The Forgotten Ones

screen.
    “And, I don’t intend on forgetting our little wager.” He straightened and crossed his arms, daring me to protest.
    I laughed. “What, here? While I’m at work?” I avoided his eyes. Many girls had gotten lost in those eyes, but I knew better.
    “What time do you get off work?” he asked.
    I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. “I close at six. Then I have to balance the register, so around six thirty.”
    Ethan looked down at his hands for a second, then glanced up at me through his thick lashes. “You want to get something to eat when you’re done?”
    I licked my lips, his dark brown eyes pulling me in. I tore my gaze away and tried to focus on the computer screen. He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and I fidgeted, knowing he was watching me. When I turned toward him, his expression was so intense that my stomach somersaulted.
    “Just one time,” he said quietly.
    “What?”
    “Say yes, just one time.” Ethan slowly moved behind the counter, his eyes never leaving mine.
    “If you don’t have a good time, fine. But, I’ve been trying to get you to give me a chance for years. Don’t act like you didn’t know.”
    I shook my head slightly as he approached, wanting him closer but afraid of what it would mean.
    He stopped, his brow creasing. “I won’t hurt you,” he whispered.
    His expression was so earnest my mind went blank for a moment.
    “Ethan,” I began, my thoughts scrambled. “You know I’d like to—”
    “So say yes.”
    I looked up at the ceiling. I was tired of always pushing him away. If I went out with him once, maybe then I could convince him too that this was a bad idea. I covered my face with my hands. “All right,” I mumbled through my fingers.
    “What was that?” I felt the warmth of Ethan’s hands as he pulled my own away from my face.
    “I said all right ,” I repeated, my insides fluttering.
    He gathered my hands and pulled them close to his chest. His scent, clean and fresh like sun-warmed denim, made my knees go weak.
    With his head tilted back, he exclaimed in a mock reverent tone, “Yes! Thank you! Six-thirty on the dot. Be ready. I’m picking you up!”
    “Cut it out. Don’t make me change my mind.” I laughed, pulling my hands away.
    “Oh, no. You can’t back out now!”
    I ushered him toward the door. “Ha! Watch me!” I couldn’t believe I was flirting back—it went against everything I was trying to do.
    But it felt surprisingly good.
    I was in big trouble.

    Even on weeknights, Inland Seafood was always packed. The smell of fried clams and french fries would be on our skin for a week, but the food was so worth it.
    Dinner was the easy part—I could sit across a table from Ethan just fine and make mundane conversation. But when Ethan and I walked to his truck, all I could feel was the heavy air between our swinging arms. Then he stopped in front of the ordering window at Dee Dee’s Ice Cream Parlor and looked over at me expectantly.
    My eyebrows shot up. “What?”
    He laughed, showing his dimples. “Were you really gonna walk past ice cream without demanding some?”
    I felt the warmth rise up my neck. “I do have self-control, you know.”
    “So I see.” He snorted. “But I want ice cream. You don’t mind, do you?” His smile glinted in the bright lights outside the ice-cream window.
    “Ice cream’s fine,” I shrugged, trying for nonchalance.
    After we each had a cone in hand, we walked straight to his truck. Ethan opened the door for me, but when I moved to climb in, he put his arm across the doorway. I glanced back at him, confused.
    “Actually, let’s sit on the tailgate and eat these,” he said, yanking a quilt out from behind the passenger seat. He handed me his ice cream and opened the tailgate. After he laid the quilt down, he glanced over at me, mischief clear on his face. Before I had a chance to question him, he hoisted me up onto the tailgate. I yelped in protest, but it was no use.
    “It’s a perfect night,” he said, jumping up next to me and grabbing his ice cream. His arm brushed my bare shoulder, igniting my skin where he touched me. I inhaled sharply, breathing in his scent.
    “The stars are all out tonight. There’s the Big Dipper,” I said, pointing with my free hand. I had to keep talking, even if I was just babbling, so that I wouldn’t think about how close he was.
    “Allison?” His voice was soft and serious, sounding warning bells in my mind.
    “Mm-hmm?” I was afraid