Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Harvey
I bolted for my car as soon as the movie ended. I needed to get out of there and away from that woman before I did something stupid.
Fuck, I was an idiot. See a beautiful woman, get wrapped up in her, and fall in love way too fast. Only to end up completely heartbroken. I was done. Fed up. I didn’t need love. I was perfectly happy without it.
Yet here I was walking back towards the movie theater, entranced by the curvy woman who fell into my lap. Literally.
She smelled of popcorn and looked like all of my hopes and dreams, what I’d always envisioned love to be, a perfect woman for me, but no. I couldn’t.
She’d end up like all the rest. Hating me by the end.
My last ex-girlfriend said I wasn’t exciting enough. I liked to stay home too much for her tastes. She wanted to bar hop, dance at clubs, and drink the night away, while I had no interest in the social scene.
I swore to myself I’d never do love again. And I was sticking to it.
But when I got to my car, I couldn’t open the door.
I couldn’t walk away. I had to see this woman again.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I rushed back inside and waited in the lobby, hoping to catch her as she walked out.
Stupid idea, man.
A few minutes passed until she finally rounded the corner with her nephew holding her hand. She walked in my direction, and my stomach flipped upside down.
What was I doing?
Our eyes met. She saw me! I turned my back to her and pretended to read the movie poster on the wall. I couldn’t look like I was waiting for her. But what if she just passes me by?
“Hey, excuse me.” Her sweet voice graced my ears, and it was like food for my soul.
Turning to face her, my pulse pounded and my heart raced. She had an effect on me in a way I’d never felt before. Sure, women had turned me on, made me want to pursue them, but her. Oh, no, this was on an entirely different level.
She’s cracked the ice around my heart.
“Hey, are you here to spill more popcorn on me?” I smirked.
The small boy beside her laughed and jumped up and down. “We spilled popcorn! On you!”
“Dylan! Sorry, five-year-olds, you know?” She smiled and the beauty of it reached her eyes. Her green irises stunned me, the color so vivid. She was more beautiful than I thought.
“That’s okay. I love popcorn.”
“Thanks for being a good sport about…everything. I promise not to spill popcorn on you ever again.”
What? Was she asking me out? Was that a hint of some sort?
“It really is no problem. It happens.” I wanted to say more, so much more, like if she would go out with me sometime, if I could have her number, but my mind went blank, transfixed by her beauty.
“My car’s right out front.” She nodded towards the front door. “Will you walk us out?”
I nodded, my mouth dry. What’s happening?
She led me to a car parked in the first row and she pressed the unlock button. “Give me a second?”
“Sure.” I waited by the back of the car as she buckled her nephew into his booster seat and started the engine.
“I’ll be one second, okay, sweetie?” She blew her nephew a kiss and walked over to me. I didn’t even know this woman’s name, and I wanted to know every damn thing about her.
She stood in front of me and looked up at me. She bit her lip and her green eyes glowed. “Did you wait in there for us to come out?” Her question took me by surprise. A playful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“No, I, uh, I wanted to check out the new movies coming out soon.” I scratched the back of my head. Damn, that sounded lame.
“Yeah, right. You wanted to see me again.” She pointed at my chest and giggled.
God, this woman. Who the hell was she?
I held up my hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I wanted to talk to you again.”
“Ah ha! I knew it.” Her grin lit up her entire face.
“I smell like popcorn and it kept reminding me of you.” I teased.
“More like you want to ask me out.”
I feign shock. Of course I want to. But was I going to? I wasn’t sure yet.
Oh, who am I kidding? I won’t stop thinking about her anytime soon that’s for sure.
Her reddish-brown hair fell in waves around her shoulders and my fingers ached to run through the strands.
“Well, you’re a woman who certainly knows what she wants.”
“Are you saying I want you to ask me out?”
I nodded.
She placed a finger over her lips. “A lady never tells.”
“Will you go out with me?” I asked her, searching her eyes.
“Of course I will. But I need to know your name first.” She laughed. God, I loved the sound.
“Harvey. Harvey Desmarais. And you?”
“Lex Carpenter.”
“Nice to meet you, Lex Carpenter.”
“And you, Mr. Desmarais. Now hand me your phone and I’ll put my number in it.”
I reached into my pocket, unlocked my phone, and handed to her. She added herself as a contact and handed it back to me.
“Next Saturday is Valentine’s Day. How about then?” I asked.
“Perfect. Text me the details.”
“I will. Bye, Lex.”
“Bye.” She bit her lip again and damn, did I want to kiss it so fucking bad.
But there was a time and place, and this wasn’t it with her nephew in the car.
I watched her get into her car before I headed for my own. My stomach rumbled. I should pick up a pizza on my way home. Paws, my calico cat, probably wanted some dinner too. He never let me forget when it was his time to eat.
As I drove home, I thought of nothing but her.
As I ate my pizza and fed Paws, I thought of nothing but her.
As the weekend ended and another work week began, I thought of nothing but her.
As I navigated the trails of the mountains, helping guests read maps, and find which trail was best for seeing birds, or seeing the best views, I thought of nothing but her.
I wasn’t a very outgoing guy. More like a grumpy loner who kept to himself, only being friendly to people when I needed to be at work.
I spent most of the rest of my time at home with my cat, catching the latest movie, picking up takeout, and that’s about it.
I called off love a long time ago, so it felt strange to have feelings for someone.
Strong feelings. It was surreal to be taking someone on a date this weekend. And especially on Valentine’s Day.
But I planned the best date I could think of, with reservations at a nice restaurant, a bottle of champagne, a box of chocolates, a bouquet of red roses, and the best part?
Learning everything there was to know about Lex Carpenter.