By Chance (Accidentally In Luck #1)

35. Dates All Around - Cora

My phone started ringing on the couch cushion beside me and I jumped and stared at it. No one called me, no one. Heck, not even E called me. Yet as I stared at my phone, his name jumped out at me from the screen.

I picked it up and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, chica."

I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the screen again, brows pulled together in confusion, but the screen still read Theo's name. "Theo? Are you ok?"

I heard him chuckle. "Yeah, why?"

I let out a short laugh. What is this boy on right now? "Chica? And you're calling me? Neither of those things fits the norm."

He laughed again. "No, I was just trying something out. Guess I won't keep chica."

"You could always go back to Pip," I said quietly.

He was silent. "Yeah, maybe." He didn't sound convinced. "Wanna do something today? Only a few days left before you and Elle start school and I'm taking all the time I can get with you."

Well, screw staying home. "Yeah, I'd love to! What are we doing?" I just didn't get it. He pulled away but said stuff like that. The boy was going to give me a brain aneurysm.

"Alfonzo's?" he asked. The four of us had gone there at least twice a week and we were all now considered 'regulars' by the man himself. It was a nice feeling, being a part of something like that.

I looked up at the clock on the wall. Almost noon. Perfect. I grinned. "Hell, yes, Alfonzo's. Should I call Elle? Invite her and Jay?"

I could practically hear him smile on the other end of the line. "No, I don't think so. If you would actually check your phone, you'd see that they're on their first date right now."

"What?" I knew they had gotten super-duper close, but woah.

He laughed yet again. "Oh, yeah. He took her to the beach or something, I think. I don't know and I didn't ask for details on what their day would include." His innuendo was clear, even to me.

I shook my head, laughing. "Theo! Those are our best friends! Don't talk about them like that!" I meant to sound offended, but the laughing gave me away.

"Yeah, yeah, but you know I'm right."

I laughed but didn't disagree. I knew that we both know Elle and Jay better than that, but I also knew E was going to keep at this because it pushed my buttons. "What time are you picking me up?" I asked.

"Now."

"What?" I asked, just as a knock sounded at the door. "Oh, you jerk! I'm in my pajamas still!"

His laugh was so loud I could hear it in real life, not just through the phone. I ended the call without saying anything else and instead screamed towards the general direction of the door. "IT'S OPEN!"

His laughter continued as he walked into the house.

I didn't wait for him and just turned the TV off and walked upstairs to change. I wondered when I became this comfortable with him, to just easily coexist with him in the same space and be happy just being near him.

I laughed as I walked into my room, swinging the door shut behind me. I turned when I didn't hear the usual door-clicking-shut noise and saw who else, but the gorgeous, brown haired, blue-eyed Theo Archer standing there, leaning against the door frame and pushing my door open.

He smiled. "Been a while since I've been up here."

I nodded, smiling back at him. He was veering into territory that we hadn't come near in weeks. What was he going to say? Oh, my lord, it was killing me.