“Hey,” she said.
She couldn’t believe she was going on a date with Hawk Masters.There were so many girls in high school who would have dreamed of this moment.Not her.Not for a second had she even cared to date him.She’d been immune to his charm.It helped that their interactions had never been good.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.Do you want me to drive?”
“Nah, I got my truck.I’ll bring you back home.”
She laughed.“Don’t worry, my parents haven’t given me a curfew.”
“Mine have,” he said.
Katie looked at him a little surprised.
“That was a joke.They’re not home.They’ve gone on a date themselves.I probably should look for a place to stay, shouldn’t I?”
“Why?”she asked, stepping out of her house and locking the door.
“You know, I’m a thirty-five-year-old man, a multimillionaire, currently living at home with his mom and dad.It’s not exactly a good image.”
“And you care about that?Having a good image?”she asked.
“Uh, you don’t think it’s important?”
“I think you need to do what makes you happy, and if that is staying at home with your parents and living with them until you’re seventy or eighty, or even ninety, then you go ahead and do that.”She shrugged.“Don’t worry about what other people think.Especially not about your living arrangements.”
“You’re not home with your parents,” he said.
“Yeah, well, come Christmas, that is exactly where I am going to be, and Thanksgiving.Family is important.If Adam’s family had still been alive, I’d stay with them as well.Family means a lot.”
“You’re right.”
“So, are you going to take me dancing, or are we going to talk about your current social status you’re not quite happy with?”
He chuckled.“You’re a hardball, you know that, right?”
She laughed, and they walked to his truck.He helped her inside, and she noticed the way he put his hand on her hip and guided her up into the truck.
He closed the door and she secured the seat belt as he climbed behind the wheel.Within minutes they were heading out of her street and toward the edge of town.
The bar, known as Hope’s Bar, very original, was the only one in town.Some big corporation had tried to open one of their many branded places, but the town rejected it.They didn’t need anyone to overrun the town.
It was not a long drive, and they could have probably walked.Friday nights were always a busy time, and this was no exception.There were a lot of cars, trucks, and bikes.The music was loud, and there were a lot of people who had spilled out and were across the gardens, and out the front of the bar.
They parked and Hawk climbed out.Katie was already making her way out of the truck, and Hawk was there, helping her.He closed her door and locked the truck, putting the keys into his pocket as they walked hand in hand toward the bar.
Being in a small town, several people greeted them as they made their way inside, and it was busy.It was summer, the height of tourist season, and the locals wanted a place to relax.
They made it to the bar, and he ordered them both a beer.
“You know, I don’t drink beer,” she said, trying to whisper to him.
He slapped his hand on the counter.“Roger, sorry, my man, make that two orange sodas.”
Roger nodded, and they were with their sodas and looking out across the crowded room.She didn’t know what to say or do.It felt ...still.
“How do you feel about dancing?”he asked.
