“Yeah you do! I meant to say something at lunch, you look stunning!”
I laughed at the fact that just this morning I'd been dressing for Chase, and now here I am getting excited about going to coffee with Brandon. And by excited, I mean frantically nervous.
“What's funny?”
Oops. “Nothing.”
She wasn't buying it.
“It's just no one's ever asked me to go anywhere with them,” I lied, “and I'm getting all excited over coffee. I feel stupid that I'm eighteen and I still haven't been asked on a date.”
“Well I have a feeling that isn't going to be true much longer.” Just then we heard Brandon calling for me. “See you when you get back!”
I took a deep breath before leaving the room to meet up with him. Heat zinged across my cheeks when he smiled at me. Did everyone here have to have an absolutely perfect smile and teeth? Thankfully, I'd inherited my mom's teeth, they naturally looked like I'd had braces for years.
“You ready?”
I nodded and ducked my head in an attempt to hide my blush. Unfortunately, I'd also inherited that from her. I followed him out and jumped into the passenger side of his black Jeep that looked perfect for off-roading. There wasn't much of an opportunity for talking, unless I wanted a mouthful of hair, so I sat quietly until we pulled into a parking lot. I grabbed the door handle but stopped when his hand touched mine.
“Wait.” He said with a smirk before jumping out and jogging to my side and opening my door.
Dangerous-model-looking god and a gentleman? I raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Well thank you.”
“Of course.” He tucked my hair behind my ear and a slow smile spread across his face as he took it all in. “Maybe I should put the top back on.”
My face fell and my eyes grew wide.
“Oh! No, I didn't mean it in a bad way. Far from it, I swear.”
I was suddenly fascinated with the pavement.
He put his hand under my chin until I looked at him again. “Harper, I'm sorry for the way that came out. You're already the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, but I swear the way your hair looks right now…” he trailed and his eyes heated, “I'm gonna be fighting guys off you for sure.”
He said I was beautiful. My smile grew wide and I put the rubber band I’d been digging out of my purse back in, “I doubt that, but thanks.”
Brandon just shook his head and led me towards the doors with a hand behind me. I wanted him to touch my back with his big hands, to feel their warmth on me. But he never closed the distance, just guided me. We got our drinks and went back outside to sit on the patio before we said anything else. It was nice that he didn't feel the need to fill the silence, plus it gave me some time to calm my nerves.
“So tell me about yourself.” He began.
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” One corner of his mouth turned up, his dimple barely showing.
I shrugged, “There's not much to tell, my life has been incredibly boring.”
He laughed softly before continuing, “Okay fine, family?”
“I grew up with my dad, no siblings. Was home-schooled my whole life, I think just so he could keep an eye on me.”
“Wait, you were home-schooled?”
“Yes...?”
“I'm sorry, you're just not what I'd pictured a home-schooler to look like.”
I laughed. I wonder if he saw how I looked when I showed up a couple weeks ago, he would still think that. “I guess I'll take that as a compliment?”
His warm eyes and smile confirmed that I should. “Where was your mom?”
“She died giving birth to me.” I was expecting him to get awkward and start apologizing profusely, instead his eyes were soft and his mouth barely tipped up in a smile.
“My dad's gone too. He was on one of the planes that crashed into the twin towers.”
My heart sunk. I never understood why people felt sorry for me. Yes it hurt knowing I'd never meet my mom, but I hadn't had the chance to lose her. She was already gone. But this? I would never understand Brandon's hurt, and I didn't know how to try, but I wanted to take it away. What I did know, was that he didn't need my condolences right now, so I reached my hand across the table and rested it on top of his. He made slow circles on my thumb causing my entire hand to heat up.
“Tell me about him.”
He glanced up and my breath caught at his expression. If a masculine man could be described as beautiful, then his expression was just that.
“He was amazing. Hard worker, but always home for dinner with us. Brought my mom flowers every other weekend, never missed one of our games. Taught me how to play football and surf. He made sure to let us know we could have anything we wanted if we worked hard enough for it. I always wanted to be like him when I grew up. Everyone loved him, he was a great man.”
“Sounds like it. I'm sure he would be very proud of you.”
He smiled at me and sat back into the chair, looking at me intently.