“Keep them. In case,” Riley suggests. “And be careful. Your connection with us feels a little muffled. I know how it is, bro, and it goes downhill fast from where you’re at right now.”
“You’re heard,” I say and stuff the bottle in my pocket.
Riley slaps my back and walks off.
My father blows out a breath. “We want her at our dinner table soon. Make it happen.”
“Don’t worry,” I mumble. “It’ll be about the fiftieth thing on my priority list after I finally claim her.”
He laughs. “That’s my boy.”
But then he sobers quickly, obviously weighed down by what’s going on with my sister.
“It’ll be all right,” I tell him.
He says, “For you it will be. For your sister, not so sure. That girl’s her own worst enemy. Don’t know what’s broken in her but it was broken the minute she was born.”
He’s not wrong about that.
Me, Sherry, and Gwen are their biological kids, Taylor raised by them since she was eight. My folks are good parents. They raised us right, didn’t spoil any of us, treated all three girls as equals. And one of them has, straight up, just always been rotten to the fucking core.
***
It’s gonna be a long, hard day staying away from Bailey. And it’s all part of the plan. Wow her with thoughtful dates, put zero pressure on her for intimacy while still showing her closeness like she’d get if we’d just started dating. And hopefully, leaving her wanting more. More contact. More connection. More of me. And signs are good – she’s been warming up to me. Not seeing me today might mean good things tomorrow.
I earned brownie points last night with theSixteen Candlesgesture with Graydon’s car and the movies, not to mention that carnival. When I told her I was sorry for falling asleep, she gave me a sweet look that I’ll never forget. Is that how she used to look at me?
And I won’t ever forget the look on her face when she stepped out of the library.
Graydon laughed when I explained why I needed to borrow his car and told me his mate and daughter love their movie marathons, that I’d earn big points taking her to a drive-in,because she loves them and will go bananas over it being a marathon of some of her favorites with me acting out the ending of one of them.
The idea hit me earlier when I was mulling over how she stared at the TV when the guy showed up at the end of that movie that first night I slept in her room. She got a glazed-over dreamy look that reminded me of the way I used to catch her staring at me.
While she watched that teenager get her happy ending, Bailey forgot for a few minutes that she was upset with me.
And it was like it was meant to be when I searched the internet to see about buying a copy of the movie, which I was going to set up on the side of the town hall barn with the projector. And there was the notice other movies in that genre were playing at this drive-in, which worked out better because nobody knew us there.
Finding a carnival that was on the way to the drive-in was the icing on the cake.
I thought I blew the night when I took her on the Ferris wheel, but then she relaxed into me. It felt like a huge win when I got to hold her.
She expected me to try to get a kiss. Though it felt like another win when I took her obvious disappointment in at the news I wouldn’t see her until tomorrow.
I’m fascinated by her. I dig planning these dates, seeing how she’ll react to things I’m trying out. I won’t stop trying to surprise and date her anytime soon. If I get my way, she’ll feel like she’s being dated by me for many years to come. Even though we’ll be living under the same roof, sharing a bed.
I can’t fuckin’ wait for that.
Next time I take her out, I’ll move in for a kiss. If I can survive the day without seeking her out, that is.
Holding back isn’t easy. It’s the hardest game I’ve ever played, particularly considering I’ve had zero training for winning over a female.
Though, if I’m honest, that spell that zapped me was a bit like training. Teaching me I have no choice but to compete with a handicap – the inability to get physical. I’m determined to win this. My opponent on this challenge isn’t Bailey. It’s myself. And Bailey is the prize.
At least I’ve got shit to keep me busy today, something to wrap my mind around beyond thinking about the next minute I’ll get to be with her, smell her, and plan the next thing I’ll do to show her how much making her happy matters to me.
I can’t believe I sound like the sort of guy I’d tease the shit out of.
Since I’ve been out of commission the past week, today I’m doing something productive. Might as well put this excess testosterone and frustration to work that’ll benefit the business and lighten the load for Grey when I’m out of commission again when I finally win Bailey over.