Page 11 of Giddy-Up
“Everything?” Bella asked, to which Riley nodded.“Fuck it.”She threw her hands up.“I can try, honey.”
Riley would take it.She’d take all the help she could get.
***
To say the date hadn’tgot off to a great start was an understatement.They hadn’t even got in the car yet.
“I’m so sorry!”Riley repeated.“Are you okay?”
Wade was not okay.He was clutching his crotch and he’d gone a shade of red that Riley hadn’t seen on a human before.
“Yeah,” Wade wheezed.“I’m okay.”
This is why women shouldn’t wear heels.They’re dangerous.You can trip on gravel at any second and accidently injure your date.
“My hands...I thought I was going to...”Facepalm the floor?“Uh, fall and they just, they just...”Smacked you really fucking hard in the balls.“Shot out.”
“It’s okay.”His voice still sounded awfully high.“It’s fine.”
His limp over to the truck told her otherwise.And the facial expressions he made as he gestured her inside didn’t do much to convince her either.
“I’m sorry,” Riley said again as she climbed into the seat.
After a nod and more assurance that he was “fine”, Wade circled the vehicle and joined her inside.Other than apologising for the millionth time, she couldn’t think of a thing to say, so she stayed quiet.It seemed safer at this point.
As she stared out the window, she noticed a sign signalling they were heading toward Goldacre.That was the next town over from Woodvalley Pines, she’d heard great things about the place from Bella, so she was hoping Wade had picked somewhere nice for them to go.And quiet.
“So...”Wade cleared his throat, his voice back to its normal pitch.Thank God.“What made you want to come and work in Woodvalley?”
Riley wasn’t any good at lying, but she really didn’t want to tell Wade the truth.Especially on their first date.The man didn’t need to hear about her childhood.
So, what do I say?
She pondered.Maybe a bit too long because before she knew it, Wade was calling out her name.Likely checking she was still conscious.
“Um.Well.I wanted...”To get away?No.Think.“I wanted a change.”Yes.Perfect.
“I get that.”He nodded as he glanced her way.“Change is good.”
Your turn, ask him a question.One from your book.
Right.“What are your hobbies?”That was a classic.
Looking at Wade, expectantly, she noticed him eye her, an odd look on his face.She had no idea what that meant but it was gone quick as he answered her question.
“Hobbies, huh, well I guess I get to do most of the things I love at work.Like riding, fishing, hiking.So on my days off, I like to just stay in.Watch a movie, read a book, sit out by my firepit with a beer.That kinda thing.How about you?”
This was better.This was how a date was supposed to go.He asks a question, she asks a question, and then repeat.Conversation table tennis at its finest.She was so excited.She was actually doing it.Kicking small talk’s ass.
Go on then, answer the man.
Yes.Right.
“I’m boring, too.I like staying in.”
Wade let out a short, sharp laugh.“Boring?Wow.Okay.”Shit.“I mean, I would’ve preferred maybe‘a man of simple taste’but okay,boringit is.”
Great.First, she’d assaulted him, and now she was insulting him.
