Chapter 6
1438 Words
Saturday morning came and it was time to bring Jena to the airport. Neither of us were ready for her to leave.
"I'll be back mid August for the week of your birthday. Hopefully, by then we'll know if I have an extra week off or not."
"Text me when you land."
"Give him a chance." She said softly.
"Are you giving me a stipulation for knowing if you're safe or not?"
"I am. I'll text you when I land safely, if you promise to give Owen a chance."
"Why?"
"Because you don't see the smile you have on your face when you're around him. You have five-ish more months and beside your birthday, you'll be here alone."
"I know. But I'll be okay. And last time I checked the whole point of me being here was so that I would be here alone. Either way, I'll bust my ass and bang out those two books and then I'll be home after the first of the year. It's not like we haven't done this before."
"I thought you'd be home by Christmas."
"Nope, I have until the end of January."
"So we'll spend my birthday here too."
"I look forward to it. Now go before you miss your flight."
"Dylan, please promise me you'll put in the effort to give him a chance."
"I promise." I let out a defeated sigh. "But I don't know what you expect to happen between us."
"I don't know, maybe a hot southern summer fling is exactly what you need to get the creative juices flowing."
"Sure." I just shook my head at her. "Safe travels. Text me when you land and when you get home."
"I will. Make sure Liam doesn't miss me too badly." Jena winked.
"See ya, J. Love you."
"Love you too."
I left Jena in the parking lot of the airport and took a detour through Charleston. I found myself lost in the beauty of the architecture. A few hours had passed when my phone finally pinged, altering me that Jena had made it safe.
Just landed. Remember our deal.
I chuckled at her antics and hopped out of the Jeep.
"Hey, Jena leave okay?" Owen asked walking up.
"Yeah, she just text me saying she landed."
"I was beginning to think you left too. I came by to see if you wanted to go to lunch and the maid said you weren't back yet."
"If I was leaving Owen, don't you think I would have said something to you."
"I hope you would but you never know." He shrugged. "What are your plans for dinner?"
"Whatever Weston was planning, why?"
"I'd like to take you out."
"No." I said, a little too quickly.
"Why not?"
"Because, one dinner leads to two and then it leads to more and I don't have time for that overly frustrating burst of, why is he doing this fight that'll come with the overwhelming and crushing anxiety of what your true intentions are."
"Friends go to dinner all the time."
"Yeah and out of these four days of trying to be friends and get to know each other how many times have you thought about kissing me?"
"Every time I see you."
"That's why it's a no."
"I'll stop making comments about how beautiful you are and how amazing your lips look, okay? Just let me take you to dinner, nothing fancy, just us eating and having a few beers."
I took a deep breath and let my head fall back before looking at him. "How about you save your money and join me for dinner? We can do the same thing here and we don't have to worry about driving home if we get drunk."
"Perfect." He smiled. "But at some point, I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me take you out."
"Maybe, we'll see." I said and headed towards the house with Owen following behind me.
"Miss Jones, Mr. Brier stopped by."
"I see that." I chuckled as we both stepped through the door.
"Oh, shall I tell Weston dinner for two then?"
"Yes, thank you." I turned back to Owen. "Where would you like to hangout until dinner?"
"I have a few ideas," he glanced towards the ceiling. "But I think the patio is the best bet."
"You're not going to find your way up there." I laughed.
"Everyone has an end game, right?"
"Yeah, but that's not an end game you should have. If the only reason you want to be my friend and get me to trust you is so you can f**k me, then maybe we're done here."
"Dylan," He grabbed my hand and pulled me tight to his chest. I could see his internal battle raging when he pressed his forehead to mine. "I want to get to know you so I can date you. That's my end game. I don't want to just be your friend."
"Friendship is all I have to offer you." My voice was soft.
"I know that. It doesn't stop me from wanting more." He nodded. "I'll try and keep my moments where it physically hurts not to touch you at bay and we can just hang out." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "No pressure and if you feel like that's what I have been doing, I apologize. I'll be better."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." He shook his head and stepped away. "Someone hurt you, I get it. I just wish you could see what I see."
"Two weeks. You shouldn't really see me as anything other than a stranger."
"Maybe later I'll tell you exactly what I see."
"So after a few drinks? I'm starting to think I make you nervous, Mr. Brier."
"You have no idea." He smiled.
We ventured out to the patio where we sat and waited for dinner to be made. After a while, we were lost in one of our many conversations about basically nothing, when Mildred stepped out the back door.
"Miss Jones," I didn't correct her this time, I lightly closed my eyes and smiled at her. "dinner's ready. Would you like it out here or in the dining room?"
"You pick." I smiled at Owen.
"Out here would be great, if you don't mind, ma'am."
"Out here it is then."
"So, all this time and I don't know what you do."
"I'm a baseball player, minor league." He nodded.
"Hasn't your season started?"
"I'm not eligible to play this season. I was hurt during pre-season and it's potentially a career ending injury."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's not like we get paid enough to make a living anyway." He shrugged.
"Then why do it?"
"I've been playing since I was three. It was my thing growing up, it was the one thing I had that no one could tell me I didn't know how to do."
"Here you are." Mildred smiled and set the plates down in front of us.
"What is it?" I laughed nervously.
"Country Captain." She smiled.
"For the northern?" I chuckled.
"It's curried chicken over rice," Owen said with a smile. "usually made with raisins and almonds."
"Oh, okay." I shrugged.
"You haven't had an awful lot of southern meals yet have you?"
"No, he was making food that my publisher had on a list of things he knew I liked. I'm not a picky eater but for some reason people find me intimidating."
"You are though." Owen nodded once.
"How?"
"The way you carry yourself, you come off rather confident, which is sexy as f**k. You definitely don't look like you are one to be messed with and when you're deep in thought you look down-right scary."
"It's my resting b***h face. I perfected it over the years people think I'm angry and tend to leave me alone. But its seems to make you wanna be closer."
"I can't help it," He said taking a swig of his beer. "you sucked me in the first time I saw you and I can't get enough of you."
I didn't know how to respond to that, I just stared at him for a moment or two before tucking in to my meal. The idea that he might actually like me, for me, was a foreign concept. Someone as perfectly built and gorgeous as he was finding me attractive? I couldn't help but to think to myself for a moment. Really? There were plenty of woman that I'm sure would love a chance to be with him. Why did he want to date me? I shook off the thoughts and continued on with our night.
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