Free Season's Change: Summer: A Goddess Legacy Companion Novel (Goddess Legacy 1.5) by Mandy Harbin, M.W. Muse Page A

With only the three of us here today, we should be so busy that the day would fly by.
    I was wrong. It dragged by. I did menial tasks around the store to keep my body busy while my mind raced. I fretted about the date, realizing I really had no idea how to go about this. I'd dated guys in the past, not often, but it happened. Though never with a guy that I liked first. I'd always been asked out by guys that liked me first. I didn't know how to relax and enjoy this date without freaking him out with my obsession.
    While I toiled around the store, Chrys stayed in the back organizing his mom's office. I was extremely curious about what all he knew, but I wouldn't be able to comprehend anything in my current mental state. My brain was mush.
    Since we were so painfully slow, when lunchtime came, Chrys ordered a pizza for us and locked the front door after it was delivered.
    "How's your day going so far?" he asked before he took a bite.
    "Okay. I've already finished all the cleaning that needs to be done. I guess it's good Tracy called-in."
    He smiled. "It probably won't pick up this afternoon. Most of the doctors' offices close around one o'clock."
    "Great," I said, very unenthusiastically.
    "Usually Tracy is tickled when we're slow. She knows she gets paid, regardless. Since you're done with everything, you should grab a magazine off the rack and read it while you wait on customers. That might help the day go by faster."
    I sighed. "It's not that I'm bored. I'm just anxious. I'd hoped working today would take my mind off tonight, and that just isn't happening."
    "What's going on tonight?" he asked with his head cocked to side, and he leaned his body toward me.
    I took another bite of my pizza. "I, er, have a date."
    "Really? With whom?" He tried to sound passive, but his eyes betrayed him. "A guy I went to school with. He's been on vacation this week but should be
    getting back sometime today."
    I had finished my pizza, so I was playing with my hands. I could feel him watching my fidgety fingers, so I looked up. He was still leaning in my direction, but now his eyebrows were furrowed. Chrys wanted to ask me something, but what?
    "So what's on the agenda for tonight?" He tried to sound casual, but I got a sneaking suspension that that wasn't the question he wanted to ask.
    "I'm not sure. He'll call me later today."
    "So is this guy your boyfriend?" There was the question he wanted to ask. "This is our first date," I qualified.
    "Oh." He seemed pleased by this, which was odd.
    Since he asked me if Don was my boyfriend, I figured I should use this opportunity to inquire about his personal life, for Chloe's sake.
    "What about you? Anyone special in your life?" I asked as I leaned in my chair and folded my arms across my chest.
    Chrys chuckled. "As a matter of fact, there is."
    I frowned. Chloe wouldn't be happy about this. He watched me slump in my chair and glance away while I nodded at his answer.
    Chrys let a short laugh slip out before he could compose himself. "You look sad. Were you hoping I was going to say no ?" he teased.
    I scrambled for a response that would let me off the hook while not betraying Chloe in the process, realizing that wouldn't be entirely possible.
    "Well, I have this friend who is interested in you."
    "You have a lot of friends." Not really. I figured he knew exactly who I was talking about.
    "I'm not giving you any more than that. It doesn't matter anyway. You're not available."
    He shook his head and with a smile said, "No . . . no, I'm not."
    I didn't say anything. I still felt bad for Chloe. Hopefully, she wasn't too invested in any particular fantasy about Chrys. She would just have to wait until he was available. Boys our age tended to change girlfriends more often than they changed their shoes. She would get her chance, eventually.
    "So do you like this mystery man who's taking you out tonight?" "Yeah." I shrugged.
    Chrys enjoyed that. He just smiled and said, "Hmmm . . ."
    "Do you like that special