Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Rhett
I would do anything. Anything! As long as I could make sure the tears I see in her eyes never fall. She gives me a sad smile.
“Thanks, but I’m pretty sure I should be the one saying sorry since you brought me here to have fun and I’m Debby Downer now. Sorry for ruining the mood.”
“Never be sorry for showing someone how you feel, angel.” And she’ll never have to worry about someone being a prick to her because of it while I’m at her side. I would beat the shit out of anyone who even tried to mock or speak badly about her. “It’s alright to be sad about missing your mom.”
“You’re very sweet…Brett.”
“Rhett. Melony has been calling me Brett since I was five. She and my mom used to work together. It was Brett or Brat. Most of the time it was Brat.”
“So…what can I get you kids?”
My angel’s eyes grow wider, and she looks from me to Melony. “I…don’t know what to even ask for.”
“Brett, have you been keeping this girl from looking at her menu?”
I laugh at her and reach across the table to pull one Menu out from behind the napkin holder for the both of us. “Give us a minute and I promise we’ll both be ready.”
“Take your time, darlin’. It ain’t like we’re slammed.”
She gives me a smile as she heads back over to refill some guy’s coffee and pick up the tip someone left for her when they finished their meal.
“This place is great. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Thank you for coming with me.”
We sit and debate shake flavors for a few moments before finally ordering and then spend most of the night just talking. I do more listening than talking but I don’t hold back or feel uncomfortable sharing facts about my early life with Charity like I do with other people. After we finish off a shake and a half -we shared a shake when Charity couldn’t choose between two flavors- and two fries we walk along the pier and stare out at the lights on the ocean water.
I don’t really want the night to end but it’s starting to get colder, and Charity is in a dress and a thin wrap. She has to be getting cold.
“We should get you somewhere warm.”
She turns her bright brown eyes up to mine. I can see in them she doesn’t want the night to end either.
“It might sound…serial killer-y, but would you like to go home with me and watch a movie.” I make sure to put my hands up showing her my open palms in the hope she realizes nothing is up my sleeve and I’m not trying to run a game on her. “I expect nothing. Just want to get you warm and I thought it might be nice to spend the first hours of Christmas with one another.”
She looks at me with a surprised look written all over her face. “Oh my God. It’s going to be Christmas in…”
I check my watch. “I matter of two more hours.”
“And you want to spend those hours with me?”
“Yeah.” I would prefer to spend all my Christmases with her and all the other holidays. But I am trying to NOT sound like a serial killer and scare the hell out of her. “I hate to admit this but…I don’t have a Christmas tree. We could stop at the Christmas tree seller and pick one up.”
“You don’t have a Christmas tree?!” I shake my head. “How would we decorate it?”
“I think my neighbor has some things we could borrow.”
“Oh, we can also put strings of popcorn around it if you have popcorn.”
“I like it. You want to come home with me?”
She curls her lips around her teeth for a second before her eyes meet mine. “Let’s go. If we try hard, we could probably have it all ready for Christmas before midnight.”
I hold my hand out and she doesn’t hesitate to take it and follow me. My plan for the night. Make Charity forget she’s lonely and make sure she has the best Christmas she can have without her mom. It’s what my angel deserves and what I will go to any lengths to make happen.