π½ππΈπβπΉπΈβπ #2
"No I haven't."
"Oh, really?"
Unfortunately he had a point. Dad leaned back slightly, one hand resting against his coffee mug.
"Cameron."
My stomach tightened. "Yes, sir?"
"If you have something to say, say it." His voice was calm.
That was how I knew he was annoyed. Dad didn't usually yell, a quiet voice from him was 100% worse.
"Or you can leave us to finish our conversation."
I knew what he meant.
Stop wasting time.
I immediately nodded. "Sorry."
Robert gave my dad a small look before turning back to me. "Take your time, son."
I took a breath. Okay, just say it. It was not that complicated.
It was just one sentence.
Just one darn sentence, Cameron.
"I was wondering if..." My voice cracked slightly.
"If I could..." I looked down at my hands. "Uh..I was wondering if I could take Dixie to the movies tonight."
I immediately regretted everything.
Maybe I should've waited. I should've asked later. Gosh, I should've done a lot of things.
"Dixie?" Robert blinked. "Dixie Jones?"
I looked up. My face warmed. "Yes, sir."
"As in my daughter Dixie?"
"Yes, sir."
Robert looked surprised, then he smiled slightly.
"Well!" He glanced at my dad. "That's quite the unexpected."
I fidgeted with my hands.
Dad didn't say anything the entire time, and that made me more nervous. "Dad..."
He finally looked at me.
"You said we'd talk about it another day."
"And you think right now is the perfect time?" His expression didn't change.
My face immediately heated. "No, sir. I mean..."
I stumbled over my words again. "I wasn't trying to interrupt. I just thought since Mr. Jones was here and..."
I stopped. Gee, that sounded even worse- I was basically admitting I used Mr. Jones as backup.
Great.
Dad's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see."
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I should've waited."
Robert laughed quietly. "Cameron."
I looked at him.
"Relax."
Easy for him to say.
He wasn't asking the scary Ralph West for permission.
He then smiled at my father. "Honestly, I think it would be good."
"Good? Really?" Dad looked at him.
Robert nodded.
"Dixie spends plenty of time around adults and business conversations. Cameron spends most of his time around baseball, and business aswell."
I looked down. That was pretty accurate.
"They're young." Robert continued. "They should enjoy being young."
For some reason, that made me feel better. Robert didn't make it sound like I was asking for North Korea. He made it sound normal.
Like two normal teenagers going to see a movie.
Dad looked thoughtful, but I could tell he wasn't thinking about the movie.
He was thinking about something else. Dad always thought about something else.
Finally, he sighed. "Fine."
"Really?" My head lifted.
Dad immediately looked at me. "Don't make me reconsider."
I shut my mouth immediately.
Robert smiled into his mug. "I think that's a yes, kid."
"Thank you, Dad." I couldn't stop the grin that appeared.
"Wait." He said.
My smile faded slightly. Dad motioned for me to follow him.
Oh.
That was never a good sign.
~
I followed him a few steps away from the fireplace. The second we were out of earshot, my excitement disappeared slightly.
"Cameron." Dad crossed his arms.
"Yes, sir."
"You understand something."
I nodded.
"This isn't an excuse to act foolish."
"Foolish?" My eyebrows pulled together.
"You are representing this family."
The West name. Always.
Of course.
"You understand the importance of that."
"Yes, sir."
"You are going out with Robert Jones' daughter."
I nodded.
"Dixie."
"Yes."
Dad looked at me seriously. "Be respectful, be responsible."
"I will."
"And don't do anything stupid, or that you'll regret."
My face warmed. I seriously never thought I would be having this conversation with my Dad. Out of all the people in this world.
"Dad." I cover my face, flustered.
"I'm serious, West."
"I know."
His expression softened slightly. "You're growing up. The way you behave reflects on everyone."
"Yes, I know."
He held my gaze for another moment, then finally stepped back. "Go."
"Really?" I grinned.
One of the first times he made me smile.
"Before I change my mind."
I didn't need to hear anything else. I practically turned around immediately.
"Thank you."
Dad walked back toward Robert, probably to continue talking about whatever business thing I still didn't understand.
I headed toward the front door. The second I stepped outside to turn my car on; I couldn't stop smiling.
Tonight, it would be Dixie. Just us.
I looked back toward the house, then shook my head.
Business. My dad's favorite word.
I smiled.
Business my ass.
~
The best part about being eighteen was that people finally started trusting you with things.
The worst part about being eighteen was that apparently your father still thought you were twelve.
I had been sitting in the movie theater parking lot for almost ten minutes. The movie didn't start for another fifteen.
