Maybe Now (Maybe #2)(7)

Me: That’s great, Ridge!

Ridge: Yeah, that’s all we’ll say about that because it’s still too weird discussing it with you. Any word on the thesis yet?



I’m glad we’re on the same page. And I can’t believe I forgot to tell him the good news.



Me: Yes! Found out yesterday. Got a 5!



Before he responds, there’s a knock at my front door. I look at the time on my phone and it’s only six thirty. I toss the phone on my bed, walk to the living room, and look through the peephole. Jake wasn’t kidding when he said he might show up early. I haven’t even finished getting ready.

I back up to the mirror in my hallway and yell, “Just a sec,” while I check my reflection. Then I rush back and look through the peephole again. Jake is standing with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, looking out over my front yard as he waits for me to open the door. It’s honestly a bit surreal, knowing I’m about to go on a date with this guy. He’s a freaking heart surgeon! Why is he even single? He’s really cute. And so tall. And successful. And…is that a…

I swing open the door and step outside. “Holy shit, Jake. Is that a Tesla?” I don’t mean to be rude, but I brush right past him and walk straight to his car. I hear him laugh behind me as he follows me to the driveway.

I’m not a car fanatic by any means, but one of my neighbors dates a guy who drives a Tesla, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad bit obsessed with these cars. But I don’t know my neighbor well enough to go ask her if I can go for a ride in her boyfriend’s car.

I run my hand over the sleek black hood. “Is it true they don’t have engines?” I spin around, and Jake is watching me with amusement as I ogle his car instead of him.

He nods. “Want to see under the hood?”

“Yes.”

He pops the hood with his key fob and then steps next to me to open it. There’s nothing but an empty trunk inside, lined with carpet. No engine. No transmission. There’s just…nothing.

“So there’s no engine at all in these cars? You never have to fill up with gas?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. There’s not even oil that needs changing. Only upkeep is the brakes and tires, really.”

“How do you keep it charged?”

“I have a charger in my garage.”

“You just plug it up at night like you’re charging a phone?”

“Basically.”

I turn back toward the car, admiring it. I can’t believe I get to ride in a Tesla tonight. I’ve been wanting to ride in one for two years. If I had updated my bucket list at all in the past few years, this would definitely be something I’d be crossing off it tonight.

“They’re really good for the environment,” he says, leaning against the hood. “No emissions.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, that’s nice. But how fast does it go?”

He laughs and crosses his feet at the ankles. His voice is intentionally low and sexy when he raises a brow and says, “Zero to sixty…in 2.5 seconds.”

“Oh, my God.”

He nods at the car. “You want to drive it?”

I glance at the car and then back at him. “Really?”

His smile is sweet. “Actually…let me make a phone call,” he says, pulling out his phone. “I might can get us in over at Harris Hill.”

“What’s Harris Hill?”

He raises the phone to his ear. “A public racetrack in San Marcos.”

I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to hide my excitement. What are the chances that I’ll mark a third of my bucket list off in one day? Skydiving, racecar driving, and a possible one-night stand?





I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling. My first thought is of Sydney. My second thought is that I can’t believe I fell asleep on the couch in the middle of the afternoon.

I barely slept last night, though. Actually, I’ve barely slept for the entire past week. I was so anxious leading up to the show I had planned for Sydney last night, not knowing how she would react to it. And then after she reacted better than I ever imagined and we ended up at her place, I still couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop texting Brennan lyrics. He’s probably got enough material from last night alone to make three songs out of.

When I left Sydney’s apartment this morning, my plan was to come home and catch up on work, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything because I was so exhausted. I finally lay down on the couch and turned on Game of Thrones. I’m probably the last person to start the series, but Warren has been trying to get me to catch up to him for months. He’s on season three, and I made it through the first three episodes of season one today before I passed out.

I wonder if Sydney has watched it. If not, I’d much rather start it over and watch it with her.

I pick up my phone and have two unread texts from Warren, one from Maggie, one from Brennan, and one from Sydney. I go straight to Sydney’s text first.



Sydney: I listened to the song. It made me cry. It’s really good, Ridge.



Ridge: I think you’re just partial because you’re in love with me.



She texts back immediately.