Page 24 of Damien
“Have fun, Love Bug. Be good for Unks and Syd.”
I don’t tell her I’ll be home later, because let’s face it… I’ll either be gone, or I’ll be curled up with a book when she returns. Unfortunately, only Damien knows the answer to that one.
8
Damien
Though I’ve physically beenat work, my mind’s been on Vanessa all day. I’m dying to know more about her. Our conversations from the diner simply aren’t enough. Thankfully, Malik didn’t have anything all that pressing when we spoke this morning. Today is a day filled with routines, and I fly through it on auto pilot.
Stopping at the local grocery store, I pick out a bouquet of flowers and hope like hell I’m not going overboard. I’m not sure what she’s used to, but I want to leave a lasting impression. A part of me worries that she’ll think I’m some fuddy-duddy and too old to be dating her.Five years isn’t that big of a difference, right?
As I pull into her neighborhood, I’m surprised at how nice the homes are. This isn’t the typical college neighborhood. It’s more of a residential neighborhood for families. The streets are wide, and they appear to be single-family homes. When I pull up to her address, I find she lives in a large single-story modern home. It’s a three-car garage with a large yard off to the side. It’s much nicer than your typical college student home.Maybe she lives with roommates?
Parking on the street, I grab the flowers and head to the door. The ringing bell echoes through the house. When the door opens, my breath disappears. Instead of being up in her typical ponytail, Vanessa’s hair is long and wavy and flows well past her shoulders. Gone is her uniform; in its place is a beautiful green top and a pair of skinny jeans. I’d be a fool not to take a moment to appreciate the sight before me. When my eyes reach her face, I notice mascara and her lips shining with gloss for the first time. If I thought she was beautiful at the diner, she’s fuckin’ stunning in this moment.
Pulling in her lower lip, she fumbles with the door. I have no fucking clue how long she stays there staring at me because I’m lost in her dark-hazel eyes and thick lashes. Eventually, she breaks the silence, “Hey,” knocking me out of my revelry.
“Wow. You look amazing,” pops off my tongue before I can give it permission.
Her cheeks pinken, and I’m blessed with a glorious smile as she mutters, “Thank you.”
She hesitates at the door, so I ask, “Are you ready?”
“Yeah,” she draws out almost shyly. “I’m ready…”
The way she says it makes me think there’s more to it, and as much as I’d hate for my gut to be true, I clarify, “Do you still want to go?”
God, I’ve been dying to spend more time with her, but if she’s not ready or is hesitant, I guess I’d rather know now, so I can cut my losses. Fuck, I hope she isn’t backing out. She’s all I’ve thought about the entire day.
Watching her every move, I notice her spine straighten and her shyness slip away. In its place is the confident woman I’ve been talking to for weeks at the diner. “Damien, I do want to go out with you…” she starts but trails off.
Shit. Don’t let there be abut…please don’t let there be abut!
“But…” She takes in a deep breath.
I knew it. Fuck. Fuckity-Fuck-Fuck.
“But there’s something you should know. I tried to tell you at the diner, but we were interrupted. I think it’s only fair that you know before we go.”
“Okay…” So there’s a chance we’re still going. What the hell could be weighing on her so heavily?
“I… uh…” She looks to the frame above the door before looking me square in the eyes. “I guess there’s no easy way to say this—but come straight out with it.” She takes a fortifying breath and blurts out, “I have a five-year-old daughter.” As if she can’t look me in the eye, her eyes remain fixed on the door frame, waiting for my response.
“Okay…” I draw out as I take in what she’s said.
A kid. That’s unexpected. But nothing that would cause me to back out. Sure, I’ve never dated anyone with a kid. But from what I know about Vanessa, I’m fairly certain it’s just another piece to the puzzle of how she’s become the woman I’ve come to admire. What’s the big deal?
As I look her over from head to toe, I notice she’s wringing her hands at her waist. “What’s wrong?” I ask, trying to get to the bottom of things.
“Well… I just wanted to be upfront with you. Let you know… so you could change your mind if you didn’t want to be involved with me.”
What. The. Fuck?
“Why wouldn’t I want to be involved with you? We’ve been getting along fine at the diner since I moved to town. Why would I suddenly change my mind?” I blurt out and blink in disbelief. What the hell is she so worried about?
“Well… you know… being a single mom doesn’t lend itself to much of a social life.”
No, I suppose it doesn’t. I agree. But I keep that thought to myself because I sure as hell don’t want her getting the wrong impression. Instead, I drag out, “Okay…” prompting her to continue.
