Almost You

Bars and Beaches

Chapter 34

Bars and Beaches

My head spun to face the doorway as I heard a knocking sound.

Butterflies swirling deep in my tummy, I skipped giddily towards the door that was only a short distance away. Everything was only a short distance away in this apartement.

I opened the door, and standing in the doorway was a sexy looking Evan, leaning on the wood.

"Oh! Hello," I beamed up at him, taking in his sparkly eyes.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why did you knock? You stay here."

Evan didn't answer, only handed me a bright bouquet of flowers. I took them happily, inhaling the sweet scent of the tiger lilies.

"Thank you, they're gorgeous." I smiled appreciatively, and spun on my high heel, quickly walking into the kitchen and looked for a vase.

Seeing none, I filled the sink with a little water and set the stems down, leaning the flower heads against the wall of the metal sink. I hurriedly rushed back to the door.

When I returned, Evan was still leaning against the doorframe.

"Thank you," I whispered, stretching up on my tippy-toes and kissing him gingerly on his cheek.

"No problem." He smiled back at me, his eyes sparkling down at me.

"Huh huh huh!" A huff came from the hallway. I turned my head to see Mark walking stiffly towards us.

Oh dear.

"Hello, young man." Mark said stiffly, puffing out his chest. "So. You're the one taking my little sunshine out tonight!" Mark briskly grabbed Evan's hand and shook it furiously.

"Yes, sir." Evan said, playing along. I watched the two act out the whole protective father and vulnerable boyfriend moment that I have never experienced before. My father never cared.

I whipped away the sad thought from my head, I wanted to enjoy myself and that's what I am going to do.

Mark put a firm hand on Evan's shoulder. "Alright, boy. Now, I expect you to respect my little darling and treat her properly."

Evan nodded, a smile tugging on the corner's of his lips. "Yes sir. Thank you sir."

Evan turned his attention to me and held out his hand. I took it gingerly, feeling elegant and lucky.

"Oh!" I suddenly exclaimed, feeling the lightness on my shoulder. "I forgot something."

Without looking back, I spun around, catching the door before it clicked shut, and opened it wide. I darted inside, rushing over to the plain white bed and picking up my purse.

I never usually wore purses. The added weight on my shoulder felt odd, knowing that Evan's present was neatly tucked in tightly somewhere in there made it seem heavier.

"Alright. Let's go." I re-joined Evan, who was standing out in the hall, his hands loosely hung in his dark-jeaned pockets. He wore a nice plaid shirt, his hair looking messy and just damn sexy.

I grabbed his hand, interlacing our fingers. We walked down to the lobby hand-in-hand, some middle aged woman smiling at us fondly. It flashed back a memory of walking down to the limo with Ryan, for Prom.

I wrinkled my nose for remebering that. I didn't want to remeber Ryan. I wish he could just be erased from my memory so I didn't have to get that undescribable funny feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I thought of him.