Killing Me Softly(A Broken Souls Series)

He squeezes my hand and I look up at him.

“Did I lose you?” He asks.

“Uh, no. Why? Did I zone out on you?” Of course I did. I spaced.

“Do you want to walk across the bridge and down the steps to the canal from the other side? If not, we’ll just go down them on this side. Is everything okay?”

I smile up at him and give his hand a squeeze back. “Let’s walk across the bridge, we can see what’s going on everywhere on the canal that way. I was lost in thought for a moment, I’m sorry.”

He raises our hands to his mouth and kisses the back of my hand. Holy shit!

“Don’t be sorry. I’m a musician remember? I have music running through my head constantly. There’s a candy store down here, we’ll have to stop in and see what they have. Have you been?”

Yes, with Andy. She and I both bought so much candy and ate almost all of it within twenty-four hours. “Once, when they first opened. What’s your favorite?”

“That’s a tough one, I like anything root beer flavored. Strange huh?”

“Not strange, but I don’t know what comes in that flavor. What’s your favorite jelly bean?” We cross over the bridge, forgetting to stop and look out on the water.

“That one is easy, popcorn flavored.” He tightens his grip on my hand as we go down the stairs.

Several couples are sitting on benches up and down the canal walkway, talking, kissing, staring off into space, mostly kissing. A few ducks are waddling around people watching. I wonder if they think humans are annoying.

“Popcorn flavored? I like the yellow ones. Except corn flavored, I didn’t like corn flavored jelly beans.” I feel my nose crinkle up as I think back on my unfortunate encounter.

He laughs with me and we continue our stroll, walking, and talking about everything but nothing at all. We’re not solving world hunger or discussing life on other planets. No, we’re learning the little things about each other that make us unique. Two people whose life plan has crossed paths.

By the time we leave the candy store, we have a bag full of thirty dollars’ worth of candy. We tested everything root beer flavored and all the yellow candy we could find that wasn’t corn flavored. His laugh comes from somewhere deep in his chest but not in a Darth Vader way.

As for first dates that were only for coffee, this one is the best I’ve had. Except the one with Todd Baxter, that was pretty earth shattering. He was one of those romances that weren’t going to go anywhere, but hold on for the ride until it’s over. We lasted six weeks. The burn out happened by the end of the fifth week, it wasn’t a big secret that we wouldn’t last. Neither of us had hard feelings about the break-up. He’s the kind of guy you put on your resume, and he’ll let you use him as a reference when looking for another boyfriend. This first date is awesome, but he’s not the kind of guy who’ll be a burn out. He’s either the kind of guy you either have a connection to or you don’t. Tate’s not one to waste his time, I know that from the day he came in for a refund. If he’s not interested, you’ll know. With every touch of his hand, or how he casually drapes his arm across my shoulders when we fed the ducks, he reminded me that I’m alive. That’s the hardest part about death, the survivors forget they’re alive. For the first time in months, I’m not alone. Even when I’m with Bethany and Sam, they could live without me in their life. Sure, we’re friends, but we don’t know what color jelly beans we eat. Andy loved the purple ones. I hate the purple ones. That’s how it works, everyone should have someone in their life who likes things other than the ones you do, that way you have something to talk about.

All good things must come to an end, it’s time to give Dad his medicine. I should’ve called and checked in on him today, but I didn’t want Tate to see that part of me yet. I don’t want to scare him off if I can avoid it.

We pull up into the same parking spot next to his motorcycle. Now for the awkward goodbye. The one where he either will say he’ll call me, which is the ultimate bad sign, or he’ll ask if I want to go out again.

“Stay there,” he says as he gets out of the car. He walks around and opens the door for me. Prom is the only time a guy opened the door for me, it was because he was a chauffeur. As I stand, he doesn’t step away, instead he stands within the V from open car door and the car itself. His left hand goes to my waist and at that moment I thought I might faint. A simple touch and I render myself smitten. His right hand is on the top of my window. I’ll never wash his fingerprints away, runs through my head. “Holland, I had a good time with you today.”

Really? “I did too.” Lame answer!

“Can I?”

“Can you what?” I know all too well that he is asking me for a kiss. Right? Who does that? Certainly not a guy at a party with too much beer and cheap wine. His hand goes from my window to my face. His fingers are under my chin but his thumb suddenly strokes my bottom lip. Oh good god, how hot is that! My body screams.

“Kiss you,” he looks at me knowingly as I nod my head yes. Tate is the master conductor of first kisses.

He’s the master of panty dropping moments too. I can’t even find words so I nod my head yes. He smiles as he lifts my chin and his mouth comes down and meets mine. I feel my body step closer to him and his hand tightens across my back. This is the sexiest kiss, nice and slow, lip to lip and tongue to tongue. Oh yeah, he’s the master. As gently as it started, the more passionate it feels. He pulls away and tilts my chin up to look him in the eyes.

“Holland, I’d like to see you again. Would you like to do dinner and a movie tomorrow night? Nothing too late, I have to be at work early on Monday.”

Would I ever! “I’d like that. Text me and tell me where to meet you. What time are you thinking?”

“I can pick you up.”

“No, I’d rather meet you. My dad and all, you know?”

“Of course, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. Where do you live, in Oklahoma City? Is there an area that’s closer to home?”

“Actually, I live in Del City.”

“You’re right next to the base. I figured you lived here in Oklahoma City. Wow, that’s a long commute for work.”

“Yeah, I like it though. Driving helps me work out the day’s events, good or bad.”

“I do too. How about Cadiddlehopper’s at 5:30. I’ll see what time the movie is playing, do you have a preference?”

What! He actually gives a shit what I want to see? “Nothing sappy. I think there’s a new Furious movie out.”

“I like you more and more with every detail about you. I can’t wait to see you, thanks for spending the day with me. Text me and let me know you got home okay. See you later, Holland.” He brushes his lips against mine and whispers, “They’re ten times better in real life than they were in my mind.”

SHIT!

***



Chapter Four. Trains

“How long are you just going to sit there? Tell me about him!” Andy says.

We’re sitting on the bench swing on her parent’s massive wrap around porch. Andy’s parents just left to pick up some take-out, leaving us to sit and gossip. “Who? My dad?”

She shakes her head back and forth, “No silly, that guy you went to Bricktown with the other day. Tell me, is he the one?”