She flicks her wrist from left to right a couple of times. “It’s fine. If you’re into the whole shallow exterior.”
“Every relationship begins with attraction. If you’re not attracted, nothing is going to happen with the other person no matter what he does.”
She gives me a skeptical look. “What happens to those who are friends for years, and slowly begin to fall in love?”
“The guy is either a coward or an idiot.”
“So, once you’re attracted to someone, you fall in love, and then what happens?”
“Well, it’s not that easy.”
She snorts. “You have a degree in Theoretical Bullshit, don’t you?”
I laugh. She might be shy, but she’s funny once she gets comfortable. I like that.
“No, but I’ll look into that degree. It might come in handy. What I’m saying is that I’m not attracted to just anyone. Maybe it’s because I don’t have the chance to meet beautiful women who intrigue me.” I pause, leaning closer before saying, “Like you.”
“Like me?”
“I don’t know much about you, but from the moment you walked in, I’ve wanted to learn more. That doesn’t happen to me often.”
“What’s the point? I’ll be leaving in twenty minutes, and you’ll forget I existed.”
“We could make this an unforgettable evening. I’ll invite you to my house. We’ll grill some eggplants—”
“Let me stop you before you begin a disturbing analogy of your elongated cock being seared by my velvety—”
“Whoa, I meant eggplant. You just said you’re a vegetarian.”
I try not to laugh, but her face turns slightly red and I can’t help myself.
“Oh…I—” She’s all flustered and cute.
“I take it you’ve been approached by douches who don’t care to get to know you before they’re offering more than a kiss.”
“Not personally. I have friends who tell me stories. I’ve been out of the dating scene for years.”
Fuck, so she’s married. I’m wasting my time and hitting on another guy’s woman. That’s not my style. “I’m sorry if I came on too strong. Was your husband the guy with Lysander?”
“What, Benedict Farrow?” She makes a pinched expression. “Eww, no, thank you.”
“Ben is here?”
“You know Benedict?”
“That kid went to college and med school with my younger brother. If he’s with Lysander, he’s not going to leave the house for at least a week or so.”
“Why do you say that?
“He’s like family, and Lysander treats family like his employees. We—family—need to do something to help the vineyard. I don’t think you’re leaving for a couple of days.”
When I deliver the news, she gawks at me. “But I need to be at my new job on Monday.”
“We’ll make sure that you arrive at your destination. In the meantime, we can close this place and head to the store for some supplies.”
“Supplies?”
“Do you always repeat what others tell you?”
She nods, tapping her ear. “I have auditory processing disorder. Sometimes, I hear weird things, but I’m able to fix them to make sense. Other times, I repeat the word to ensure that I got it right. It’s a disability that sucks sometimes. There are songs—mostly children’s songs—that I only hear the word fuck repeated over and over again. It’s horrifying.”
My youngest brother, Huxley, has ADHD. Living with disabilities is complicated. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“Oh, you didn’t…well, it’s horrifying that people call me out on my habit. Then, if I explain why I do it, it gets worse. They talk slowly, making me feel like an idiot. This is why I like to work with animals instead of dealing with people.”
“Well, I promise never to bring it back up.” I cross my heart with my index finger. “Ready to ditch this joint?”
“I shouldn’t.”
“Do you have any other place to go?”
“Let’s begin with: I don’t know you.”
I grab her delicate hand and kiss her knuckles. “I’m Caspian, but my family and friends call me Cas. You are?”
She swallows, looking at my hand and then my lips. “Rys,” she whispers.
“Well, Rys. I propose we take a break from real life. We’ll make this day unforgettable. By Monday, we’ll walk back into our lives. What do you think?”
She snatches her hand away from my grip, and while staring at it, she asks, “Is that another pickup line?”
“Nope. I’m telling you my plan.”
“Are there any other options?”
“Lysander can bore you to tears while he gives you an entire class on how to make cider, and he also adds chemistry terms to that shit.”
“It’d be like organic chemistry. I did well in that class.”
I gasp dramatically. “You’re some sort of scientist?”
She nods. “Yep. Is that a problem? Let me guess, you were a jock.”
I shrug. “People assume that I am, but I really didn’t belong to any specific group. I’m my own person. So, what do you say? Do you want to spend the rest of the day with me?”
Chapter Four
Rys
This is like walking willingly to a torture chamber.
I know what’s going to happen inside. I only have a few seconds left before the doors close, and I have to stay.
But why would I leave?
It’s been a long time since I’ve been around a guy who isn’t looking for me because I can treat their pets. He genuinely wants to spend the rest of the evening with me.
Is it a good idea?
No.
Should I look for the exit?
Yes.
What are my options? Join Avery and… I hate Benedict. Why did he have to drag Avery to try cider? I usually don’t mind when they leave me behind. I’m a loner, but if anything happens with this guy, I’ll blame him for the rest of my life.
I look at his eyes. My entire body rattles as they meet with mine. The zing that spread through my body when he kissed me still travels around at a million miles per hour. I don’t recall the last time I felt that way. It’s been a long time. Too long since my heart pitter-pattered for a man. Leaving might be the best idea. I’ve no idea where I’d go, but if I stay with him and do something stupid…
What can happen?
You’ll be living in Oregon, and you’ll never cross paths with him. This is the first time a good-looking stranger is offering me… what is he offering me? Getting away from reality.
I can handle it, can’t I?
“Don’t make me regret it,” I warn him.
We go to a small store for supplies. When he’s about to grab a big eggplant, I confess the truth. I’m not a vegetarian, but I avoid pork, red meat, and chicken as much as possible—unless it’s chicken nuggets. I love breaded poultry. Who am I kidding? I just love bread and pastries.
He picks up ingredients to make pasta, salad, and he buys chocolate cake for dessert. “It’s the best in town,” he assures me.