Silence || Blake Richardson (1)

13

chapter thirteen

My palms seem to be getting sweatier every time my dad asks Blake a different question.

I worry he's not going to like an answer to a question or will think he's said something wrong.

Yet every answer seems to satisfy my father, making the nerves go away little by little.

Only slightly.

"So how did you two meet again?" Diana asks. "I think you told me the night you showed Blake around, but I don't remember."

"Nova had gotten out and he helped me." I say.

Blake's hand finds mine, and he squeezes my hand ever so slightly.

I guess my voice had given away just how nervous I was.

I've never brought a guy over for dinner that wasn't Reece, George, or Parker.

Never a guy I'm interested in.

Never a guy that I have some real feelings towards.

The thought of the kiss we shared only twenty minutes ago makes me smile.

Everyone looks at me with confusion, and I just shake them off and try to ignore their stares.

At least everyone's except Blake's. His stare comforts me in a way, and I'm suddenly more confident about tonight and the events that may happen.

"That's right. Nova had gotten into quite a bit of trouble that week."

"What happened?" Blake asks.

"Nova had dug a bunch of holes in the yard. There was dirt everywhere."

"Oh."

"She's not even a year old, so we expected this." Dad says. "I wouldn't trade her for the world."

"Good." I say, making him chuckle.

After dinner had ended, I decided to walk back with Blake to his house.

"That went way better than I expected." I say once we reach the front door of his house.

"Really? I was bricking it."

"You didn't seem like it. If anything, i was the one they were suspicious about."

"I noticed when you were talking about us chasing Nova. Your voice was a bit shaky."

"Yea. That's not surprising."

"You didn't need to be as nervous as you were."

"Yea I did. You're the first guy I've brought home that I have feelings for, and-"

"Did you just admit your feelings for me?"

"I thought we established that earlier."

"You kissed me."