He was the kind one. The caring one. The lost one. The one who should live a happy and full life of everything instead of me.
I wiped a tear away as it fell from my cheek.
“Do you-“
I quickly shook my head. No, I didn’t need Dawn to try to figure out who I thought I knew over there. I didn’t need her to step in and whisk me away, either.
“Alright.” Dawn took a sip of her drink before looking over behind her again. “Seems like a fun group.”
No, not really. They were too loud. Too touchy as too many of them hugged one another.
Dawn lightly laughed as I wrinkled my nose at her comment. “Yeah, not my scene either. But you’re welcome to try to join them. They seem friendly.”
I gave her a look that said I’d rather do anything other than that. This time, her laughter was a bit louder, causing a few of the people to look our way.
I couldn’t help the heat from rising to my cheeks as I ducked my head.
Before I could get my emotions in check, which really was a lost cause anyways since they tended to be on my sleeve these days, someone strolled up to our table. Thankfully,Dawn kept the man’s attention on her rather than it on me.
“Sorry if we got too loud,” he said when he was close enough to our table.
“It’s a public place, no harm at all,” Dawn said, brushing off the apology. “Sounds like you all are close over there.”
“Yeah, you could say that.” I glanced up under my lashes as the man shoved his hands into his front pockets. Although, I wasn’t sure how they could fit with how tight his black jeans were.Slowly, my eyes lifted up to his faded black shirt, the logo barely seen, before they got to his face.
So much for my embarrassment to slither away. Instead, it renewed with a rush of heat and a beating heart as I took in the bright blue eyes, eye liner and heart shaped jaw line. The ink on his arms was something else entirely, but at least that's safe to look at.
“It’s more of a welcome back party, I guess. I’ve been gone for a few months and just got back to town. We try to keep things family friendly, but there’s always those of us that can’t seem to remember that.”
“Visiting or staying long term?” Dawn asked.
“Not sure yet. I’m here to help my grandma, but she’s a stubborn old lady who thinks she can still live on her own and drive.Yet she can’t see twenty feet in front of her most days when she can’t find her glasses.”
Dawn laughed, agreeing. “Sounds like my neighbor or two that I have. Well, I wish you the best of luck. Koda and I should be heading on our way. We have an appointment that we can’t be late for.”
“Maybe we’ll see each other around town. My kid brother could use a friend.”
I blinked. I did not need a friend. And not one that has a brother that looked like this man here.
“Ready, dear?”
I nodded slowly, tearing my gaze away from the man. Dawn said something else, but it went through my head as I pushed my chair back, drink most likely cold now. I wrapped my arms around my torso as I followed her out, not daring to look back at the group.
“Well, that didn’t go too bad.” Dawn mused when we were both in the car.
I let out a breath, shoulders dropping.
“He seemed nice enough, and you didn’t freak out. So I count that as a win.”
If only I could be as happy and optimistic about such a simple thing.
I only made a fool of myself. But I guess, on the bright side, it wasn’t because of a panic attack. Instead, it only gave my mind more thoughts to swim in circles.
If Dawn knew the thoughts that were floating through my brain right now, she’d say otherwise.
I was freaking out. My heart was slowing down enough to give more leeway for those thoughts.
Why did I react to a man, out of all the people in the world, in such a way? There was something about him that I couldn’t put my feelings to words on.
