Free Blue Ridge: Vol. 1 - The New Boy by Sophia Gray Page B

today.”
                 
    “Umm. Well…”
                 
    “Of course she would !” Kristin beamed, the slight already forgotten in the face of Nadia actually having a male admirer.
                 
    Foster raised his eyebrows and looked form one girl to the other.
                 
    “Sure. That would be nice. I have to be at work by three, but we should have time to eat.”
                 
    Kristen gave her an exasperated look. “Nadia it’s ten thirty in the morning. I think you’ll make it.”
                 
    Nadia began following Foster down the hall and looked back at Kristen. She made the universal symbol for a telephone next to her ear with her thumb and pinky, and mouthed “Call me”. Nadia nodded once. Foster was tall, at least 6’4”. She couldn’t steal many sidelong glances without lifting her head since he was at least a foot taller than her. But it didn’t matter. A fire was beginning to burn from somewhere deep within her. She felt reckless. She felt free. She felt silly. If lunch could elicit these kinds of feeling, what would…dare she think it?...a kiss do?
    ****
     
                 

 
    Nadia followed Foster to a tiny restaurant about a mile from the college. It was one of those quaint yet noisy places, with scratched wooden tables and high wooden booths. The floor was slightly uneven, and a bottle of every beer imaginable lined the wall above a mirror behind the bar. The waitress took them to one of the booths with the high back, and asked them what they would like to drink. Nadia ordered her usual spring water and was inexplicably impressed when Foster ordered the same. They perused the menus in silence until Foster gathered enough nerve to speak.
                 
    “See anything good?”
                 
    Nadia smiled and nodded. “A large bowl of Tabbouleh with veggies sounds wonderful.”
                 
    “Rabbit food, but good rabbit food, I admit!”
                 
    Nadia laughed out loud. “And what will you eat, a greasy burger and fries?”
                 
    “Oh yes!” He laid the menu aside and grinned. His smile was contagious. Nadia was mesmerized by his eyes once again. They were such an unusual shade of dark green. Words left her lips before she could stop them.
                 
    “Your eyes are so beautiful.” Warmth spread up her face and she lowered her eyes.
                 
    “Thank you.” He said quietly. “So are yours.”
                 
    Lame . Nadia thought. A compliment for a compliment. Right.
                 
    “They’re just brown.”
     
    “Brown is beautiful, and comes in many shades. Your eyes are ebony brown.”
                 
    Nadia gave him a steady gaze which he returned without flinching. It was a trick she had used before when boys talked sweet nothings to her. She was able, except for one incident of bad judgment, to determine honesty. It was an unfortunate trait that had earned the label “witch” a few times. Honesty was all she saw on his face.
     
    The waitress returned to take their order and the spell was momentarily broken, until she retreated to the kitchen.
                 
    “So, have you lived here your whole life?”
                 
    “In Virginia, yes, we moved from Orange when I was in sixth grade.”
                 
    Foster grinned. “Not much difference then.”
                 
    “What about you?”
                 
    “Yes. We have lived here the whole twenty years of my existence.” His face became darker, and Nadia suspected he yearned as much as she did to see the world. “So, what do your parents do?”
                 
    “Well, my Mom works part time at the Lodge, and my Dad is mechanic. Pretty boring really. What about