Chapter 25 #2
“This place reminds me a lot of the town I grew up in. Wildrose Landing,” I say as I make the turn into Bliss.
“I never pegged you for a small town guy.”
“Like I said last night, there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” I point at a cafe called Good Beginnings. “I bet the person who owns that place knows the names of all her customers and has their orders memorized. My mom’s store is next to a coffee shop just like it.”
“Your mom’s…?” Angela cocks her head and I chuckle. My family structure is confusing.
“Amelia. My adoptive mom,” I clarify, glancing at my Angel. “When we were little, we started calling her Mom-Amelia, which eventually became Momma, and then switched to plain old Mom.”
Angela’s soft smile says she approves of the story. “What kind of store does your mom have?”
“You’ll laugh.”
“I won’t.”
“I bet you will.”
“I’ll take that bet,” she says with a challenge in her eyes. “If I win, I get to pick what we’re doing today.”
“And if I win?”
“Then you pick.”
I lift an eyebrow. There’s no way she’s gonna win this one.
I love Mom to death, but she’s not conventional.
Growing up, I accepted her outlook on life as fact, but all too often people see her as a joke.
A punchline. A cliché. Younger me got in a fair amount of trouble defending her until she sat me down to explain she doesn’t care what people think of her and I shouldn’t either.
I’ve tried to take on that perspective, but my protective streak runs too deep.
“Mom owns a store called Woo-woo Wildrose. It’s focused on essential oils, healing crystals, positivity, and spirituality.” I watch Angela’s reaction out of the corner of my eye.
Her eyes widen and she purses her lips, but there isn’t a hint of laughter. “I have to admit, that is not what I was expecting from someone like you.”
I frown as I slow to allow an elderly couple more time in the crosswalk. They pause to wave and Angela returns the gesture, her eyes sparkling like a true romantic as she takes in their clasped hands.
“From someone like me?”
“You aren’t exactly the free flowing, gentle spirit with jewelry and long hair. And you told me my outlook on happiness sounds like motivational wall art instead of the very good advice it is.”
I grunt a response because I hate being judged. She doesn’t know me well enough to decide who I am.
“Oh, come on Garrett.” Angela shoves my shoulder with an exasperated sigh. “I’ve been around long enough to know that frown and that pulsing jaw muscle right there means I’ve managed to irritate you.”
“I’m not irritated.”
“And I’m not buying it.”
“You don’t know if I’m easygoing or not.”
“I’m sorry but look at you.” Angela shifts in her seat as we turn off Main. “You’re wearing dress pants to the beach. Does that say free spirit to you?”
I huff a laugh, cutting a glance her way. “I’m wearing what I packed. Like you.”
“Fine.” She throws up her hands. “I take it back. You are the most easygoing person I’ve ever met. Now…about that bet I won… This day is mine, Bucko.” Angela looks so proud of herself; I concede without a fight.
Almost.
“Bucko? Did you really just call me Bucko?” I tighten my grip on the steering wheel to stop myself from putting a hand on her knee.
“Why yes sir, I did. Got a problem with that? Bucko?”
“Would it change anything if I said yes?”
“You know it wouldn’t.”
“That’s what I thought.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “What’s first on the agenda?”
Angela bites her bottom lip. Her eyes shift away as she thinks, then she turns to me with a wicked grin. “Have you ever been boogie boarding?”
I grimace. “Not since I was a kid.”
“See! Same! That’s what we’re going to do today.”
Boogie boarding. She’s got to be kidding.
Right?
“We’re here, negotiating a multimillion-dollar deal and you want to play in the ocean on pieces of Styrofoam.”
“Oh no. We’re in a time bubble, remember? You’re just a man and I’m just a woman and we’re trying to decide if we even like being together. What better way to do that than playing in the ocean?”
I laugh at the absurdity of the idea. “I’m not exactly dressed for that.”
“We passed a shop.” She spins to point behind us. “That’s what made me think of it. We’ll buy some cheap suits. Grab boogie boards. Hit the beach.”
Fuck.
Angela won the bet fair and square, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I set my jaw and search for a place to turn around.
“Now don’t look so upset, Captain Grumpy Pants. This is your chance to prove how free flowing and easygoing you are. As a bonus, I bet your sister will never believe how much fun you had when you tell her.”
I park and we head into the store. Angela makes a beeline for the swim trunks and I follow, shaking my head. She’s buzzing with excitement, smiling like she’s won the world. It’s cute, in a “just released from the psych ward” kind of way.
“The women’s section is over there.” I point toward the mannequins in bikinis lining the back wall.
“Right. But if I let you pick out what you’re wearing, you’ll come out with something boring like these.” She flicks through the hangers and stops at a plain black pair of swim trunks.
“Maybe you know me better than I thought.” I reach for them, and she jerks them away. “Those are perfect. Hand ‘em over.”
“But where’s the fun in that?” Angela arches an eyebrow and continues searching until she finds a light blue pair covered in bright yellow rubber duckies. “Now these. These are fun.”
“Those are ridiculous.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “I’m not wearing those.”
“Are you backing out of our agreement?” She puts a hand to her chest. “Garrett. I’m shocked.”
“Fine.” I snatch the garment. “And for the record, this is the only thing shocking about this situation.”
“Don’t you worry. I plan to join in the fun.
” With that, Angela bounds towards the back to dig through bikinis.
Fifteen minutes later, we leave the shop with new swimsuits, boogie boards, and a bag full of sunscreen, towels, and flip flops.
After finding a beach with changing booths, she gleefully hands me my bag with the swim trunks inside and dashes off to change.
I glare at the things. I’ll play her game. For now.
But only because she’ll be playing my game later.