Chapter 24

24

ROAN

" C all me if you need anything," I said, ruffling Rafe's hair. I didn't dare commit the crime of kissing him on the cheek with his buddies watching. "Have fun. I'll pick you up at five."

"We might have a sleepover," he said. "Jeremy said he was going to ask his mom if we could."

"Yeah, well, we'll have to see about that," I told him. "His mom might be worn out after having all of you hoodlums here all day."

He grinned. "Bye, Dad."

I walked back to the car and punched in the address for Alaina's new place. She had seemed reluctant to let me come over. I thought we had a date, but she seemed to be blowing me off. I insisted she let me keep my promise to help her move. Again, she tried to tell me no, but I insisted.

I pulled up to the older downtown Chicago building where Alaina was moving into. The place had character, but it was clear it had seen better days. I shouldn't be judgmental, but I wasn't sure how safe it was for her to be living here alone.

I walked down the stairs and double-checked the address she had given me. This was it. I knocked on the door and waited.

Alaina opened it. "You're here!"

She seemed surprised.

"I told you I would be."

"Yes, but I thought you might be busy or have something else to do." She shrugged.

"Alaina, I said I would help you. Can I come in?"

She smiled. "Yes, come in. I would give you the two-cent tour, but I think I might be ripping you off." She stood in the center of the small room and held out her arms, spinning around. "This is it."

I nodded, not entirely sure what to say. "Is it a studio?"

"It is." She grinned. "I know it's not quite as big as your house or as nice as my sister's place, but it's mine. And Beau's."

The dog was lying in a corner like he was trying to find somewhere to stay out of the way. Unfortunately, for him, there wasn't a lot of space. I had the sudden urge to pick her up and haul her anywhere but here. This place was barely suitable for anyone, let alone someone like Alaina.

"Thanks for coming, Roan," she said.

"Of course," I replied, looking around the small, cramped space. It was barely furnished—just a bed frame, mattress leaned up against the wall, dresser, and an armchair that looked like it had seen better days.

"So, do you need to move some boxes from your old place?"

"I do have a few more boxes left."

"Let's go get them. I can fit more in my car."

"You don't have to do that," she said again.

"Alaina, I'm here to help. And then take you to dinner."

"You don't need to do either," she said.

I took her hands in mine, making her look at me. "Alaina, I want to help. I want to take you to dinner. We never got the chance to have dinner. Please, let me take you out."

"Fine," she sighed. "If you want."

"I do want. Now, let's go back and get the rest of your boxes. Then we'll come back here and unpack for a while. Then, we're going to get dinner."

"You have it all planned out." She laughed.

As we drove back to her old apartment, I felt a surge of protectiveness toward her. The place was small and dingy, not at all what I had expected.

Alaina seemed to sense my concern. "Roan, it'll be okay. I'll make it work. As long as I have Beau and the occasional company, I'll be fine."

"What?" I asked.

"You have that same look my sister did when she saw the apartment." She laughed. "I get it, but it's fine. Not everyone has to live in luxury."

We went to her sister's apartment. It was exactly what I expected her new apartment to look like. This seemed like a good clean, safe place.

And expensive.

We loaded the last of her belongings into my car and headed back to her new place. I carried several boxes into the apartment.

"Thank you for being the muscle," she joked.

"Of course. Tell me what to do next."

Alaina gestured to the unpacked boxes. "I need to unpack them. But honestly, you don't have to. I don't imagine you've ever had to unpack a box in your life."

I chuckled. "You'd be surprised." I didn't want to go into details about my past, but I wasn't always the accomplished businessman she saw today. Once upon a time, I knew what it was like to have nothing and scramble for everything.

She seemed skeptical. "Okay, if you insist." She handed me a box labeled kitchen .

As we sorted through the boxes and I laid eyes on her belongings, I saw a side of Alaina I had not yet discovered. She had hand-me-down pots and pans that looked like they might've seen more than a decade or two of use. Mismatched plates that were chipped at the corners. A small collection of novels that spoke volumes about her interests: mystery, romance, fantasy. Clearly a woman of varied tastes.

An hour into unpacking and arranging, the small apartment started to feel homier. It was clear that Alaina had a knack for making do with very little.

She really didn't have much. It made me wonder about her life before this and why she didn't have more. I wanted to get to know her better. After a few hours of moving boxes and assembling furniture, I leaned against the kitchen counter and looked at her. "You owe me a real date now," I said, trying to keep my tone light.

She laughed, wiping a strand of hair from her face. "I suppose I do. What do you have in mind?"

"I was going to ask you that," I said, curious about what she would choose. Based on prior experience, I expected her to want a fancy dinner, but she surprised me.

"There's a street food festival at the nearby park," she said. "I've always wanted to go."

I smiled, genuinely intrigued. "A street food festival it is, then."

