Chapter Nine
Looking into the mirror, I chew nervously on my bottom lip. My mousy brown hair is pulled back from my face like normal. Only, I went with a messy knot instead of my typical ponytail. Years of working in a greasy diner has left my once bouncy locks dull and lifeless. Looking at it now, I realize that I’m going to have to go to a hairdresser at some point. Unlike normal, it’s going to need more than my usual trim.
I’m also wearing a little makeup. Not much but more than normal, just a swipe of mascara and a little pink tinted lip gloss. My goal was to make my green eyes shine a bit, the same eyes that Jarrod says are my best feature, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I look as if I am trying too hard. Trying for what, I do not know.
I’m wearing jeans, like usual, but no t-shirt. Instead, I’m wearing a peach button up with cap sleeves. It’s not really fancy, but it’s cute. Lucy bought it for me over a year ago, hanging it in her closet until I had the perfect place to wear it, but it hasn’t been worn once. She brought it over, with the rest of the stuff her and Hank brought when I moved. I never really liked it, it’s not really my style, but it is one of the few things I have left since the fire.
Instead of my normal cheap tennis shoes, copper colored sandals are on my feet. They are another gift from Lucy, one of many she bought after the fire. When she saw them, she said I just had to have them. When she gave the shoes to me, I wasn’t sure if I would even put them on. Now, though, I am glad to own them.
I’m stressing out so bad that my stomach is in knots. I’m not sure why; it’s not like this is a date or anything. Chance said it was a celebratory dinner, nothing more. I need to remember that and quit stressing. I’m just about to spray on a bit more perfume when a knock sounds at the door. My heart skips a beat as I look in the mirror once more as I take in a breath for courage.
Wiping my sweaty palms on the front of my jeans, I walk down the hallway and to the door. Taking a deep breath, I pull it open to see Chance with a grin on his face. He looks so handsome, I nearly shut the door, to rush back to the bathroom and take my hair down. Instead, I smile and take a step back for him to walk through the door.
As he steps inside, his smile is still locked on his face. “You ready to eat the best burrito in all of Kentucky?”
“With the way you’ve been building this restaurant up, their burrito had better be the most amazing thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.” A grin spreads across my face, and my nerves start to fade away.
He comes closer, running a finger along my chin. “If it isn’t, I’ll drive you all the way to Mexico to find something better.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” I respond, holding in my laughter. “While we’re there, I’ll want a taco, too.”
He raises his hand to push his dark hair out of his shining hazel eyes. “I’ll buy you an entire Mexican feast.”
We stare at each other for a moment, in awkward silence, before I turn away and grab my purse from the island. Avoiding eye contact, I walk back to the door and step out onto the porch. I look over my shoulder, waiting for him to follow.
“I guess that’s the cue you’re ready to leave,” he says, following me out onto the porch and shutting the door behind him.
After locking the door, I follow him to the truck. Being a gentleman, he opens the door for me and helps me up. When he leans across me to buckle my seatbelt, a whiff of his cologne hits my senses and nearly draws a moan from somewhere deep inside of me. He smells like a mixture of sandalwood and a dark heady musk. It is the sexiest scent I have ever smelled, completely intoxicating.
My eyes follow him as he rushes around the truck. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans again, trying to wipe away my anxiety. I still don’t know why I’m so nervous, it’s not like this is a real date. Hell, it’s only for burritos. It’s not that big of a deal. Even though I say this to myself, I know that it’s not true. This is a big deal to me.
When he climbs in, he automatically starts the truck and the sounds of Dust On The Bottle by David Lee Murphy fill the truck. Before I realize what I’m doing, the words are spilling from my lips. Only when the song is over do I realize that the truck has not moved.
Looking over at him, I ask, “What’s wrong?”
“Not a damn thing. I’ve just never heard anyone sing like you do,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. “Damn, Gypsy Girl, you should be on a stage somewhere.”
“You may change your mind after we’ve worked together for a while,” I reply, feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “If I’m not paying attention, I sing all the time, and it seems to get on people’s nerves.”
“I seriously doubt it would ever get on my nerves.” He gives me a wink before putting the truck in gear. “As far as I’m concerned, you can sing as much as you want and I’ll take every chance I can to listen.”
We are both quiet for a minute until he asks, “You’ve never told me about your childhood. Have you always lived in Macon?”
I pull in a nervous breath, trying to think of a quick answer. Nothing comes to mind. I could lie, but I hate to do that. Lies have a way of coming back to bite you in the ass. Still, I do not want to tell him the truth. I never want him or anyone here to know about my past and everything that has happened to me.
“I’m originally from Kentucky, but I don’t like to talk about my past,” I say, hoping he will let it drop.
His eyes cut to me but quickly go back to the road. “Fair enough. There’s some shit in my past that I don’t like talking about either.”
After that, we go quiet again and stay that way the entire ride to the mall. As each second passes, my nerves grow worse and worse. My brain keeps popping up with questions. Should I offer to pay even though we already discussed that when he ordered Chinese. What if we run into someone he knows? Worse yet, what if we run into one of his exes? What if he tries to hold my hand or kiss me? Will I freak out? Most of all, is this really a date and I’m just lying to myself? It’s as if my mind is running a million miles an hour, but it has no destination. It only slows when we finally pull into the mall parking lot.
