Ripples. A Bam Brown story. (Complete)

Chapter 2

Sometimes a date could go really well and other times it could suck like high school math.

But this date with Bam was going so well you were starting to get a little scared. Could he really be that sweet and funny? Was he really that good of a listener or was he just the world's best actor?

"Sure. I'm totally an actor." He said sarcastically and stared unsmiling into your eyes after you actually blurted out the question.

"Nah." You said flippantly. "I know you're not an actor. I've seen your show, remember?"

When Bam opened his mouth and started laughing, you threw your hands over your mouth.
"I can't believe I said that." Your eyes were wide.

Bam's laugh wasn't loud; it was more of a deep chuckle and he dropped his head and covered his mouth with his fist.

"You are a piece of work, girl." He grinned and lobbed a cold French fry off of his plate toward you.
"Bam, I really am a sweet person." You smiled and picked up the fry he had tossed and you and popped it into your mouth.
"I thought so, but now I'm beginning to wonder." He smiled and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest.

Bam had taken off his purple shirt when you suggested sitting outside to eat instead of inside the stuffy restaurant. All throughout your late lunch, you had a great view of the tight muscles of his shoulders and arms. One part of you wanted to yell at him to put his shirt back on so you could focus on what he was saying. But the other part of you viciously slapped that first part of you to the ground.

"Tell me why you're still single at thirty-one." You had been asking each other personal questions all afternoon and this was the last one on your list.
"Tell me why you're still single at twenty-nine." He shot back.
"Because I never met anyone I thought was worth giving up my single life for." You spoke sincerely.

Dimly, you heard a shrill warning bell in your mind. Bam stared at you and you began to wonder if you had gone too far with your answer. But you wanted him to know everything about you. And so far, he had truthfully answered all of your questions. This was the first time he shot back with another question.

Your career had been your life for so many years, you weren't sure what a normal life was like. Living in hotels for nine months out of the year, you came and went quickly and silently from your small house in Juneau like a wraith in the night. It wasn't that you didn't want to be in a relationship, you truly did want that. But there hadn't been time at first with all the traveling and performances. Then there hadn't been any trust since every man you met only wanted to talk about what it was like being semi-famous.

Sliding your eyes down to stealthily peer at Bam's chest and arms, you were quickly finding out there was more to him than just a face and a body. The two of you had talked about your lives and your past and your favorites and your pet peeves. And all of that conversation was conducted with the two of you unselfconsciously stuffing your faces with juicy hamburgers and salty French fries. Looking back up into Bam's eyes, you saw him unfold his arms and lean forward.

"I'm still single because I have obligations to my family that I can't walk away from right now."

There was a soft ripple in your heart just then that you should have paid more attention to. It was only a slight swell of concern, but then Bam smiled and turned to get the attention of the server and the fleeting cloud of doubt left your mind.
"Speaking of obligations..." He sighed. "I hate for this to end, but I need to get back home." He smiled sadly.

Tossing back your hair, you smiled bravely and stood to the side as Bam tossed several bills on the table to pay for your lunch. Pointing the way toward the busy sidewalk, he pushed his hands into his pockets and kept his head down as he walked beside you. It was clear something was going on in his mind and he had gotten suddenly quiet. You didn't try to probe or pull the information out of him; he would talk when he was ready. A few feet down the street, Bam reached down and hooked his index finger through yours, linking your fingers together. He still hadn't said anything more, but you could feel him relaxing and the touch of your finger seemed to be all he needed right then.