17
812 Words
Petal
Dressed in black skinny jeans, a white strapless corset-styled top, knee-high hilled boots, and a black leather jacket, I did a light layer of makeup and did my hair in a loose braid. I tucked my ID, a card, phone, and apartment key into the inside pocket of my jacket just as Finch knocked on my door. I didn’t think I would be so nervous about this date, but I was. So many things were about to change. Date going good or not. The club had clear rules for what Finch and I were about to do. Not only for me but for him.
Not allowing my brain to go into a spiral of all the things, I opened the door before he could knock again. His eyes moved over my outfit. It was hard not to feel self-conscious, just a little. However, any insecurities quickly disappeared as he tried and failed to hide how turned on he was just from looking at me. His eyes moved over me a second time, and he cleared his throat.
“You look beautiful.”
Smiling at him, I stepped out of my apartment.
“Thank you.”
Leading the way, we made our way down to his motorcycle. Like before he helped me climb on the back. This time,e he handed me a different helmet. All the other times, he handed me his. It was different, but I didn’t question it. Honestly, it did make me feel better as he pulled his own helmet on. Then we were off. I figured he would take me somewhere close by, but he didn’t. He headed outside of town. And I was glad I had put a jacket on. The wind blowing past us was a little cold, even though the weather was still nice out for this time of year.
After a good thirty minutes, I was starting to wish I had asked him where we were going. Clearly, we were not going to a restaurant of any kind. But before I could try and ask, he started to slow down, pulling his motorcycle off the main road and onto a dirt road. Driving really slow, he drove us down the path until he came to a clearing that was maybe a half mile away from the road. Having grown up in the area, I knew there were several hidden gems like the one we were in now. Places hidden in the trees that surrounded the area. My mom used to spend all of my summers out in the woods with me, enjoying all that nature had to offer. All of the places we found were breathtaking. This place wasn’t any different. A small clearing at the bottom of a small waterfall from a natural spring. The water pooled at the bottom, making a small lake.
Finch unpacked a few things from bags he had attached to the side of his motorcycle as I took in the view. In one was a blanket that he laid out near the water. In the other, he had some containers full of food and a couple of water bottles. Sitting down with him on the blanket, I watched as he opened the containers with food. The largest was full of a mix of fresh fruit. The other two were the same size, and both had the same thing in them: some kind of pasta. He handed me one with a fork.
“What is it?”
“My take on a BLT pasta salad.”
Taking a small bite of it, I couldn’t help but be impressed. It was delicious.
“You made this?”
Nodding, he watched as I took another bite of it. It was delicious, and I wasn’t really a pasta salad kind of girl. But I could eat this all the time.
“I did, well, with a little help from Anna.”
Swallowing the bite of food in my mouth, I set my bowl down.
“How do you do it? I mean, as a single dad?”
Shrugging, he set his bowl down.
“I guess it helps to have a good support system. My parents take her for me on the weekends that I work. And then my sister is a big help during the week.”
I nodded.
“How? Who is older, you or your sister?”
A small smile pulled at his lips.
“I am, though she will argue that I am only two minutes older, so it doesn’t count. What about you? Do you have any siblings?”
I shook my head.
“Just me, well, other than my dad’s wife's two boys. But I don’t count them as brothers.”
Picking back up my bowl I took another bite of food before moving on with the conversation. The two of us took turns asking questions.
- Writer