“The next time I take you out, I’ll take you somewhere a little nicer. Maybe, somewhere you can wear a fancy little dress,” he says as he cuts off the engine and turns to look at me. “This is perfect for our first date, though. I just couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t let you experience these burritos for yourself.”
My heart skips a beat when he says the word date. For a second, I start to worry that this is more than a celebratory dinner. Then, I see the grin on his face. It’s playful enough that I start to calm down again. He was obviously just teasing me.
I do my best to forget about the fact he called it a date as I reply, “I’ve never worn a fancy little dress, so I’m thinking this place will work just fine.”
“That’s good. Now, let’s go celebrate your first day of a job well done.” He nods, a smile on his handsome face.
He gets out of the truck and rushes around, opening the door before I can even sling my purse over my shoulder. He grabs my hand, helping me down from the truck, then holds it as we start walking toward the mall.
“It’s nice of you to open the door for me, but there’s no need,” I say, trying to make small talk. “I’ve been getting in and out of vehicles for a while now, so I think I can handle it on my own.”
“There may be no need, but my mom taught me to be a gentleman. She always told me a lady deserves to be treated with respect,” he replies, shooting me a smile. “She’d kick my butt if I didn’t show you the respect you deserve.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll let her know I have never been treated so well from a man before.” Which is the truth. I may have been out a little with Stephan, but it didn’t seem anything like this. With all things Chance, this feels different.
“Mom says you did great today,” he states as he opens the door. “She figures by the end of next week you’ll be able to run the office by yourself.”
“Really?” I ask, completely surprised Sylvia would say such a thing.
For most of the day, I felt completely lost. Their filing system is different from any other I have ever seen. Granted, I’ve only worked at restaurants, but I didn’t expect even the filing to be different. Instead of doing everything alphabetically, they do it by date. Then, each year the files are ordered alphabetically. Larger jobs are kept in a completely different cabinet.
Learning the programs on the computer was another obstacle. Even though Sylvia said it would be simple, it was anything but easy. There was a program for this and that and every damn thing. Supplies, orders, bids, job, the list just went on and on. Each thing also had a hard copy that had to be filed, meaning everything had to be logged twice.
“Yeah, she said you took to the work like a fish takes to water,” he says, leading me through the mall. “From Mom, that’s big praise.”
“I still have a lot to learn about running the office, a whole lot,” I reply, hoping she doesn’t decide to leave me on my own too soon. “I’m probably going to need her help for a lot longer than she thinks.”
He gives my hand a gentle squeeze as if he can feel my need for reassurance. “Don’t worry. Mom will be there as long as you need her to be. Even after she leaves you on your own, she’ll still be just a phone call away.”
We keep walking, not saying another word, until we reach a pair of bright yellow doors. Sounds of a mariachi band hit my ears as he leads me through a set of double doors and into the restaurant. The scent of mixed spices hits my nose, causing my stomach to let out an unladylike rumble. Luckily, the place is so loud no one but me heard it.
My eyes travel the restaurant, taking in all the outrageous décor. The walls are covered in a bright orange color, adorned with Mexican flags and sombreros. The tabletops are a shiny aqua blue with deep red cushions on the seats of the booths. Tiny palm trees and cactuses are placed sporadically throughout the dining room.
“Welcome to Las Fuentes,” a young girl says, coming around the hostess booth. “Let me show you to your table.”
We follow behind her, sitting down in a booth in the far corner. Once seated, she hands us both a menu and motions for a waiter to head our way. As she walks away, Chance reaches over and pulls the menu from my hand.
“Let me order the burrito for you,” he says, laying it on the table alongside his. “If you don’t like it, you can order anything you want.”
Smiling, I nod my head. “Fine, order me the best burrito in the world.”
It only takes a moment for the waiter to head our way then another minute for Chance to place our order. After that, chips and salsa are set on our table, quickly followed by our drinks. We both dive into the food without talking much.
When my burrito is set in front of me, I pull in a shocked breath. “Do you expect me to eat all of this?”
The thing is huge, absolutely enormous. So large, it nearly hangs off the edges of the plate. The meat filled tortilla is covered in red sauce with a gigantic dollop of sour cream on the top. With it, comes another plateful of rice and beans. It’s enough to feed a family of five. It’s definitely way too much for just me.
“Nope, just eat until you’re full,” he answers, already shoving a bite of his burrito into his mouth. “I’ll eat your leftovers.”
With that, he goes back to his food and I finally start on mine. When I put the first bite into my mouth, I can’t hold back my moan. He was right, this is amazing. No, that is not even the right word. This burrito is absolutely made from heaven.
I’m halfway through my massive plate when I notice him staring at me. “What are you looking at?”
“Good huh?” he asks instead of answering my question. “I told you it was the best Mexican food in all of Kentucky.”
“Yes, you did.” A chuckle works its way past my lips. “Guess I will have to trust you from now on.”
He goes quiet for a second, just staring at me with an odd look on his face. Finally, he reaches across the table and grabs my hand. He gives it a tight squeeze while looking directly in my eyes.
“You can always trust me, Gypsy Girl,” he says, never breaking eye contact. “I swear, that will never change.”
As he finally lets go of my hand, I mumble out words that I hadn’t meant to say. “Yeah, I am beginning to think I can.”