“It's complicated.”
“I've got time.”
“Why do you care?” I asked, releasing his hand so that I could turn to face him.
“I like you.”
“But why? I'm a mess. I've just gotten out of a twelve year relationship, which took eleven before he even proposed to me. I'm not that special.”
“Or he's just an idiot.” He winked.
I laughed. “Well, I can attest to that.”
“What's the story with you, and Morgan?”
“She's my best friend.”
“How did you meet?”
“School. I was being bullied by one of the popular girls, and she came to my rescue.”
“That explains a lot.” He said, knowingly.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“You feel like you owe her. That's why you let her treat you the way she does.”
“And how is that?” I asked, getting a bit defensive.
“Like she's better than you.”
He was right. I knew that he was, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him that. I could admit to myself that our relationship wasn't the typical kind, but letting someone else see it... I wasn't ready for that.
“I think you should take me back to my truck now.” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I'm not judging you, Unicorn. I'm just trying to understand.” He said, taking a step towards me.
He reached up to place his hand on my cheek, and smiled down at me.
“I wish you could see yourself the way that I do.” He said, softly.
“How do you see me?” I whispered, as my eyes lingered on his lips.
“Strong, smart, brave... beautiful.”
I looked up at him then, and I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. I wanted to lean towards him, to see if he was feeling the same thing that I was, but I was scared. Scared of being rejected again. So instead, I took a purposeful step back to create some distance between us.
My phone started to ring then, and he let his hand fall to his side, before running it through his hair. I gave him a small apologetic smile, before grabbing it from my cross-body and answering it.
“Hello?”
“Where the hell are you? I'm starving! Can we go get lunch, please?” Morgan asked, impatiently.
“I'm heading back now.” I said, catching Owen's eye.
After placing my phone back in my bag, I reached for the helmet I'd set on the back of the bike intending to put it on. Before I could lift it however, Owen's hand on mine stopped me.
“I want to see you tonight.”
“I don't know-”
“Let me take you to dinner? Just the two of us?”
“What do you want from me?” I asked.
“More than I probably should.” He admitted.
The small confession made my stomach feel like it was filled with butterflies. I opened my mouth to say something, but I had no idea how to respond.
“You don't have to say anything right now, except for yes.”
I laughed, shaking my head.
“Alright.” I agreed.
EIGHT
WHEN I GOT BACK TO the hotel, I found Morgan relaxing in the hot tub. Her sexy stranger had left, and she was enjoying a screw driver. It seemed that no matter when she woke up, she considered it morning. I set my bag down on my bed, and checked my phone before tossing it down beside it. I made my way out onto the patio then, and greeted my friend.
“Took you long enough!” She said, as she set her glass down. “I thought you got lost, or something.”
“I ran into Owen.”
“Ran into? Or met up with?”
“Ran into!” I said, on a laugh. “We wound up at the same coffee shop.”
“What's his deal? He knows we're only here for a few more days right?”
“Oddly enough, he's heading to New York as well.”
She gave me a puzzled look. “You don't think that's a bit too coincidental?”
“Actually, I wanted to ask you about that?”
“Me?” She laughed.
“Did you put him up to this? To asking me out?”
“I don't even know the man, Ronnie.” She said, with annoyance. “Why would you even think that?”
“It's not like you haven't done it before.”
“Are you referring to Derek?”
“I am.”
“I thought we've already been over this?”
She was right. We had already talked about this, but with Owen's sudden interest in me I guess it just brought up old insecurities. The way that I dressed, the way I carried myself. I was always careful about how I was representing myself so that I wouldn't make Derek look bad. Again, it wasn't as if he made me act that way, I just chose to. I wasn't secure enough with my true self to really let him see me.
“I'm sorry.” I said, as she climbed out of the hot tub. “I guess I'm just in my feelings today.”
Morgan wrapped herself in a large blue bath towel, and gave me a small smile.
“Let's find something fun to do. We can go grab lunch at this place I was looking into. It's called The Dahlia. I read online that it featured pub grub, and seafood. At the very least we could enjoy a cocktail?”
“I was kind of hoping to visit the Anne Spencer House.”
“The what now?”
I laughed. “Don't worry about it, I can always go tomorrow.”
She shrugged her shoulders, dismissing my idea.
“I'll just go get dressed then, and we can be on our way.” She stopped mid way to the door, and turned back towards me. “You might want to change too.”
I nodded, and when she entered her room I went back to mine. I looked at myself in the mirror, with my leggings, tee shirt, and pony tail. Morgan was probably squeezing into the tightest dress she owned, and would wear a pair of heels taller than her. I dug around in my suit case, and after coming up empty handed I plopped down onto my bed just as my phone pinged.
I picked it up, glancing at the screen to see Derek's name flash across it. I sighed, before deleting the message without reading it. Then I did what I should have done all along. I blocked his number, and then deleted it. If I was going to move
