4. 4
Olivia watched the cute guy on the other side of the table. So far, she liked him, even if he seemed so different from herself. Maybe that was a good thing.
“What about your family? I take it you’ve got some?” She couldn’t help the teasing smile that curved her lips.
“I do. My folks live in the southwest, they decided they liked the winters where it’s warmer. Especially now that they’re getting a little older. My sister is a few years younger than I am and going to school in Indiana.”
“Indiana?”
He lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know. It was where she wanted to go, and she got accepted, so why not?”
“What’s she studying?”
“She’s got a dual major of psychology and early childhood development. Not sure what she’s going to do with it but they’re both useful.”
“You sound like you miss her, are the two of you close?”
“Probably closer than most with as big of gap as there is between us. Almost six years. But when you’re moving all the time, you get tight with those who are there with you all the time, no matter where you go.” He waved one hand as if dismissing the topic.
“Tell me about your family.”
Olivia took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. This was where the guys she dated often lost interest.
“I’ve got a big family. Three older brothers and two older sisters. I’m the youngest of six.”
“And the spoiled baby of the family?”
“I wouldn’t say so. Though I may not be seeing it clearly. One of my brothers is old enough, he tends to be indulgent but they’re all way more overprotective. And I think my sisters did more bullying than spoiling.”
“What about your parents?”
Olivia glanced down at the table then back up at him, wondering how he would take this part. “They’re both still here in town. Mom is the chief of police and Dad is a prof at the university.” Few people blinked at her dad’s job but there were a surprising number of men who had no desire to date the chief of police’s daughter, especially their youngest.
Caden smiled. “I get it, no one ever wanted to date an MP’s son.”
“MP?”
“Military Police. Dad was in the Air Force, and I swear he served at most of their nearly one hundred bases.”
She felt her eyes go wide. “Did he really?”
“I’m not sure, but as often as we moved, it sure felt like it. At least to me.” He gave her a wry grin that made her stomach flip flop and heat shoot through her body.
“I can’t imagine moving like that.”
Their food arrived and they spent a few minutes eating before Olivia remembered what she was going to ask.
“With your dad in the military, and a cop to boot, how does he feel about this?” She reached over and slid one finger along the tattoos on the back of his hand.
One corner of Caden’s mouth lifted in a wry grin.
“He wasn’t thrilled, I can tell you that. Said I was ruining my prospects at a good job. And if I were looking to get into the military, that would probably be true. But I’ve never wanted to enlist, or even be an officer. I did briefly consider law enforcement, and from my research when I was, most departments don’t care about tats, as long as they are not offensive or on the face. But as for Dad, he’s come to terms with them. Kaley loves them and tells me she wishes she were brave enough to get one, but she’s terrified of needles.”
“Kaley?”
“My sister. My parents had a thing for Irish names. I shudder to think what they would have named a third kid… it might have been something easy like Liam or it could have been something else entirely.” Caden shook his head but couldn’t seem to keep a fond smile off his face.
“You don’t really mind though, do you?” She was only guessing, but from the look on his face it was a good one.
“No, not really. It’s something Kaley and I tease our parents about. We come up with the craziest spelled Irish names that look nothing like they’re pronounced and ask if the next one would have been called that.”
“Like?”
“The only one that comes to mind is E O I N.” He spelled the name out for her.
Olivia scowled and tilted her head to one side as she tried to puzzle it out. “How do you say that?”
“Owen. And that’s one of the simple ones.”
Her jaw fell open and she gaped at him for several seconds.
“How?”
Caden shrugged.
“I don’t know. There has to be rules and reasoning behind it, but I have yet to figure it out. Not that I’ve studied it.”
“I had no idea,” she said slowly shaking her head.
“What about your family? No theme to the names?”
“None. There’s Lainey, Olivia, Richard, though we call him Rick. Tom and Steve and the oldest is Jennifer.” She smiled, thinking about how her siblings would react to find out she’d lied about the new guy she was seeing and was on a date with a guy she’d met the night before.
“Let me guess, Lainey is the one right before you.”
She frowned again and tilted her head to one side to watch him. “How did you know?”
“Jennifer is the oldest, then Rick, Tom and Steve in some order. All common names. Then there are the two less common names, it seems they started looking for uncommon names the more kids they needed to name.”
“I’m not sure I would call that a theme,” she said, still frowning.
“I wouldn’t either but it’s interesting, either way.”
She wondered for a moment if Lainey and Brant had given any thoughts to what they might name their kids? Were they planning to get started right away on starting their family or would they wait? Did they even plan to have kids?
“You look a million miles away.” Caden’s voice pulled her from her musings and Olivia realized she was being rude as she let her mind wander.
“Sorry, I was thinking about Lainey. Last night was her bachelorette party. After all our talk of naming kids, I started wondering if she planned to start their family right away and if she’d thought about names yet.”
“She’s getting married soon?” Caden’s interest seemed more polite than real interest.
“This weekend.” Olivia sighed. “I originally told them I was bringing my boyfriend but a few weeks ago we broke up.”
“I’m sorry.”
She waved one hand. “It was mutual. It just wasn’t working out.” That was the truth, and he hadn’t seemed any more broken up about it than she had been. Honestly, it had felt like something that had been coming for a long time. “But it leaves me with my family expecting me to bring someone, and no one to bring.”
“You didn’t tell them you’re not seeing him anymore?”
“I did. But I did something stupid that I’ve been regretting ever since.”
“What was that?” he asked, looking concerned.
“It’s dumb.” She looked away, not wanting to admit how her sister’s teasing had gotten to her and she’d lied. “I was tired of my sister picking at me about going to the wedding alone, so I lied. I told her I was seeing someone new and would be bringing him to the wedding. Now the wedding is in a few days, and I don’t have anyone to bring.” She buried her face in her hands, fighting back the tears that threatened.
“I’ll go with you, if you like.” His voice was soft.
She felt a hand on her arm and had to admit, if only to herself, it felt good.
“I can’t ask you to do that.” Olivia pulled her hands down her face, scrubbing away any trace of tears that might have fallen. “A wedding is a big commitment. I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured.” She picked up her fork and tried to go back to eating as if she hadn’t almost broken down right here at the table.
“A wedding is only a commitment for the people getting married. For the guests it’s just a great party to help them celebrate. I don’t mind going, really. Even if it it’s only as friends.”
Olivia didn’t know what to say. She looked up from her plate to watch him a moment, trying to see if he was sincere.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate it,” she managed after a moment.
They talked a little more, getting to know each other a little better while they finished their meal. She promised to text him with the details of the wedding then went back to work, wondering how the date might go. Who agreed to go to a wedding of two people they’d never met? She guessed she would be finding out.