Troy
I decided to keep my distance with her. I even stopped bringing her on the yacht with me. I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about her, or even about us. I felt it, and I missed it, I had to admit but I didn't want to add to her complications. I decided no more special treatment. The birthday party was already in the works. I wasn't going to stop that.
I liked the excuse to have a big fish boil, even an excuse change. It seemed like the more I stopped hanging out with Scar the more I started noticing Heather's behavior. She started coming in early, claiming that she needed the extra hours, but kept checking on me in the office like she was my secretary. Once she had even answered my phone. Nobody ever answered my phone.
The land line at the restaurant was always forwarded to my cell. The same with my house. I only answered it because for some strange reason that was beyond me, the only place Leona called me was at the restaurant and I didn't need everybody to know the shit she put me through, even though they knew already.
"Are you okay, Troy." I noticed Heather wearing a short white sundress with kiss marks. The wrong gust of wind and her secrets would be out. Not that they weren't already. I was sure people were already whispering about our encounter.I was just thankful tomorrow was the forth.. It meant it was a holiday. That meant I could drink myself into a stupor and not care what anyone thought about it.
My plans were botched. I should have known Zeke was going to talk me into being a designated driver for the fair. He had a show on the main stage and then her was going to play the whole rock star card and probably get one of his older friends to buy beer which I didn't condone. I admit, I looked the other way, but I just made sure they didn't do anything stupid.
"Can I talk to you?" She said., climbing in the front seat.
I cradled my nose as I watched everyone else take off into the sparkling lights of the fair, and here she was in my van with me. Clearly, my plan wasn't working.
"Did I do something?"
I looked at her. Her eyes were big and concerned.
"No." I said, "I just wanted to stop embarrassing you by the special treatment."
She slouched in the seat looking down r. "I thought you were mad at me or something."
I smiled. "No, I wasn't mad. I was just afraid I'd overstepped my bounds."
"You stood up for me." She said still speaking softly looking at her hands folded in her lap. I wanted to tilt her head up to mine but I still resisted.
"I just don't want to make it harder for your to make friends."
She looked up at me. "I thought you were my friends."
I smiled again. "We are. I just didn't want to embarrass you from your friends your own age."
"I guess they aren't real friends if they'll judge me because one of my friends stood up for me." She said, "They must be some shitty friends."
My lips twitched again as I thought about the surprise party everyone still planned for her. No one was judging her. I didn't want to make her think people were talking about her behind her back. I heard nothing from anyone.
"So are we still good." Her eyes searched mine.
I slid my hand in hers felling my heart lose it for a moment. "Of course we are. I kind of miss talking to you on my boat." I admitted.
She giggled. "Me too."
"Come on." I said pushing against the door. I guess you're hanging out with me.
Her smile widened. "Okay." She said almost in a whisper.
I dug my hands in my pockets as I walked next to her. "So what's new?"
She shrugged. "I guess I just cause a rift between you and Brandon, and Zeke and Brandon."
I didn't know Zeke had an issue with Brandon. I wondered if it was about Scar. I was hard to tell. He had his shining moments as my little brother, but it was hard to pin his actions sometimes. "That's not your fault." I said, "You deserve to be respected."
"Why do you care so much?" She said.
"We're friends."
Her eyes fell and she looked ahead like something was on her mind. "I know you have a reputation."
I chuckled. "I can't pretend I'm a saint. I try to be as honest as I can be."
I focused on trying to keep my slow steps in tune with hers. The fair was crowded.
"Why did you pull me aside?"
I smiled. Hating that we were having this talk again, but I knew how the town talked and blew everything out of proportion. "Well, first I just want to keep you from Zeke. Then I just enjoyed your conversation, I guess. You're easy to talk to." I looked directly at her. "Scar I would never disrespect you."
"I know."
My chest warmed. "I just know you feel like a fish out of water and I just want you to know that you can think of me, and Nick, Britt, Tiff, Eddie and even Zeke as family. I don't want you to feel like an outcast."
She smiled. "I don't feel like an outcast." Her eyes fell, "Not at the restaurant anyway."
"What do you mean?"
She blew out a breath. "My mom got remarried. She's so consumed with trying to keep her husband happy, sometimes it feels like she doesn't see me." She shrugged, "I know it's stupid."
"I had a step dad. I used to think my Mom stopped caring about me. At the end of the day. Our folks are just figuring this shit out too."
