Hello, Sweetheart

C H A P T E R 9

We finish our so-called breakfast shortly after the silence until he speaks up after sliding his card into the check folder. "Have you always been...obsessed with the ocean?" he waves the pen in his hand around and signs his name beautifully on the line. 

I'm caught off guard by his question. I've been asking about what he does for a living and he's asking me for my interest.

"Yeah...I guess so, I mean, my grandmother always used to pack a small lunch and we used to walk down the beach and lay my favorite blanket down on the sand, it was a light blue quilt with this cute little bear on it!" I smile to myself, remembering every small detail of those afternoons. The way the sand felt in between my fingers after playing in it for hours. 

I look up and he's just silently looking at me, I start to feel insecure, thinking he's picking out every single speck of flaw that's noticeable, but his eyes hold too much admiration to even judge me at the moment. 

"You sound like you had a great childhood...I always loved hearing peoples' stories about growing up." he smiles that warm smile like always. 

"I would say it was a great childhood...except the part with my arguments with my mother. Those aren't so great..." I force out a laugh so it won't be awkward. 

"Well, not everyone gets along with their parents. They always say they're just trying to "do the best" for you but it just makes your life twice as miserable." he laughs. "I mean, at least you got to play with toys, spend time with family...and all the basic family shit...I had my first job at the age of 7, It was...rough and a bit traumatizing." 

My heart aches for him, knowing he most likely didn't have the childhood children hoped for. But I didn't want to ask more about it if it was rough and traumatizing as he puts it. 

"Oh...I want to say something to make you feel better and comforting at least...but nothings coming to mind...I feel so much sorrow for you Keaton." I don't think until my hand reaches for his. 

He shrugs his shoulders, not moving his hand one bit from my touch. "Don't worry about it Lacey dear, it's in the past, I got myself where I am today by not worrying about the past." he assures me with another one of his smiles. 

I nod, agreeing. I have a habit of always thinking of the past, especially the worst things. I fall asleep overthinking the past, I wake up thinking about the past. My mind runs around with the past. The bad parts of the past. 

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and give him a small half smile. It's weird how well we're getting along. I told him I didn't want to know about him, but a part of me does...a part of me that wants to tell me "Catch feelings for him!!" while the other part of me holds me back and fights off the other side. "Don't you dare catch feelings for someone you just met you fool." 

The waitress comes over to grab the check but leaves with a wink towards Keaton. I roll my eyes and he laughs. "For not being my actual girlfriend, you sure act like one." 

"It's called jealousy darling." 

"Jealous of any girl that looks my way already, huh?" he smiles. 

"Humble yourself, I was jealous she wasn't winking at me." I reply sarcastically and gather my purse before getting up and heading towards the entrance. 

Keaton already following me like a pretty little mutt.