Chapter 29
Avery
My stomach is filled with Pop Rocks, crackling with excited energy as we walk towards his car with our hands linked.
My chest feels like it's about to explode just thinking about the flowers in my kitchen. They aren’t just any flowers, though.
He brought me lavender lilies, my absolute favorite.
The fact that he paid close attention to me causes heat to radiate between my legs.
No one has ever paid that much attention to me, and if I let myself, I could get used to it.
As we approach the car door, courage overtakes me, and I spin around before he can open it and drag his lips to mine.
My hands tangle in his hair as his hands grip my hips.
The kiss deepens as our tongues come together in the most seductive dance.
I tug on his bottom lip and my grip on his hair tightens.
His fingers dig deeper into my hips, causing my dress to wrinkle.
He pushes my back against the car door as I pull on his lower lip one more time, before my tongue travels along his jaw to his ear.
I lick, then bite his earlobe and whisper, “That was for the flowers.” I lower my mouth to his jawline, alternating quick licks and bites before pulling away.
“And that was for always kissing me first. I figured it was my turn to play a little.” I give him a playful push before opening the car door.
I slip inside and track his movement toward the driver's seat, a seductive smile on my face.
He turns towards me the second he’s in the driver’s seat.
“Avery, if you hadn't stopped that, we would have never made it to the restaurant.” I stare at him for a minute before laughing, remembering what Bri said earlier.
He looks at me with a perplexed expression, making me snort-laugh. Very attractive, Avery.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“When I was getting ready for the first date, well, the one that didn't happen, Bri told me to look good. Good enough that instead of going out to dinner, you would want to stay home and have something else for dinner.” I clasp my hands over my mouth in horror.
Holy shit. I just said that out loud. I hold a breath waiting for his reaction, unsure what it will be, but then I hear him laugh.
“That sounds like something she'd say,” he says with a smirk and a wink.
Cas has one hand on the wheel, the other is gripping my thigh.
His thumb strokes the sliver of bare skin, back and forth, and my body hums with pleasure.
The silence is nice. I love how we don’t always have to fill the space with mindless chatter; we can just enjoy each other’s company.
Still, there has been a question on my mind as of late.
“Hey, Cas?” I whisper.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we dated all those years ago? Like, if we actually said how we were feeling?”
Cas purses his lips, pondering the question I asked. I almost want to take it back, but I remain silent.
“I don’t think it would have worked out.” Cas’ answer, while expected, is still disappointing.
“Oh…” I respond.
“I was a mess back then. I wouldn’t have been the guy you needed and deserved.
You and I are like a semi-colon. Back then, we put a necessary pause in our friendship.
We didn’t know where we were headed or who we would be.
If we got together back then, our story would have ended with a period.
But because of you letting me go when you did, you added the little comma under that period.
Because of you, our story was allowed to continue when it was the right time. ”
Words don’t seem sufficient enough, so instead I lean over and give him a peck on the cheek. Cas really does say the sweetest things to me sometimes. When I pull back, Cas has an introspective look on his face that wasn’t there before.
“Cas, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just thinking of things.” Well, that was vague. Vagueness and my anxious thoughts have a toxic relationship, so I need to clarify things before I overanalyze.
“Bad things?” My voice rises with a note of panic. He must have heard it because he reaches for one of my hands, interlocking our fingers. He brings our joined hands up to his mouth for a quick kiss to reassure me.
“I promise, baby , they’re good things.” He pauses to look at me. “Very good things.” His eyes fall back to the road, but our fingers stay interlocked and rest on his thigh.
“So, you gonna tell me where we’re going now? Or will you keep it a secret until we get there?” I whine playfully.
“You’ll have to wait. We’re almost there, though, so you won't have to wait much longer.” With those words, I sigh and look out the window while the world softly blurs around me. It’s oddly warm this late in the evening, so our windows are rolled down just enough to allow in the natural breeze.
Cas begins to slow down and that’s when I see a beach unfold before me, my body humming with tranquility.
Being near the water always puts me at ease and erases all of my worries.
I wish we could go hang out at the beach and just be, but I don’t think that’s what Cas has in mind.
I think we’re about to pass the beach, but instead we are heading toward it.
Are we going where I think we’re going? My head snaps in his direction and I see Cas with a goofy ass smirk on his face.
“Oh my God! Cas, you didn't! How? What? How?” All these questions come flying out of my mouth in rapid fire. But he keeps driving, ignoring them all.
“I can't believe you are taking me to The Lagoon. This place has been booked solid for months! How did you manage this?” I turn to look at him with questioning eyes.
He shrugs. “I know a guy,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Who the hell do you know who has a connection like this?”
“My buddy is friends with the owner. I made a call and he hooked me up,” he responds.
“Well, look at you, Mr. Fancy Man. Who knew you had all of these connections? I’ve been dying to come here, so thank you.” I lean over to kiss his cheek. I can’t help but dance in my seat with anticipation and excitement as we reach our destination.
“I’m so glad that my first time here is with you and that we finally get our chance at a date.
” Our gazes lock. I can feel the love and yearning igniting between us.
We must have stayed there too long because the sound of the valet knocking on the window jolts us back to reality.
Cas gets out and walks around the car to open the door for me before handing the keys and a ten-dollar tip to the man in a purple, suede jacket.
His hand finds mine and he starts leading me toward the restaurant entrance, but stops me before we enter. “It's the same for me, too,” he expresses.
“What’s the same for you?” My voice comes out in a whisper.
“That I get to share this experience with you.” He says, leaning down to press a quick kiss to my lips before we make our way inside the restaurant.
I’ve heard about how beautiful this place was, but being here with Cas is a fairytale.
The Lagoon is next to the beach, so you can listen to the crashing waves as you eat.
In the middle of the restaurant lies a large wooden dance floor with couples already moving together as a jazz band plays on a slightly elevated platform.
Above the dancing couples are hundreds of fairy lights hanging from four large wooden columns on each corner of the dance floor.
My attention shifts towards the seating area where I notice the tables all gleam chestnut brown and are in various sizes to fit small or larger parties.
We make our way to one of the more intimate tables with a trio of white, pre-lit candles sitting in the middle of the space. Cas pulls the chair out for me, then walks over to the other side of the table.
“Cas, this place is amazing. And isn’t this view just breathtaking?” My voice comes out breathless, and my eyes are filled with wonder and amazement.
“Truly stunning,” Cas says. When I look at him, his eyes are glued to my face.
“I meant the beach view, Cas.”
“I know what you meant, but the view I’m looking at is better than any beach.
” He takes my hand in his and gives it a light squeeze.
The waiter makes his way over to us, and I can’t help but stare at Cas while the waiter speaks.
Cas looks at me with amusement on his face, and that's when I realize the waiter is staring at me with a question in his eyes.
A blush creeps up from my neck, making my face feel hot as I murmur an apology.
Cas struggles to hold in his laugh while I ask the waiter to repeat the drink specials to me.
I take my hand back so we can take a moment to study the menu.
Everything looks so delicious that I’m slightly overwhelmed.
We both end up ordering the same dish: chicken parmesan and a side salad.
While the silence in the car was comfortable, I was glad that conversation picked up at the table.
We talk about our days and laugh at our inside jokes and childhood memories.
I’m really hoping that he won’t bring up the song writing competition.
I’m still waiting for the perfect moment to share the song I wrote for him and I don’t want to ruin the moment.
I really love seeing him like this, carefree and open.
“So you know how I told you in the car that I was thinking good things?” he blurts out. When I nod my head, he continues. “I’ve been stuck on something you said earlier today.” I try to wrack my brain of all the things I said, trying to figure out what he’s referring to.