A wide smile stretched across her beautiful face, one that made me stop breathing. “Okay. That would be nice, thank you.”
***
We arrived at my favorite Indian restaurant that my parents used to go to when I was little. My father loved his curry and often took us—that was before he slept with that whore and ripped our family apart. “A table for two, please,” I said to the waiter.
We were seated in the corner of the restaurant and handed menus. “Thank you.” I turned to Shannen once the server had disappeared, giving us time to browse the menu. “Order whatever you like.” She smiled and scanned the menu. “I think I’m going to have a tikka masala. Have you chosen?”
“The same, please,” she replied.
I closed my eyes. You are made for me, Shannen.
“So, how long have you been working in accounting?”
“Oh,” I replied, pleasantly surprised at being asked a personal question. “About five years now, I suppose. What did you do prior to the incident with your family?”
“I was working in the diner my mum works at. My father lost his job and we needed money, so I quit college to work.” She frowned. “He always needed more money.” What did that mean? Her father didn’t sound particularly decent. A man takes care of his family, not the other way around. I wanted to pry further, but I didn’t want her to close up again. It would take time, and we had plenty of time.
Our conversation was easy and with little gaps of silence between, I knew I had made the right decision—Shannen was not going back to that hostel. I’d lost count of the number of times she’d made me smile and laugh—I hadn’t laughed in years. Shannen was my future, my one chance. I had the drive back to convince her that I was the best person to take care of her. We could make this work; I would make her as happy as she made me. I vowed to.
Holding the restaurant door open, I let her leave first. Her arm brushed against mine and I gasped at the electricity. We had a connection, a real connection. “Thank you for dinner, Colin,” she murmured, a light blush warmed her perfect, defined cheeks.
“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure.” Yes, it certainly was my pleasure. I never knew how incredible I would feel at something so normal as taking the girl I was fond of to dinner. How many dates had I missed out on over the years? It wasn’t a feeling I’d ever had before, but I was desperate to keep it—desperate for Shannen to give us a chance.
***
We got back in my car and words failed me. My heart beat wildly and I felt sick with nerves. How was she going to react to me taking her home? To get to the hostel, you had to drive past my road, so I knew I could get her almost home before she started questioning me.
“You’re cold,” I said and switched the warm air on.
She rubbed her hands together. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You’re welcome. I had a lovely time.”
A small, shy smile pulled at her lips. “So did I.”
I drove slower than usual, delving into a conversation about what Shannen studied at college to calm my nerves. My house was close; I could see my red tile rooftop over the hill. This is it. Now or never. Slowing down a little too sharply, I pulled into my driveway and turned off the ignition.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, biting her lip and looking at my home out the window.
I turned to face her and smiled. “This is my house, Shannen. I just need to use the bathroom before I take you back. Come in for a minute.” I watched as her eyes darted to my front door, hesitating. “I won’t be long.” After a second, she made up her mind and nodded, opening the door. She trusted me—I had won her trust.
“It’s a lovely house,” she said as I let us both in.
“Thank you.” I was glad she liked it. I wanted her to like it and feel at home. I’d let her redecorate if there was anything she didn’t like. Perhaps we could do that together—redecorate and turn the house into our home rather than just mine. “I’ll show you to the living room where you can sit for a minute.”
She sat down on the green sofa and I couldn’t help sitting beside her. I liked it, the both of us sitting in our living room. “Don’t you need the bathroom?” she asked and smiled.
“Shannen, I must confess…I don’t really need to use the bathroom. I’m sorry I lied, but I just needed to get you in here so we can talk. I’ve brought you home.” Her eyes widened in horror, and she stood up, gasping. I leaped to my feet and grabbed her arm before she had the chance to run. “Let me explain. Please.”
“No, get off,” she shouted, frantically trying to pull her hand out of my grip. Her hair flicked in all directions, hitting me in the face as she tried to get away. “Please, let go.”