We spent the next few minutes brewing more coffee and unpacking the pastries. The smell of chocolate donuts filled the air as she opened the bag, and we sat on the couch, plates in hand, sharing bites and sipping hot coffee.

The conversation flowed easily, nothing too serious. Sometimes, we just sat in comfortable silence, letting the music in the background fill the gaps. Loved her music taste, and not just because she liked my band.

When the last donut was gone, I leaned back, tapping my fingers on my knee. "We got off-topic when Scott called," I said. "You mentioned you rejected me because of the whole girlfriend thing. Now that we've clarified I'm single, and you're single too..." I paused, watching her carefully as I finished, "Maybe we could go on a date." My voice was steady, but my heart was racing.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and for a moment, she looked genuinely stunned. "Date?" she repeated like she wasn't sure if she'd heard me right.

I nodded, leaning in a little closer. "Next Saturday?"

Her lips parted, and she hesitated like she was wrestling with something in her head. "I'd love to, but..." she started, and my chest tightened. "I promised Scott and a few of his buddies I'd go out with them to the club next weekend. When he called, he wanted me to go tonight, but I settled for next weekend."

"Oh," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. But I knew my voice had dropped slightly. "With Scott." I paused for a beat. "Like... on a date?" My eyes drifted to the empty plate on the table, suddenly needing something to focus on.