Kidnapped Love

Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

The hum of my car's engine was a soft purr against the quiet of the evening as I navigated the familiar streets towards The Lotus Lounge. Steering through the waning daylight, I found myself drifting back to that one other 'date' from my youth—an awkward affair at Burger King with a boy whose name now seemed as distant as the memory itself. His parents had sat across from us, their presence like chaperones at a school dance, and every bite of my Whopper had felt like a choreographed move under their watchful gaze. That relationship, if it could even be called that, had fizzled out before it truly began.

That dinner, and a fleeting moment at a dance with Mike, were the sum total of my romantic ventures until tonight. They paled in comparison to what this evening with Derek could become. I could feel the anticipation tingling through me, a mix of nerves and excitement.

Pulling into the parking lot beside The Lotus Lounge, I cut the engine and glanced around. It was still early—a few minutes to spare—and the lot was practically empty; no sign of Derek's motorcycle or truck. Alone with my thoughts, I rested my head back against the seat, letting my eyes drift shut for just a moment. The possibility of this night unfurled within me like a delicate flower. Could it truly be the beginning of something more with Derek?

I imagined his smile, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed, and how effortlessly kind he seemed. Simply thinking about him sent a flutter of butterflies dancing through my stomach. I could almost feel his warmth beside me, though the passenger seat remained vacant, an expectant void.

A relationship with Derek—handsome, gentle Derek—was something I had barely allowed myself to dream of. But here, in the solitude of my car, with the cool evening breeze beginning to whisper secrets through a partially opened window, I dared to hope. Tonight, under the emerging stars, might just set the course for us. Would we become two lone wanderers converging on a shared path, or would this be another solitary entry in the chronicles of my dating history?

Only time would tell, and as the first stars blinked into existence above, I waited, heart pounding with the possibilities that lay ahead.

My heart clutched with each tick of the digital clock on my dashboard, its luminescent numbers shifting to 8:02 pm. A sigh escaped me—a mixture of hope and fear—as I shot off a text to Trish, my fingers trembling slightly. Her response came as quickly as my racing thoughts: "Don't worry! He's going to be there!" Trish's evergreen optimism was the anchor in my sea of doubts.

In that moment of uncertainty, the distinct rumble of a familiar engine cut through the silence. Relief flooded my veins as a white pickup truck pulled into the spot beside me. Derek had not forsaken me. My shaky legs carried me out of the car and around its rear end as the night air greeted me, dark and cool, whispering reassurances. I wrapped my light jacket tighter around me, seeking comfort in its embrace.

Derek emerged from his truck, a stark contrast against the diminutive stature of my own vehicle. He stood tall in black pants and a silk blue button-down shirt, the top two buttons daringly undone to reveal an expanse of smooth skin that caught the glow of the parking lot lights. His bashful yet admiring gaze found mine. "Wow, you look amazing!" he said, his voice laced with a nervous energy that matched my own.

"Thank you, so do you," slipped awkwardly from my lips before I could reel it back. His gentle smile told me he didn't mind.

"Thanks," he replied, then cleared his throat. "I was thinking we could get something for dinner, and then decide what to do after that." Confidence edged his words, betraying no hint of the nerves he had just shown.

"That sounds great," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt.

He gestured towards his truck with a soft tilt of his head. Approaching the passenger side, he opened the door with care, offering me his hand. Its warmth seeped into my skin, sending a shiver up my arm that had nothing to do with the chill in the air. Gratefully, I allowed him to help me into the seat, feeling a flutter in my stomach at his proximity.