scratches his head. “Yeah, pretty sure, his exact words, were, I haven’t been to one of those in years, I’ll look forward to having a dance with my baby girl .”
I stamp my foot. I wish I could explode.
“Ready to go, Thumper girl," Bennett says and grins again. I am so far from ready, but he’s pushed me into a corner. If I don’t go, Dad will get all concerned and be even more annoying, fussing over me, making sure I eat three meals a day and wanting to talk all the time. Maybe if I do this one night, he might chill out a bit, and might start to think I’m getting over everything and we can all go back to normal.
Whatever that is.
Not sure I know anymore.
Dinner was nice. We went to a steak house out on the highway. It’s new and I hadn’t been there before. Bennett did most of the talking during dinner, I kept scowling at him, but I broke eventually. Bennett has that way about him. I can’t stay mad at him for long. He never mentions work, which is a good thing, and I chill out a bit.
Now we’re back in town and Bennett’s pulls into the car park outside The Brew, the local bar and popular young hangout. Judging from the number of cars, boot scooting looks like it’s got more takers than I thought.
I grab my denim jacket from the backseat and put it on, the temperatures dropped a bit, and I’m cold. Or nervous. Or both.
Bennett gives me a smile and pats my leg. “Its fine, Bales, it’ll be fine.”
Easy for him to say, not so easy for me to do. This is my first time going out, and there will be people here who know me, and know about me and what I did. I just hope Cam isn’t here. I haven’t seen him since I went to his house. Dad never mentions him, or mentions my visit, and I try to block him out, but I know if I see him, that might not be so easy. Particularly if he’s with Jennifer. That will be hard to swallow, and I’m not sure I can do it.
Bennett picks up my shaking hand and squeezes tight. “I’m right here, Bales. I won’t leave you all night. Okay? And your dad, text and said he’d be here soon.”
“Dad text!”
Bennett chuckles. “Yep, he’s all hip now. Even gave me an LOL the other day.”
My mouth gapes open. “Dad so did not use LOL.”
Bennett arches a brow and pulls his cell from his pocket and scrolls through his messages. I realize there's a lot.
“How often do you talk to my dad?”
Bennett shrugs. “Not that much.”
“Bennett…”
He puts his cell away and looks at me, blowing out a big breath. “Okay, don’t freak, but I text him most days.”
“Most days?”
“Okay, well every day.”
“Bennett!”
“I told you not to freak, it’s not that big of a deal. I just like to hear you’re okay.”
I’m not sure whether to kiss or punch him.
I shake my head. “I’m okay Bennett. Really.”
“It’s just that after last time, I want to make sure. I need to be a better friend. I can’t find you like that ever again. And I certainly don’t want your dad to find you like that. It’d kill him Bales.”
I bite my lip hard. I hate hearing him talk about it. “I know. And I’m sorry you had to find me. It really was a mistake. I didn’t mean to …”
A tear escapes and I quickly wipe it away. I hate talking about this.
“Hey, hey, there, Thumper Girl. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Bennett leans across and puts his arm around me, pulling me into him. He’s so warm and I snuggle into his shoulder.
I need this. It calms me.
Bennett kisses my head and I breathe again saying, “Well, I guess if we’re going to do this, we should get it over and done with.”
“That’s music to my ears. Having my best girl wanting to get it over and done with. So romantic.” He laughs at his joke.
I punch him in the chest and he groans. Then gets out of the car and runs around to open my door.
He doesn’t normally do this, but must have decided to be all gallant tonight.
“Why thank you, kind sir," I say, getting out and
I stamp my foot. I wish I could explode.
“Ready to go, Thumper girl," Bennett says and grins again. I am so far from ready, but he’s pushed me into a corner. If I don’t go, Dad will get all concerned and be even more annoying, fussing over me, making sure I eat three meals a day and wanting to talk all the time. Maybe if I do this one night, he might chill out a bit, and might start to think I’m getting over everything and we can all go back to normal.
Whatever that is.
Not sure I know anymore.
Dinner was nice. We went to a steak house out on the highway. It’s new and I hadn’t been there before. Bennett did most of the talking during dinner, I kept scowling at him, but I broke eventually. Bennett has that way about him. I can’t stay mad at him for long. He never mentions work, which is a good thing, and I chill out a bit.
Now we’re back in town and Bennett’s pulls into the car park outside The Brew, the local bar and popular young hangout. Judging from the number of cars, boot scooting looks like it’s got more takers than I thought.
I grab my denim jacket from the backseat and put it on, the temperatures dropped a bit, and I’m cold. Or nervous. Or both.
Bennett gives me a smile and pats my leg. “Its fine, Bales, it’ll be fine.”
Easy for him to say, not so easy for me to do. This is my first time going out, and there will be people here who know me, and know about me and what I did. I just hope Cam isn’t here. I haven’t seen him since I went to his house. Dad never mentions him, or mentions my visit, and I try to block him out, but I know if I see him, that might not be so easy. Particularly if he’s with Jennifer. That will be hard to swallow, and I’m not sure I can do it.
Bennett picks up my shaking hand and squeezes tight. “I’m right here, Bales. I won’t leave you all night. Okay? And your dad, text and said he’d be here soon.”
“Dad text!”
Bennett chuckles. “Yep, he’s all hip now. Even gave me an LOL the other day.”
My mouth gapes open. “Dad so did not use LOL.”
Bennett arches a brow and pulls his cell from his pocket and scrolls through his messages. I realize there's a lot.
“How often do you talk to my dad?”
Bennett shrugs. “Not that much.”
“Bennett…”
He puts his cell away and looks at me, blowing out a big breath. “Okay, don’t freak, but I text him most days.”
“Most days?”
“Okay, well every day.”
“Bennett!”
“I told you not to freak, it’s not that big of a deal. I just like to hear you’re okay.”
I’m not sure whether to kiss or punch him.
I shake my head. “I’m okay Bennett. Really.”
“It’s just that after last time, I want to make sure. I need to be a better friend. I can’t find you like that ever again. And I certainly don’t want your dad to find you like that. It’d kill him Bales.”
I bite my lip hard. I hate hearing him talk about it. “I know. And I’m sorry you had to find me. It really was a mistake. I didn’t mean to …”
A tear escapes and I quickly wipe it away. I hate talking about this.
“Hey, hey, there, Thumper Girl. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Bennett leans across and puts his arm around me, pulling me into him. He’s so warm and I snuggle into his shoulder.
I need this. It calms me.
Bennett kisses my head and I breathe again saying, “Well, I guess if we’re going to do this, we should get it over and done with.”
“That’s music to my ears. Having my best girl wanting to get it over and done with. So romantic.” He laughs at his joke.
I punch him in the chest and he groans. Then gets out of the car and runs around to open my door.
He doesn’t normally do this, but must have decided to be all gallant tonight.
“Why thank you, kind sir," I say, getting out and
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