Page 36 of Eight Steps to Alpha

For the next fifteen minutes,silence filled the cab of the pickup. Which was both good and bad. Good, because she really didn’t want to talk about Mary anymore, but bad, because instead of talking about her, she was left with way too much time to think about her. About how soon she’d be back. About what she would think about Elliot’s new look. She also found herself wondering what Mary looked like. Because it didn’t happen often, but Elliot was actually interested in someone, and that was a big deal. This had happened only two—maybe three other times in the entire time they’d lived together. It always made her a little uncomfortable when he had a girl, mostly because she always felt awkward around new people…but this was different. Maybe because she could see how serious he was. Maybe because they were getting older, because she knew financially he didn’t need her as a roommate any longer, and if he had a girlfriend—

The truck stopped suddenly, making Fe glance up at their surroundings. They were in the parking lot of The Barn, the new line dancing spot her co-workers were joking about.

Elliot shifted to park, but it was still a good minute before she glanced over at him, forcing herself to swallow. “You’re taking me to The Barn?”

He threw his glasses to the dashboard and nodded. “I thought we’d try something different for a change? Break up the monotony?”

Fe blinked. Break up the monotony? They loved monotony. She cleared her throat again. “They ride bulls here.”

It was a statement more than a question, but he turned to face her, his shoulders visibly deflating. “We can leave if you want, I just thought—”

He shifted to drive, but her hand on his forearm made him stop. “No.” She shook her head. “No, I was just surprised is all.” She glanced up at him, finding his eyes so blue it was like looking into still water. “I—I hear they have good wings here,” she finally stated. She didn’t know if that was true or not, but she didn’t want to disappoint him. Not again.

He scratched the back of his neck, obviously having a hard time believing her, but then a slow easy smile curved the side of his lips. “I reckon they do.”

She let out a relieved breath and nodded. “You’re not wearing your glasses.” It was more of a realization than anything. His eyes seemed so vibrant without them. Almost hypnotic.

He laughed, then pinch the bridge of his nose, as though her words reminded him that his head ached. “My contacts came in this morning, I’m surprised my eyes aren’t bloodshot with how long took me to get them in.”

“They look good.” She took a breath.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Once again, a moment in his presence and her heart was pounding. She glanced to the entrance of The Barn, and lifted her chin. “Well, are we going to do this thing, or what?”

He smiled at her, then opened his door. “Let’s go.”

A moment later, ushered through the door with a dozen other people, she suddenly wished she was back in his truck. Yes, it was terrifying to be alone with him lately, but stuck in a crowd of people like this was her definition of a nightmare. She hated crowds, and being in a place like this made her anxiety flair up like a million sparklers.

It was only Monday, but saying this place was busy would be an understatement. She glanced around the room, terrified they’d run into someone she knew, but stopped when she noticed Elliot’s expression beside her. His jaw was tight, his face scanning the restaurant looking for a table. “I didn’t know it would be like this,” he shouted in apology.

She grabbed hold of his hand and proceeded to follow him. She could tell by the set of his jaw, he felt guilty for taking her here. He knew about her anxiety, and she knew, that after Friday night he would feel guilty. She gave his hand a firm squeeze, and rose up on her toes to get close to his ear. “I’m fine, Elli, don’t worry,” she whispered.

He froze, as though something had climbed under his shirt, then he turned to face her. “I’ll get us through this. I promise.”

He began weaving in and out of the crowd, all the way to the other side of the building, until they came to a table, tucked away in the corner of the room. He pulled out her seat, and waited until she sat down. “This okay?” he asked, bending in close to her so he didn’t have to yell.

She nodded promptly, because his breath on her neck made her shiver. “It’s perfect,” she said, anchoring her shoe in the rung of the barstool to push herself farther back on her seat.

“You sure?”

“Yes.” She flashed him a smile of reassurance, and took a deep breath. She wasn’t even lying this time. The table was far enough from the crowd she could hear herself think again, which was bitter sweet, to say the least.

He took a seat across from her, and passed her a menu. “I hope you’re hungry.”

She smiled and glanced around the room, soaking it all in. The restaurant was just what she’d imagined. Wood everything, peanut shells covering the floor, people trotting around in cowboy boots. What surprised her however, was instead of a real-life replica of a bull like she’d imagined, the thing was made up entirely of metal, covered only with the barest about of leather at the sharpest parts. In fact, the only resemblance between it, and its animal brother, was the fact it had horns, and wore a saddle.

“A buddy at work told me about this place,” Elliot said, obviously picking up on her intrigue. “He said it was good for laugh, and after the last few days…”

She met his eyes, because she really didn’t want to talk about this weekend. In fact, it was the last thing she wanted. “It’s perfect, Elliot. Truly.” She touched his hand, but quickly snatched it back again. Why did she keep touching him? Why couldn’t she keep her hands to herself like a normal person?

Opening her menu one last time, she glanced over the photographs and her stomach to growled. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse,” she stated.

Elliot laughed, “Why’s that?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head, not really wanting to admit the reason. Because admitting she’d hurried out of the house simply to avoid his presence was juvenile. She cleared her throat. “How will we ever decide?”

Elliot smiled at her. “Let’s get one of each.”

---