taken Ⅱ [jason mccann]

e i g h t e e n

[ A U B R E Y ]

"Babe, you didn't have to buy all this stuff for me."

Nolan and I walked hand-in-hand as we walked along the street, three shopping bags that belonged to me in Nolan's left hand. It was Friday afternoon and we had just spent a full four hours at the mall, eating our favorite restaurant and shopping for an outfit for me for Saturday's Dodger game.

"Are you kidding me? You're my girl. It's my job to spoil you." Nolan stated, causing a large smile to grow on my face and my heart to skip a beat. When he said sweet stuff like that, he made me fall for him so much more. "Besides, this is my way of apologizing for being so busy lately which I am very, very sorry for."

Nolan worked at his dad's company as an intern, and when he wasn't doing that, he was busy with his load school work. Since Nolan's father was close to retiring and Leo was no longer taking over the company, it up to Nolan to get all of his degrees in business and have at least some experience in the field to inherit the company from his father, which required a lot of hard work and much time.

I hated that my time with him was always short and he was always busy, but I understood though. He had a dream and this was his way of working for it, and I want to do nothing more, but support him in it. "It's okay, babe. I understand." I stated as I swung his arm over my shoulder. "You have a dream and you're so close to getting it, but it requires a lot of hard work and time away from me. I get it and I support you."

Nolan smiled and pressed his lips against my cheek. "Thank you baby." he whispered.

I turned to him and smiled, "No problem." I turned to face the sidewalk again when I noticed we were approaching my favorite ice cream place. "Oo! Nolan, can we get ice cream please?" I whined like a child.

"Duh." Nolan scoffed, causing me to smile as he took my head and led me into the ice cream parlor.

Ten minutes later, we were sitting outside the ice cream parlor at one of their outside chair and table sets. I licked the top of my mint chocolate chip ice cream with a satisfied look on my face. The ice cream tasted amazing and even more refreshing due to the hot weather that surrounded me.

"I still don't get it. How can you not like rocky road?" Nolan asked out of disbelief with his rocky road ice cream in his hands.

I scrunched my face up at the sight, "I don't get how you can like it. I mean, the ice cream makes no sense. Chocolate with marshmallows and peanuts? Gross."

"It's the perfect combination!" Nolan raised his voice.

"It's the most disgusting combination!" I argued back.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Nolan replied, shaking his head before licking his ice cream.

"You don't have good taste." I commented back.

"True. I mean, I am dating you." Nolan shrugged his shoulders. I gasped loudly before grabbing on of spoons that was laying on the table and threw it at him while he laughed out loud. "I'm joking! Babe, I'm joking."

"Well, you're not funny." I pouted before sadly licking my ice cream.

Nolan opening his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by his phone ringing. He grabbed his phone and answered the call by greeting, "Hello? Oh, hey Dad, what's up?" My eyes looked up at Nolan, silently being noisy as I listened to the call between him and his father. "Nothing. I'm just hanging out with Aubrey." Nolan stated into the phone, looking at me and smiling.

I smiled in reply as I felt my heart melt like butter because of his smile. Nolan was so handsome with his light brown hair, his blue eyes, and his strong jawline. But not only was he handsome, he was intelligent, funny, determined, and a gentleman. Everything I've ever wanted in a man. He was perfect. But no matter how perfect he was, stuff between us just didn't feel right. I don't know how to explain it, but it's just a feeling. A feeling where you know things aren't right, but you just don't know what it is, and I hate it.