She nodded as her head fell. "So what's new with you?" I knew she was changing the subject.
"Not much. I'm thinking I need a life outside the restaurant."
"You need a girlfriend.
I chuckled. "Yeah more complications I don't need."
"What about Heather."
I choked. "Say what now?"
"She seems to really, really like you."
Heather dad talked. "I'll bet. She's not exactly my type."
"What is your type."
"The kind without baggage." I said.
Her lips pushed together. "So I come with baggage."
"I didn't say that."
"But I'm not your type?" I narrowed my eyes. Was she flirting with me?
"I'm just not good with relationships." I said, hoping that got me off the hook.
"Since when to gentlemen that defend a girl's honor not good in relationships. You're like a regular knight in shining armor."
Shit! She was flirting. My heart raced. "That's the surface sweetie, I am a bastard really." I needed to change the subject, "Are you hungry? You like pretzels, corndogs, fried twinkies."
She giggled. "Fried twinkies."
"Yeah, they are delicious." Why did her eyes have to sparkle like that, and her smile. There was something that shifted. I didn't want to just out and say that I just wanted to be her friend, but I didn't want her to think that we had a chance. She didn't know it but after we ate, and while we were riding rides and playing games, I secretly wanted to run into Zeke and the gang so we could be a crowd. As much as I enjoyed her company, I didn't want her wanting a relationship getting in the way of our friendship. There were too many reasons why we didn't need to go that route. I just hoped she knew that.
I scanned the carnival on the farris-wheel when she tangled her arm in mine.
"I'm cold she said." There was a breeze in the air and as much as I wanted to hold her into me I still was afraid of giving her the wrong idea. Then I felt her shiver and I didn't really have a choice, or a jacket. I wrapped my arm around her and let her lean into me. She smelled like strawberry funnel cakes and I loved nuzzling in her curly hair. Feelings aside, this felt comfortable, natural. My body relaxed.
I asked the operator to let us ride again when the fireworks started. I figured it was the best place to watch them.
"Oh my gosh!" She said as we slowly made our way to the top. It was beautiful, the firey colors and their reflections on the water, I turned to look at her bright eyes and the reflection in her big brown eyes. They we just as beautiful there. She looked back at me and I turned back to the firework show. She wrapped her arms around me and nuzzled into me. I let her.
We finally got to the bottom of the ferriswheel, I took her hand in mine. That was new, our personal space rule didn't apply, at least for now. I felt comfortable walking hand in hand with her through the carnival. I had even won her a stuffed giraffe, and she won my son a stuffed boxing gorilla.
We finally found our way to the cover stage where Zeke's band played. We watched it from a picnic table. I didn't know about her but I was tired from all the walking. She seemed to enjoy it.
"I didn't know Zeke was so talented." I heard her yell over the speaker.
"Yeah, he's been trying to get a deal since senior year. He held up his end so now it's matter of time."
"You seem really supportive."
I chuckled. "He supported my dream of having the restaurant. I figured I return the favor.That's why I built the stage."
She smiled. "I think he's going to make it."
"I think so too. Just don't tell him I said that. His head is too big as it is."
I didn't wait for Zeke to finish his set. The speakers were pounding into my head, and the girls were in front of the stage having too much fun watching their boyfriend's on stage."
"I think I'm boring." I heard Scar say on our way to the car.
I chuckled. "Trust me, you're not boring. You're cool." I opened the door of the van to let her in and went around the other side.
"I would hate cutting this short, if you want to stay. I feel like an old man."
She shook her head. "I have to get to work early anyway."
I laughed. "Hey, I'm your boss."
"It's fine." Her lips twitched, "I had fun."
"Me too."
I felt bad for taking her home. I felt bad that I was just too tired and had my fill of the carnival. I tried to think of something else we could do. Every place was closed, or just too intimate to take her. There was enough awkwardness, and things that should have been awkward. Like pulling up in her driveway, and feeling the strong urge to lean over and kiss her, or at least walk her to her door.
"Bye." She smiled.
"Bye." I said.
I stayed until she was safe inside her house and took off back down the hill. I was going to go home but instead I parked in the parking lot of the restaurant. I just needed to think and slow down my heart rate. My heart didn't get the memo that she was my friend. I let out a yawn and decided I'd sleep in the van until Zeke called me for a ride home. I'd had enough excitement for one day.