Hearts on a Page ~ Enemies to Lovers

Chapter 4: 20 Questions

"You're total is $10.22. How are Susie and baby Jack doing?" I ask as I place her receipt in her book and in a paper bag with our logo on it. This Thursday's been pretty normal, featuring Mrs. Benson. She's one of our regulars and her daughter just had a baby about a month ago.

"She's doing well, dear. She's been taking the baby out on walks nearly everyday to get out of the house, and she's been meaning to stop by Bennett's. So, you should be seeing them both soon," she replies with a smile and a 20 dollar bill.

"Oh yay! Now have something to look forward to," I say, handing her her change and bag. "Have a nice day, Mrs. Benson."

"You too, Joy," she smiles once again, but doesn't immediately turn to walk out. "Say, are you Thomas's boy?

I turn around and there, towering nearly an additional foot over me, is Oliver. His hair slightly messy, and the sleeves of his red flannel pushed up. He adjusts his glasses to a better position.

"Yeah. Hi, I'm Oliver." he said, with wave.

"Your father told me you were moving in, but he failed to mention how tall you were! I've been just itching to meet you. I'm Rose Benson."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Benson. Hopefully, I'll see you again soon."

"Yes, good to meet you Oliver. Have a nice day, both of you," Mrs. Benson gave us both a wave as she left the store and the bell rang when she opened the door.

"So, you are respectful with manners. Clearly it's towards anyone who isn't me," I said.

"You're wrong," he responded with a smirk. "I'm respectful to anyone who isn't your or Thomas."

There he goes again calling his dad by his first name. Interesting.

"Well, I think you will like me. If you actually get to know me," I say.

"But, what if I don't want to get to know you?"

"Well, you're new in town and I'm really the only person you've met so-"

"What makes you think you're the only person I've met?"

He was closer to me now. I could smell his cologne that made him smell like a pine tree. Damn it, this boy better not ruin Christmas for me!

"Well, you've only been at the shop and school, and you don't seem like the most friendly guy-"

"What I'm hearing is a lot of assumptions, which isn't quite fair," he snickered.

I stepped back, tripping over the stool. He chuckled again. Why did his laugh have to be so perfect? I sit down.

"Maybe if you didn't just constantly insult me and were a bit nicer, we could get to know each other and I wouldn't be forced to make so many assumptions."

"Hmm, okay. 20 questions?"

"Finally, an idea that you come up with that I can get behind."

He finds himself sitting in the stool across from me. Our eyes lock. Only for a split second, but that doesn't ignore that it was real. I look down to break the stare and think to myself: finally, I'm going to get some answers.

"Okay, I feel like we need to address some rules so this ends up actually helping us, not hurting us," he states.

"Explain,"

"Well, more personal questions for example. You gotta earn them. No asking them off the bat. You need a reason to ask them."

Shit, it's like he can read my mind!