Page 4 of Caden
“Born and raised. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or bad.”
“From someone who until recently, moved every few months, I’d say it’s good. You have friends, probably family. You know people and people know you.” He listed things he’d always longed for. Yeah, growing up he’d had his parents and sister, but that was all. They’d never lived anywhere long enough for him to make lasting friendships.
“But I have family. I know people and people know me.” She listed the same things he had, but this time made them sound like bad things instead of good. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my family and sometimes it’s nice that people know me. But try being seventeen and trying to get away with literally anything in a town where everyone knows you and your parents. Nobody hesitates to tell you folks what they saw you doing.” She shot him a brief grin. “I always wondered what it would be like go somewhere where I don’t know anyone and I can be anonymous, even for a little while.”
“You never left town, not even for school?”
Olivia shook her head. “There was no need. I went to school here in town. I did live on campus as a freshman, but still couldn’t get away with anything.” She shrugged and smiled at him. “But enough about me, tell me a little about you. How long have you been in town?”
“Almost a year. I like it here and have no plans to go anywhere any time soon.”
“What brought you to Dickenson?”
“A job. I got on out at KMM, so I moved to the area. I like it. And the people.” He gave her what he hoped was a hopeful smile.
4
Olivia watched the cute guy on the other side of the table. So far, she liked him, even if he seemed so different from herself. Maybe that was a good thing.
“What about your family? I take it you’ve got some?” She couldn’t help the teasing smile that curved her lips.
“I do. My folks live in the southwest, they decided they liked the winters where it’s warmer. Especially now that they’re getting a little older. My sister is a few years younger than I am and going to school in Indiana.”
“Indiana?”
He lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know. It was where she wanted to go, and she got accepted, so why not?”
“What’s she studying?”
“She’s got a dual major of psychology and early childhood development. Not sure what she’s going to do with it but they’re both useful.”
“You sound like you miss her, are the two of you close?”
“Probably closer than most with as big of gap as there is between us. Almost six years. But when you’re moving all the time, you get tight with those who are there with you all the time, no matter where you go.” He waved one hand as if dismissing the topic.
“Tell me about your family.”
Olivia took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. This was where the guys she dated often lost interest.
“I’ve got a big family. Three older brothers and two older sisters. I’m the youngest of six.”
“And the spoiled baby of the family?”
“I wouldn’t say so. