Chapter 15 - Aiden
T wo hours and two beers later, Aiden walked toward Olivia. She’d looked his way from time to time throughout the evening, and he was glad to know she was keeping tabs on him.
“Hi again,” Olivia said as he approached.
He smiled. “Hey.”
After Olivia introduced everyone and they made polite conversation for a couple of minutes, Aiden turned to Olivia and asked, “Will you dance with me, Olivia?”
Aiden had been waiting for a song he hoped Olivia would appreciate. As an outdoorsy woman from the Pacific Northwest, he pegged her for a folksy-music lover, so when he heard the opening notes of “Look at Miss Ohio” by Gillian Welch, he took his chance. The song was full of twang and sap, and it had been one of his sister Lauren’s favorites for years.
“Oh, I don't know,” Olivia said, looking down at her hands, which were cupping her nearly empty beer .
Grace squinted at Olivia, studying her for a beat before saying, “Good idea.”
She clapped her hands once and stood. She reached back to grab Abesh's hand, pulling him upright. They walked toward the other slow-dancing couples, leaving Olivia to fend for herself.
“Looks like you're stuck with me,” Aiden teased, throwing a silent thank you to Grace as she walked away.
Olivia took his outstretched hand. He pulled her close and guided her around the makeshift dance floor.
They were quiet through the whole song, swaying from side to side, nothing fancy. Even so, he felt like the man in the game Operation he had played as a kid–every time their thighs touched or her hand moved on his shoulder, his body buzzed.
And, god, she smelled like a potent mix of floral lavender and earthy leather. Is this what all farmers smell like? He smiled at the thought.
When the song ended, he stepped back, but he wasn’t ready to let go of her hand, and she didn’t pull away.
“Well, Olivia,” he said as he ran his thumb along the calluses on her palm, “I've now seen you naked and danced with you. Since we’re doing this backwards, may I please buy you a beer?”
She grinned, and that familiar blush crept onto her cheeks. Smile lines creased the corners of her eyes, which looked more green than hazel under the street lamps.
“Sure.” She ducked her head and tucking a loose red lock behind her ear.
She led him through the crowd, meandering around the edge of the dance floor and back to the picnic tables. Grace and Abesh were nowhere to be seen. Why was he not surprised? He was going to have to thank Grace properly at some point.