The Player Next Door ✓

39 | I'm a Work in Progress

Thank you @Aloha568 for the beautiful poster <3

Chapter 39: I'm a Work in Progress

"Would you care for anything other than water?" the waiter asked, staring at us from under his disapproving nose.

It's been an hour since I arrived at my own birthday dinner. I drank three glasses of water while I waited for no one to show up. And just when I thought no one would, the last person I ever expected to walk through the door... did.

Luke Dawson sat in front of me, his strong arms folded on the white tablecloth. His chiseled features spellbound me.

"Do you want to eat something?" I asked him, since the waiter was waiting for our response.

Luke looked at me in a way I hadn't really seen before, like he was trying to memorize me in this moment.

He sat back and shook his head.  He said, "Let's go to our spot."

We have a spot?

He handed the waiter a cash tip and got my jacket for me. I was confused.

"What's our spot, Luke?"

"You'll see."

**

Luke picked my bike and put it in the back of his jeep. 

"You need a better car or a bigger bike," he said, swiping the pink ribbons that fluttered against his face from the bike's handlebars, "This is a kid's tricycle."

I nodded wordlessly, buckling myself up. I wasn't embarrassed of my bike anymore. We've gone beyond the point of embarrassment now - he's seen me in way too many awkward situations.

Luke didn't say much as he got in beside me and started the journey to 'our spot.' I didn't realize we had a spot and he wouldn't tell me where it was. In fact, he didn't do much talking. I think he was still processing what had happened – how no one showed up to my birthday.

The realization that I was entirely alone.

"This is a lot of pressure," he finally said.

"What is?"

"To show you a good time on your birthday. I want this to be special."

I glanced at him as he pulled into an empty parking spot. The engine shut off and we were left in a calming silence.

"You don't have to..."

"I want to," he said and his lips broke into a charismatic smile, "You can ask for a refund later."

I smiled.  This was already more than anyone had ever done for me on my birthday.  And it was from the last person I ever expected.  

That's the thing about expectations.  They're never right.  And when you stop expecting, that's when you start to see people for who they really are - for better or for worse.

We got out of the car and I found myself in the middle of green pastures, with no tall buildings in site.  We were thirty minutes outside of town. I saw a green sign over a country farmhouse in front of us.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"My family used to come here when we were little, before dad married his job and mom stopped leaving the house." 

He said it so casually, though it clearly meant a lot to him. I could hear the hurt in his voice and I didn't ask him anymore questions. He took my hand and guided me towards the door.

The restaurant was on a farm. It was all home-made, organic, farm-to-table food. The atmosphere was cheerful and cozy. There weren't many tables, but they were all full of families. We asked for a table by a window.