Chapter 11 Thomas
THOMAS
Fuck, I’m excited for tonight.
I roll the lint roller over my light blue cotton shirt and khaki shorts, silently cursing my dog for shedding as much as he does.
I swear, I could brush him four times a day, and he’d still shed enough fur to make a whole other dog.
I have on my favorite pair of Spider-Man underwear in preparation.
Gotta have all the luck I can get tonight.
I look back to where Arson is lying in his dog bed, saying a quick goodbye before I’m out the door.
On the drive over, I think about tonight. Sure, it’s probably not a true first date even though I’d like it to be, but it’s a start. I can tell that Hannah is a bit skittish, but I want to show her that I’m nothing to be afraid of. I want to be there for her.
I send her a text letting her know that I’m on my way, even though it's a less than five-minute drive to my brother Jason's brewery, where the street dance is being hosted on Main Street.
When I find a parking spot and climb out, I’m greeted by the sight of Marley and Beau getting out of their vehicle as well. They cross the street toward me, holding hands. “Hey guys,” I say, leaning in to offer them each a half hug.
“Hey you,” Marley responds. “Excited for tonight?”
I don’t hold back the immediate grin that slides onto my face. “Yep. I think this could be good.”
Marley squeezes my arm. “I think so too. I’m excited to spend some time with her, get to know her. Though, we won’t impede on you getting to know her. That’s the priority.”
“Thanks, Mar.” Marley is the best little sister.
I mean, she’s technically not my real sister per se, but before she and Beau finally became more than best friends and got pregnant with the twins, she grew up next door to us, and has always been around.
Andrew, Jason and I have always called her our sister, but Beau never did.
It makes sense why, though. He’s been in love with her since the start.
Now, they get to have their happy ending.
“Jason and Fallon are coming, right?” I ask, pulling my phone out to check if I have any missed messages from them. “The grandparents are watching all the kids tonight?”
“Yep. When we dropped the twins off at your mom and dad’s, Presley and Lennie were already there, dressed in their princess gowns,” Marley says.
“It was adorable. They had little tiaras ready for Ariel, and even grabbed one for Arlo when he wanted to join. The babies didn’t even care that we were leaving. ”
“Well, that’s fucking adorable,” I say as we slowly approach the barricaded area on the street outside of the brewery where the band will be and the dance is held.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Jason and Fallon sitting with Josie and Andrew at one of the patio tables.
Thankfully, it’s big enough for our group plus Hannah and her sisters when she arrives.
Raising my hand to wave, I head that way while Marley and Beau get drinks from the bar.
My eyes scan the area as it becomes more crowded, searching for her face somewhere in the sea of people.
“Dude, sit down, you’re making me nervous,” Andrew remarks, gesturing to an empty seat beside me.
“I can’t,” I reply. “I want to see when she gets here.” I’m also antsy and feel like I need to move.
“I have never seen you like this before,” Josie says. “It’s cute. She was nervous today too.”
I jerk my eyes from the crowd to Josie, who is sitting with her feet in Andrew’s lap, rubbing her bump.
“She was?” I ask.
“Yep. She stopped by my booth today at the fair. I told her how excited you were for tonight, and she couldn’t seem to believe it.”
“Why not?”
Josie shrugs. “Who knows? She thought maybe it was something you were just saying, that you didn’t really mean it.”
I shake my head. “I mean it. I mean, I barely know her, but I can already tell, she’s a great person. We’ve been texting, and we have so many things in common. She’s such a sweet girl that I get excited every time her name comes across my screen.”
“I agree,” Josie says. “We told her that you don’t say things like that lightly, and that seemed to help.”
I don’t get to respond because at the edge of the crowd, I see her.
Fuck, she looks beautiful. Her hair is framing her round face, her purple top hugging her curves and lighting up her bright blue eyes.
Those eyes catch mine from across the patio and it’s like I’m pulled to her.
My feet carry me through the tables toward her.
Hannah’s face is red as she talks to her sister, Julia, who I recognize from high school.
Another woman, who I assume is Julia’s wife, stands on her other side.
When I reach her, I barely glance at Julia and her wife, only to greet them half heartedly. I only have my attention on Hannah now.
“Hey,” I say, losing myself in her gaze.
“Hi,” she says, her voice shaking.
I’m at a loss for words, completely in awe of her. “You look beautiful.”
Her cheeks adorably grow more red at my words and I want to reach up and cup her cheeks to soothe the heat.
Hannah looks down at her feet. “Thanks, but it’s nothing special. It’s just something I had in my closet.”
I reach out and lightly grasp her forearm. “Hannah, you’re something special. You look beautiful. You’d look beautiful in a paper sack if that’s what you wanted to wear.”
Her eyes grow wide as she looks up at me. She clears her throat. “Thank you. You look really nice, too.” She gestures to me with her free arm.
“Thanks, freckles,” I reply. I’m glad she didn’t cover her freckles with makeup tonight. I love seeing them. I turn my gaze to the rest of the world again, seeing that her sisters have stepped aside, giving us a moment. “Should we introduce everyone?”
Hannah nods, and I move my hand from where I was holding her arm to slide down, and offer her my hand.
She hesitantly takes it, and I lead her toward our table, waving her sisters over to join us.
Internally, I’m cheering. She’s holding my hand, and it feels incredible.
“I hear the band is good,” I say as we walk, trying to make easy small talk with her.
“Are they local?” Hannah asks, glancing at the banner as they set up.
“I’m not sure,” I say, shrugging. “We will have to ask Jason, he’s the one that hired them.”
“Oh, he did? I suppose that makes sense, since it’s his brewery.”
“Do you want something to drink?” I gesture to the bar with my free hand.
Hannah shakes her head. “I’m really not a drinker, to be honest. I’ll have one every once in a while, but I don’t like the way it makes me feel, or the taste.”
“Fair enough. How about water or something?”
“I brought my emotional support water bottle,” Hannah says, gesturing to her sister. “Julia is holding it in her bag for me.”
“Perfect,” I reply as we reach the table. My siblings are all smiles as they take in my hand holding hers. Julia and her wife step up beside Hannah.
I introduce Hannah to each of my siblings and their partners, even though I’m pretty sure she knows them, and vice versa. Julia introduces her and her partner, Tiff, and they head off to get a drink at the bar.
I reluctantly let go of Hannah’s hand and pull out a chair for her and she sits stiffly, a nervous energy surrounding her. She folds her hands into her lap as she turns to face me when I sit down beside her.
“How has work been?” she asks.
I shake my head. “We aren’t going to talk about work.”
“W—we aren’t?” she stutters over her words. I shift in my chair so I’m closer to her.
“Nope. We talk about work every day we have texted, and when we are at work. I want to learn more about you, Han. I’ve watched you for over a year now, and finally got the nerve to talk to you, so I want to talk to you about anything but work.”
She inhales sharply as I lean in, her breasts rising with the intake of breath.
I glance around the table to see if anyone is watching us, but my siblings are all engrossed in their own conversations, and Julia and Tiff are back at the table, sitting by Jason and Fallon, in deep discussion about the beer and seltzer he makes.
“Uh—” Hannah stops, taking a deep breath. “Do you like cheese?”
I pause, my mind going blank at the unexpected question before it hits me.