This was different. She was different. We walked down the block to the park that was lined with booths and food trucks.

"Damn, this smells amazing," I said with surprise.

"Beats any five-star restaurant." She grinned.

I loved that she didn't care about my money or status. She saw me for who I was, and that made me more nervous than I'd ever been. I liked that she was giving me a chance to walk in her world.

"I guess we're about to find out," I said.

The festival was bustling with people. The air was filled with the scents of various cuisines. We wandered from stall to stall, trying different foods and laughing at each other's reactions.

I took a bite of a hot wing and almost choked. "Holy shit," I gasped.

She giggled. "Hot?" She took a bite and acted like it wasn't a big deal.

"Are you serious right now?" I asked, my eyes watering.

"Completely," she said, a mischievous smile on her face. "You'll get used to it."

I shook my head, laughing. "You're going to kill me with these."

"Nah. You're stronger than that," Alaina replied playfully, a twinkle in her eyes.

Despite the surprise hot wings and the unglamorous surroundings, I found myself enjoying the evening more than any high-end restaurant dinner or glamorous gala. There was something endearing about Alaina's unaffected nature and love for simple pleasures.

We found ourselves sitting on a park bench, sharing a funnel cake smothered with powdered sugar. There was an ease between us that belied our differing backgrounds. We talked about everything and nothing—her dreams for her studio apartment, my travels and business ventures, the book she was currently reading, and even Beau's favorite toys. Of course, we talked about Rafe as well.

It was so easy to be with her. She was so genuine, so down to earth. I found myself forgetting who I was supposed to be and just enjoying the moment.

After we finished our funnel cakes, we started walking once again.

"Try this," she said, handing me a skewer of grilled meat. "It's amazing."

"Oh man, I don't know if I can take another bite," I said.

"Trust me, you want to try this," she said. "Just a bite."

I took a bite, the flavors bursting in my mouth. "Wow, this is good."

She grinned. "See? Told you."

I realized that Alaina was unlike anyone I had ever dated. She didn't care about impressing people or being impressed by material things. She cared about experiences, about living in the moment. "This was a good idea," I said.

"Thanks for coming with me."

"Thank you for suggesting it," I replied. "I had a great time. I don't know if it was quite the date I was thinking of, but this was good."

"New experiences can be fun," she teased, a hint of pride in her voice.

I chuckled softly. "You're right. I had a fantastic time."

We strolled through the festival for a while longer, moving aimlessly among the throngs of people. The beer garden was in full swing. The families had cleared out, leaving the place crawling with the younger crowd. Young men and women probably on dates meandered through the crowd with stars in their eyes.

"I never would've thought I'd enjoy something like this," I confessed.

She looked at me with those piercing blue eyes filled with curiosity. "I knew you would."

"You did?"

She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, I did. You're open to trying new things, even if they are out of your comfort zone."

"Well, you make stepping out of my comfort zone seem like a big adventure," I replied.

We strolled back to her place. Things were great and then they weren't. I felt on edge. This didn't feel casual. This felt real. And real scared me.

I liked her—a lot. More than I should, more than I was ready to admit. I wasn't sure if I was ready for this, or if I was just thinking with my heart, which always landed me in trouble.

We walked back to her apartment in silence, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me. When we reached her door, I hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"Goodnight, Alaina," I finally managed, my voice strained.

"Would you like to come in?" she asked softly.

It was so tempting. I wanted nothing more than to go inside with her and finish what we started. But there was a part of me that knew better. A very small part.

"I should get home," I whispered. "I have to pick up Rafe soon."

She nodded. "Of course. Goodnight, Roan." She looked up at me with those eyes that seemed to see right through me. How was I going to resist this woman?

I leaned in and kissed her cheek, then turned and walked away, feeling more conflicted than ever. I liked her. I really did. But I wasn't sure if I was ready for this—if I could handle this.

Was I ready to risk it all again, heart, mind, and soul?

I walked to my car and drove to Rafe's friend's house. I was looking forward to a lazy day tomorrow. I knew it was selfish, but I was glad Rafe wasn't staying the night with his friend. I was hoping he and I could hang out tomorrow.

Rafe got in the car, a bundle of energy.

"Did you have fun?" I asked him.

"Yes! It was so fun! We played video games and jumped on their trampoline. His mom made us chicken nuggets and fries and there was an ice-cream bar."

"That sounds like a blast," I said, smiling at his enthusiasm. "We'll have to host next time."

"I'd like that," Rafe replied. "For my birthday?"

"Sure," I replied.

Once we got home, I let Rafe choose a movie for us to watch together. As we settled on the couch, him with his bowl of popcorn and me with my beer, I smiled at him. "How about a lazy day tomorrow? We can do whatever you want."

Rafe's face lit up. "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed.

"Can we make pancakes? And go to the park?"

I chuckled at his innocent requests. "Absolutely."