Chapter 9

NINE

Auden

Prim + Proper is beautiful and I can't help but look around as we follow the ma?tre d over to our table in the back.

"I've got it," Wade says when he moves to pull my chair out for me.

"Very well, sir," the ma?tre d says and with a slight nod to his head, he leaves us to take our seats.

I smile at Wade, secretly thrilled that he wanted to pull out my own chair for me. I know that it's kind of caveman, but it also makes me feel so special. No one has ever seen me or treated me the way that Wade does and I find that I love it.

I called Lena and Arlowe as I was getting ready. I was kind of freaking out. This is my first date and I have no idea how to act. Part of me also feels like maybe this was a bad idea. I mean, if things don't work out, then I'm going to have to see Wade all of the time. It's not like we're going to declare our love for each other tonight, so I should try to relax and have some fun.

Lena reminded me that he was always the guy that I had a crush on and that I deserved to give things a try. Arlowe told me that life isn't all work and that I needed to have some fun. As I eye Wade, I can't help but think about all of the fun things that we could do together.

Get your mind out of the gutter! I order myself.

"Thanks," I say as I take my seat.

He nods at me as he takes his own and I smile as I grab my menu.

"This place is nice. Do you take all of your dates here?"

"I don't date," he grumbles, sparing me a glance as he looks over his own menu.

"Ever?"

"No, there's never been anyone that I've wanted to ask out… except you," he says.

He doesn't look up at me when he says that, but I can see the pink starting to stain his cheeks. Is he embarrassed that he's never dated before?

"Me either," I admit, and that gets a reaction out of him.

He glances up at me sharply, looking shocked and now it's my turn to blush.

"Why not? I thought college boys were supposed to be smart," he blurts out, and I blink.

"I guess… wait, what?"

"Any guy with eyes should be chasing after you. If they were smart, they would be able to see what a catch you are and be desperate to make you theirs."

My heart takes off like a shot in my chest, and I swallow hard as I stare at him with wide eyes.

"I think that's the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me," I say softly.

"It's the truth," he says simply.

A waiter comes over to take our drink order, and I order a chardonnay, and then I scan the menu, deciding on the short rib gnocchi for my entrée.

The waiter leaves to put it in drink order, and I turn back to Wade.

"What's your next project after this one?" I ask him.

"I don't have one lined up just yet. I'm planning on taking a few weeks off to get started on fixing up my house."

"You're fixing up the house next door?" I ask excitedly.

The interior designer part of me instantly has so many ideas.

"Yeah, it needs some repairs."

The waiter comes over with our drinks and we both place our orders for dinner and the waiter leaves once again.

"Like what?" I ask, picking our conversation back up.

"The kitchen and bathrooms could use a refresh, a few lights need to be replaced, and the deck in the back needs to be redone. Some paint and landscaping. It's not a super long list, and the house is still livable, but it needs to be brought into this century a bit."

"I can see that. I think the last owners lived there like all of their lives."

"Probably," he says with a smile.

"You know, I've always loved that house. It has the best view of the harbor and the second balcony overlooking the water looks so peaceful. I'd love to have a house like that."

"It was always my dream place too. I grew up on the other side of town and never even dreamed that I'd be able to afford a house on this side of town," he admits and my heart breaks for kid Wade.

"And look at you now," I say and he half smiles.

"Look at me now."

"Where did you live in high school?" I ask as fresh bread and butter are dropped off.

"I bounced around between a few foster homes," he says vaguely.

"Oh, I didn't know that," I say softly.

"Yeah, my mom died in childbirth with me and I guess my dad was never in the picture so I grew up in the system."

"I'm sorry, Wade."

He nods, taking a sip of his water.

"Some of the families were alright, most of them were actually and in the end, I got placed with Ray. I stayed there even after I graduated and aged out and I still go over there once a week. That's where I went the night that I met you at the bar."

"That's nice! Does he still take in kids?" I ask him.

"Yeah, he has two siblings there now. Jake and Ellie. They're really good kids. I go over and play games with them at least once a week."

"I'm glad that you still get to see them and that you can be a good influence on other kids. It's nice that you get to kind of give back."

"Yeah, and Jake and Ellie are lucky that they got put in a good home. There's a lot of not-so-great ones out there."

"Were you ever in one of those?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah, a few. The last home, before I went to before Ray's, was pretty rough. They ended up having charges pressed against them and they're not allowed to take in kids anymore."

"Jeez!"

I'm shocked that he was in a place like that. I didn't know that there were foster homes like that in Lilac Harbor.

"I… I had no idea."

"Yeah, you wouldn't. I hid all of that in high school. Hell, I mostly hid at school too. I would stay out as late as I could and spend as little time as possible at that house."

"I wish that I would have known. I could have tried to help."

"It worked out," he says simply. "I'm away from that family and they can't hurt anymore kids."

Our food is brought out and the conversation shifts to my family.

"I used to wish that I had a sibling. Sometimes I still do. It would be nice to not feel so alone now that my parents have passed."

"Me too."

We share a glum look, both of us orphans now.

