I wanted to connect with you, but I don’t have your number, and I didn’t have time to stop in the store again.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound bitchy.” It had never been in my nature to behave so rudely, and it hurt me to act that way with Gavin, again. My defenses were on high alert, and I could admit – if only to myself – that the way I’d been embarrassed, all those years ago, caused me to be afraid of him now; I was terrified that I'd show too much and the same would happen all over again.
Gavin shook his head and grinned. Since he’d looked down at his clasped hands, I couldn’t see his face, I couldn’t read his expression.
“When is your next day off?” He asked, meeting my eyes once again.
“Sunday,” I wanted to ask why, but didn’t.
“Good, where do you want to go to dinner?” He was completely straight faced, damn, he had some balls.
“I’m sorry, were we going to dinner?” I asked, I wasn’t angry at his audacity, but was surprised.
“Yes, we’re going to have dinner. We’re friends, right? Let’s go to dinner.”
Friends, right. We could be friends. Right? Could I really be friends with Gavin? I’d fancied myself in love with Gavin once upon a time, but that was so long ago, I had moved past that years ago. So, yes, I could, I would be friends with Gavin again.
“Sure, Mexican?”
“Sounds good, I’ll pick you up about six-thirty?”
I nodded my ascent and we exchanged numbers. Gavin stayed for a little while longer, then left. The interaction had been friendly, nothing more. Our dinner on Sunday would just be two old friends catching up, not a date. I needed to keep my mind focused and not allow old, girlie fantasies to take over.
When I walked him out, I heard the roar of Harley pipes, a sound I’d been trained to listen for, as a very young child. As strange as it was, it was a sound that still brought a smile to my face. Mom had always listened, then watched and waited, when she heard them. She’d longed for my father to come riding up, and she was just sure that every single set of pipes she heard, were going to be his.
As the rider went by, he moved slowly on the street, and seemed to pay particular attention us Gavin and me. I didn’t feel afraid, though I thought that maybe I should have. Maybe, my freak out meter was broken, after the whole Zach thing earlier.
“You know that guy?” Gavin asked, getting a good look at the older man and seemingly taking note of his cut.
Shaking my head, I turned my focus back on Gavin, thanked him again for bringing me home, and promised I’d see him the following night for dinner.
Later that day, when my mom came by, I’d heard the pipes again, just before I hopped into the car to drive her home. I watched as she whipped her head around and looked, but neither of us saw a bike. I almost laughed at how silly we must look, behaving that way.
Once we were finally on our way, I survived her incessant questions. When she discovered that I didn’t have much to say, or wasn’t sharing it, she gave me the low down. Apparently, Gavin had gone back to Nicole’s house, but when he’d arrived, Zach was long gone. Gavin spoke with his mother privately for a while, probably telling her what he’d witnessed, but my mom didn’t know for sure.
I was relieved when we pulled up in front of her house and she exited the car. She’d promised to call me later, which I knew, would be in a few days, unless she thought something juicy was going on in my life.
As I lay in bed that night, waiting for the elusive sleep to come, my phone vibrated from the nightstand. Rolling over, I grabbed it and read.
Gavin: Was great seeing you today, Zach’s crazy ass excluded of course. Can’t wait to see you Sunday.
Dawn: Good to see you too. Don’t worry about Zach, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Gavin: It was, I’m sorry he acted like that.
Dawn: Thanks, I’m fine.
Gavin: Sleep well, beautiful girl.
Seeing his words
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound bitchy.” It had never been in my nature to behave so rudely, and it hurt me to act that way with Gavin, again. My defenses were on high alert, and I could admit – if only to myself – that the way I’d been embarrassed, all those years ago, caused me to be afraid of him now; I was terrified that I'd show too much and the same would happen all over again.
Gavin shook his head and grinned. Since he’d looked down at his clasped hands, I couldn’t see his face, I couldn’t read his expression.
“When is your next day off?” He asked, meeting my eyes once again.
“Sunday,” I wanted to ask why, but didn’t.
“Good, where do you want to go to dinner?” He was completely straight faced, damn, he had some balls.
“I’m sorry, were we going to dinner?” I asked, I wasn’t angry at his audacity, but was surprised.
“Yes, we’re going to have dinner. We’re friends, right? Let’s go to dinner.”
Friends, right. We could be friends. Right? Could I really be friends with Gavin? I’d fancied myself in love with Gavin once upon a time, but that was so long ago, I had moved past that years ago. So, yes, I could, I would be friends with Gavin again.
“Sure, Mexican?”
“Sounds good, I’ll pick you up about six-thirty?”
I nodded my ascent and we exchanged numbers. Gavin stayed for a little while longer, then left. The interaction had been friendly, nothing more. Our dinner on Sunday would just be two old friends catching up, not a date. I needed to keep my mind focused and not allow old, girlie fantasies to take over.
When I walked him out, I heard the roar of Harley pipes, a sound I’d been trained to listen for, as a very young child. As strange as it was, it was a sound that still brought a smile to my face. Mom had always listened, then watched and waited, when she heard them. She’d longed for my father to come riding up, and she was just sure that every single set of pipes she heard, were going to be his.
As the rider went by, he moved slowly on the street, and seemed to pay particular attention us Gavin and me. I didn’t feel afraid, though I thought that maybe I should have. Maybe, my freak out meter was broken, after the whole Zach thing earlier.
“You know that guy?” Gavin asked, getting a good look at the older man and seemingly taking note of his cut.
Shaking my head, I turned my focus back on Gavin, thanked him again for bringing me home, and promised I’d see him the following night for dinner.
Later that day, when my mom came by, I’d heard the pipes again, just before I hopped into the car to drive her home. I watched as she whipped her head around and looked, but neither of us saw a bike. I almost laughed at how silly we must look, behaving that way.
Once we were finally on our way, I survived her incessant questions. When she discovered that I didn’t have much to say, or wasn’t sharing it, she gave me the low down. Apparently, Gavin had gone back to Nicole’s house, but when he’d arrived, Zach was long gone. Gavin spoke with his mother privately for a while, probably telling her what he’d witnessed, but my mom didn’t know for sure.
I was relieved when we pulled up in front of her house and she exited the car. She’d promised to call me later, which I knew, would be in a few days, unless she thought something juicy was going on in my life.
As I lay in bed that night, waiting for the elusive sleep to come, my phone vibrated from the nightstand. Rolling over, I grabbed it and read.
Gavin: Was great seeing you today, Zach’s crazy ass excluded of course. Can’t wait to see you Sunday.
Dawn: Good to see you too. Don’t worry about Zach, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Gavin: It was, I’m sorry he acted like that.
Dawn: Thanks, I’m fine.
Gavin: Sleep well, beautiful girl.
Seeing his words
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