Free Following Isaac by Casey McMillin Page B

in case it didn't pan out. I put on the outfit we bought the other day. It was perfect weather for the sweater, and I liked how it fit me. I managed to do a fair job on my makeup, but wasn't sure what to do with my hair. I had mostly-straight, nondescript, brown hair that I brushed into a messy bun on the back of my head. It wasn't salon quality, but at least that old, unwanted hair color was long gone. It was as good as could be expected with short notice. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, wishing I had time to get a little skinnier before this happened.
    The whole process of getting dressed and driving back to St. Andrews was surreal. I doubted the reality of it so much, that by the time I got there, I was relatively sure I heard him wrong and I was about to be embarrassed. I walked through the lobby and straight to the hallway leading to the ballroom. I tried to stroll casually since I was already feeling breathless and I didn't want to make matters worse.
    I stopped at one set of doors that led to the ballroom. I could see from the hallway that all the doors were closed, and I just didn't have it in me to open one of them. I hesitated for what must have been a full minute before deciding to go back into the lobby to think about it instead of standing there in the hallway.
    I sat on a leather couch in the lobby for fifteen long minutes before deciding to call it a night. I walked out the front doors of St. Andrews and onto the sidewalk that lead to the parking garage where I'd parked.
    I was thinking about how glad I was that I hadn't told Naomi when I heard a guy's voice. "Becca!"
    I stopped and looked back to see Isaac jogging toward me with a huge smile. "Where are you going?" he asked.
    "I just assumed you couldn't make it, so I was going to my car."
    "Why didn't you just come in the ballroom?"
    I opened my mouth to answer, but he shook his head and gestured for me not to. "I have to finish up in there, but I want you to come back in and wait for me, okay? Will you, please?"
    I followed him inside, and he went over to the group of models and crew who were gathered in the lobby. They all spoke for a few minutes before dispersing. Isaac, along with two girls who looked like models and a guy I recognized from Instagram as his trainer and friend, came toward me.
    I begged myself to remain calm.
    "Becca, this is my friend Shane and two of the girls from the shoot, Sasha and Heidi."
    I waved at them and tried to carry myself as confidently as possible in the presence of people who got paid for being so beautiful.
    Shane stuck out his hand, and I shook it.
    "She and I are going to grab a cup of coffee together since we haven’t had the chance to catch up," Isaac said, looking at the other three.
    Shane wore a confused expression as he regarded Isaac and then me. "Do you two know each other?" he asked.
    I said, "No."
    And at the same time, Isaac said, "Yes." He quickly changed his answer to "Sort of," which made Shane regard him curiously again. "So, I'm gonna catch up with Becca for a little while, but we'll be back," he said. "Probably in a couple hours or so." He looked at me. "Do you have a car?"
    I nodded.
    "We'll see you guys later," he said. We walked out of the hotel and onto the sidewalk again. I was glad for the darkness since I was almost positive I was blushing. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, taking glances at me as we walked.
    I shrugged and smiled. I felt breathless, and I silently begged myself to get it together. "I thought you said you wanted to get coffee."
    "That's just what you say to land the date. Now that you're here, we can change plans."
    I wasn't normally a negative person, but I couldn't let myself believe he just called what was going on here a date .
    "I could go for coffee," I said.
    "Why not dinner?"
    My gut clenched when he said the words. It seemed like a dream. I didn't know what to say, and it showed when what came out was, "I usually eat dinner."
    "Every night?" he