"Tell me about your parents," he says.

"They passed last year. Car accident."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks," I say, nodding as I take a bite of my gnocchi. "It was a shock. Sometimes it still is, but I don't try to call them nearly as much as I used to. That's the hardest part still. The remembering. You know? I'll be half asleep or distracted and I'll see something or think of something and go, "I'll have to call my mom or dad and tell them," And then I remember that I can't."

"I'm sorry, Auden. That has to be rough, hopefully with time, it will get easier."

"I hope so. The ache has eased some so that gives me some hope."

He nods and I swallow hard.

"They were the best though. So in love. I swear that they used to act like teenagers and I would be so embarrassed by them, but now… I wish that I had that," I admit.

He watches me and I look away from his intense gray eyes.

"They were good parents. Always interested in my interests, always supportive."

"You were lucky," he says softly and I nod.

We eat in silence for a bit before Wade clears his throat.

"I thought that I would be better at dating than this. I didn't mean for things to get so heavy on our first date."

"It's fine. It was nice to get to know you better."

"Our next date will be more upbeat," he promises and I smile.

"Next date?" I ask him and he smiles.

"Yeah, next date… if you'll go out with me again."

"Yeah, I'll go out with you again."

The waiter comes back with our bill and Wade pays, standing and offering me his hand as he pulls my chair back and helps me to my feet. He holds my hand in his tightly as we head out of the restaurant and over to his truck.

He opens the passenger door for me and I turn to him, smiling as I stand up on my tiptoes and brush a soft kiss over his lips.

"Thanks," I whisper and he nods, staring at me intently.

"Anytime, Auden. Anytime."

He helps me into the truck and I smile as we make the short drive home.

It feels so natural to be with him. He fits into my life perfectly, like there was always a Wade shaped hole there and now he's filling it. The only other person that I'm this relaxed around are my friends, but I definitely want to be more than friends with Wade.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye and smirk. He looks so hot, so confident and in control as he steers his truck down the narrow winding road towards our houses. His shirt is pulled tight over his biceps and I bite my bottom lip as I admire the way his muscles tense and relax as he drives.

I wonder what it would be like to be with him. He looks like he's strong enough to lift me.

How would Wade fuck? Would he be rough and dominant or more loving?

An image of him pinning me against the wall and taking me flashes in my head and I grin.

He'ds be rough, wanting to take me passionately. The thought of this man acting like he couldn't wait to make love to me, like he just had to have me, has me squirming in my seat.

We pull onto our street and I straighten in my seat. Wade parks in his driveway and hurries around the truck to get my door for me.

We make our way across the yard to my front porch and he squeezes my hand as we walk up the steps to my front door.

"Thanks again for dinner," I say softly and he nods, staring down at me. "I had a really great time."

"Me too," he says, his voice low and gruff.

I take a teeny tiny step closer to him and I see his eyes darken with something that looks a hell of a lot like need.

"Auden," he whispers and I remember him standing in that exact spot and saying my name just like that on the night that he moved in next door.

"Wade," I whisper back and he swallows hard.

I'm not sure who moves first, but in the next instant, we're pressed against each other. I look up at him and he lowers his head, his lips hovering over mine.

We lock eyes and I can hear my heartbeat beating as I close the distance between us and press my lips against his. His eyelashes flutter as his eyes close and I smile as my eyes drift shut too.

Wade's hands find my hips and he squeezes them as he holds me to him. The hard planes of his body press against the soft curves of mine and I moan. Wade growls in response and he takes over the kiss, his mouth moving over mine. His lips are firm as they mold against mine and I let him take charge.

He licks against the seam of my lips and I open for him eagerly. His tongue tangles with mine and I cling to him as we make out.

I feel light and giddy as we kiss like teenagers on my front porch.

Then my neighbor's porch light turns on, nearly blinding me and I jerk back.

I blink, squinting in the bright light as I look up at Wade.

"Sorry," I whisper.

This whole thing feels so absurd that I can't help it. I start to giggle.

Wade softens, smiling down at me and I laugh.

"Is it always that bright?" Wade asks, wincing as he turns to glare at the porch.

"You haven't noticed?" I ask him, stilling laughing.

"No, I guess I'm always inside by now. Do they realize that it's as bright as the sun?"

"I don't think so. It's Mr. and Mrs. Welsh and they're getting up there in age. I think that they turn the light on before they go to bed and don't realize that it's quite so bright."

"I could break it," Wade offers and I snicker.

"No, the moment is ruined now," I sigh.

"I could fix it… starting by breaking that light."

"Maybe tomorrow," I say, leaning up on my tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

I drop back down to my feet and smile up at him.

I can't quite read the expression on Wade's face and for a second, I start to get self-conscious. Maybe I should invite him inside, but I'm not sure that I'm ready for that.

Not quite yet anyway.

"Well, I'll… I'll see you tomorrow," I say as I take a step back from him.

"Tomorrow," he agrees, his voice husky.

I head inside and take one last look at Wade before I close the door and turn the lock. I can't help but smile as I get ready for bed. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.