Meant I was early. Very, embarrassingly, early.
I looked at the clock on my dashboard.
Gee, I had to get a hold of myself. Staring at the clock wasn't going to make Dixie appear faster.
I adjusted my shirt for what was probably the tenth time.
I didn't even know why I was nervous.
It was Dixie.
Her and her parents had been in my house more times than I could count, she had eaten dinner at our table, and she had laughed at me many times before.
Especially that last one.
Dixie laughing at me was probably one of her favorite things to do.
Tonight was different. It was just going to us.
No business events, and no pretending to be the son of Ralph West.
Just Cameron. And Dixie.
I checked the passenger seat. Her extra ticket was still there.
I smiled.
The whole thing was ridiculous. I was acting like I was going to a wedding instead of a movie. A movement near the entrance caught my eye.
Dixie. There she was.
She walked toward the theater doors, looking around for me. I quickly got out of the car.
Probably too quickly, because she immediately noticed.
A small smile appeared on her face as she watched me walk toward her. "Hi, Cam."
"Dixie." I didn't even think about it as I pulled her into a hug.
She smelled heavenly. Like a mix of vanilla and marshmallows. If I could stay there forever, I would.
"Hey," I said softly. "How are you?"
She hugged me back, her arms wrapping around me comfortably.
Nice- that was a really good sign.
Unless she hugged everyone like this.
Stop thinking like that.Don't ruin this for yourself, Cameron.
"I'm good," she said when we pulled apart. "And you?"
"I'm better now."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "Better now?"
I nodded, trying not to smile too much.
"Yeah. I was waiting for you."
She looked down for a second, almost like she didn't know what to do with the compliment.
"You make it sound like I was late."
"Oh, you're not." I shake my head.
"Then why were you waiting?" She tilted her head.
"Because I wanted to see you walk in."
Dixie looked at me, quiet for a moment. "You're being very honest tonight."
"Is that a problem?" I grin.
"No." Her smile grew a little wider.
I looked at her properly.
Her hair was styled in long braids that fell over her shoulders. She wore a simple black top with a white ruffle skirt.
She looked great for a simple movie. Whereas I threw on a top and some jeans.
"You look nice," I said, running a hand through my hair.
Nice was an understatement, Dixie looked incredible.
Nice sounded like something you'd say about an antique chair.
She glanced down at her outfit. "Thank you. I wasn't sure what to wear."
"You weren't sure?"
"I mean, come on. It's a movie, Cameron."
I laughed quietly. "I know."
"Why would I dress like I'm going somewhere fancy?"
"Well, you always look like you belong somewhere fancy."
She gave me a small look. "You probably say this to all the girls you take on a date."
"I don't say it to everyone, and I'm not that type of guy, Dixie." I throw an arm around her shoulder, guiding her into the entrance of the theater.
"Do you practice these things?" She asked, looking up at me.
I smiled. "No."
"You're sure? You say stuff like this out of nowhere."
"Very sure."
She studied my face, then nodded. "Okay."
I laughed again. There was something about the way Dixie talked.
"So," she said, looking around, "what movie did you pick?"
"Oh, gee..you're asking me now?"
"Yes."
"You agreed to come without asking what movie?"
"I trusted you." She wrapped her hand around my finger.
The answer caught me off guard. "Aw, you trust me?"
"Yes." She looked back at me.
I cleared my throat. "It's a good movie."
"Oh stop it. You know I hate it when people beat around the bush."
"I'm explaining it to you." I chuckle.
She smiled. "Okay. Explain."
"It's about two people who meet at the wrong time but somehow, some way, keep finding their way back to each other."
Dixie looked at me. "That sounds familiar."
"Does it? Are you saying we're in a movie?"
"No."
"Because I was about to ask who plays me."
She smiled slightly. "You would."
That was kind of sweet of her.
"I lied. It's the Scream movie." I looked at her.
Dixie stared at me before her eyes widened slightly. "Oh."
I tried not to laugh.
She looked toward the theater doors. "I was expecting something romantic."
"It can still be romantic."
She looked back at me. "You're lucky I agreed to watch a scary movie with you."
I smiled. "So you admit you're scared?"
"No."
"Interesting." I say.
She gave me a serious look. "I'm not scared of movies that easily."
"Okay." I throw my hands up.
"I'm not."
"I believe you."
She sighed, chuckling a bit. "No you don't."
"You're lying, you're scared." I tease.
"Maybe a little." She shook her head as we walked into the theater.
When I let my arm fall, Dixie walked ahead of me. I followed her to the concession stand. "What do you want?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
"You always say that." I roll my eyes.