Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Maddy

I was annoyed with my dad. He had sent me a message to say he wouldn't be home for dinner, but there was curry in the slow cooker, and I had to make sure I ate some.

It wasn't that I was mad that he wasn't home, but that he hadn't messaged me until I was walking through the door. I could have said yes to Zak's invitation to McDonald's. I could have been enjoying a bloody burger with him instead of my dad's curry, alone . It wasn't like I could call him and say my plans had changed. That would have looked desperate.

At least dad not being home meant that I could get ready without him questioning me every five minutes. Or him hanging around the front door when Zak arrived, or even worse, asking Zak a thousand and one questions about the evening and warning him to take care of me.

Annoyance, though, was soon replaced by nerves as I realised the time. It was almost five to seven and Zak would be arriving soon. Unless, of course, he stood me up. My stomach dropped at the thought. What if he did? Maybe he'd changed his mind? What if it was just a joke and he didn't like me at all? What if Liam had dared him?

"Shut up, Maddy," I muttered to myself. "You're being stupid."

When, just seconds later, there was a loud banging on the door, I knew I hadn't been stood up. At least I hoped it was Zak. With one last look in the mirror, I ran down the stairs, took a quick breath at the bottom and then pulled open the door.

Zak was standing very straight, with his hands behind his back, grinning. "You look good." He looked me up and down. "Gorgeous, in fact."

My heart beat erratically as I stared at him. I wasn't used to boys being so confident and saying what they thought. Most of the boys I'd talked to, or had dates with, liked to mess around with a girls' head. Talking in some sort of stupid boy code and expecting the girl to understand. And never had one told me that I looked gorgeous as soon as I'd opened the door. One boy, Toby Jacobs, who had since left our school, told me once I looked quite nice, but only after I told him that I liked his jacket.

"Thanks. I like your jacket."

Shit, I was an idiot. Who told a boy they liked his jacket? Me apparently, to two different boys.

He gave his sexy grin again. "Cheers." When he held his hand out to me, I gasped, and he smiled. "I won't bite."

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I tentatively took his offer and let him curl his fingers around mine.

"I borrowed my mum's car, so sorry if it's a bit…" Zak shrugged his shoulders.

I looked past him to see a Mini parked at the curb. "I like it."

"Yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "It's great, but not the best when you're six foot two."

Swallowing, I looked up the full length of him, finding everything about him hot. He was gorgeous to look at, but I liked him as a person too. So far, he seemed like he was nice and wouldn't do the usual dickhead boy things. What did I know, though; he might be the biggest player in the world.

"Anyway, let's go," he said, tugging on my hand. "I'm starving."

"You haven't eaten yet?"

Pulling me down the path to the car, he groaned. "No. Mum made this awful lentil thing because she thinks we eat too much meat. Even Dad wouldn't eat it, and he eats everything."

I thought about his parents and how slim his dad was. He didn't look like he ate everything. He was nothing like my dad; he was older and had been wearing suit trousers and a white shirt—something you'd never see Dad in. Mr Hoyland's hair—Mister, not Doctor, because he was a surgeon—was greying at the temples, and he had a short beard also speckled with grey. He was also very tall, which was obviously where Zak got his height from, because his mum was tiny, not much taller than Amelia.

When we reached the car, Zak opened the door for me. He didn't do it with flourish or make it cheesy; he just did it like it was a normal thing for him to do. Not at all like the other boys my age, who let a door swing back in your face without caring.

"Thanks." I flashed him a smile and got into the car, and when he leaned inside, I felt my breath rush from my lungs.

"I'll just fasten you in." His breath whispered against my ear, making me shiver. "Make sure you're safe."

"Is your driving that bad?"

His face was inches from mine, and I could smell the mint of his toothpaste on his breath as it mingled with his aftershave. When he smiled and showed his perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth, I had to hold back a moan. He was beautiful.

"Nope, I'm a great driver. In fact, my dad says I'm a little bit slow at times."

"My dad will be pleased," I breathed out.

"Where is he, by the way?" he asked, clicking my seatbelt into place. "I expected him to be out here warning me about being safe and getting you home on time."

"He's out. He went to meet a supplier." And he had no idea that I was out with Zak. Otherwise, I was sure he'd have made sure to get home as soon as he could.

"That explains it." I got another flash of teeth, and then he disappeared before closing the door.

I watched him run around the front of the car and then open the driver's door, folding himself into the seat. It was all done with confidence, and I wondered if I could handle him. His long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel, and he bounced in his seat.

"Right, let's go." He grinned at me again, and as soon as we were on our way, I opened my WhatsApp and messaged Ana.

MADDY

Zak just picked me up to go to McDonalds!!!!

ANA

WHAT!!! Like a date?!!

MADDY

I don't know. I think so. He asked me at school. I'm scared!!

ANA

Why! Has he done something to scare you?

MADDY

NO! He's just so…beautiful.

ANA

Do you look good?

MADDY

What do you think?

ANA

Of course you do! What was I thinking!! Just enjoy it and make sure you message me later. I want all the gossip on how he kisses and whether he uses the right amount of tongue.

Smiling, I put my phone back in my pocket and glanced over at Zak, who was concentrating on the road. If he did kiss me, I'd probably pass out before I had time to figure out what his tongue action was like.

"Put the radio on if you like," Zak said, nodding at the dashboard. "Or you can go through my playlists. My phone's hooked up."

With his eyes still on the road, he reached into the console, and, taking hold of his phone, handed it to me.

"Passcode is one, two, three, four."

I burst out laughing. "That's not very safety-conscious."

Zak shrugged and chuckled. "I wouldn't remember anything else."

"Are you sure you don't mind me knowing it?" I asked, looking down at the screen, trying to decide whether to open it or not.

"No. Why would I? I don't have any secrets. Everything else is Hoyland123."

"Wow, okay then." I licked my lips and tapped at the screen. Once I opened the music app, I scrolled. "How many playlists have you got?"

"I like music, and I like to make playlists. In fact, I have one for almost every occasion." He indicated to turn the corner, and I loved how easily he made driving look, how manly his hands were, how his rings clinked against the metal strip on the steering wheel. "Check out my ‘Food Shopping for Mum' one; it's brilliant."

Laughing, I did as he suggested and found it. Reading through the songs, I had to agree with him. It was full of banging tunes.

"I'm putting this one on," I told him. "I can imagine you pushing your trolley listening to it."

"See, told you it was good."

I looked over at him, and he had the biggest smile. As the music kicked in, he started to move around in his seat, looking happy and not one bit embarrassed that he was doing a head move that looked like some sort of excited chicken.

"It is," I replied. "Really good."

Zak looked at me briefly, and his eyes were twinkling. "See, I told you a night out with me would be a good one."

I frowned. "Did you?"

"Maybe not," he said, laughing. "But it will be. Promise."

Relaxing back in the seat, I couldn't help the huge smile that hurt my cheeks. I wasn't sure what Zak taking me out meant, but I was determined to enjoy it, even if my stomach was in knots.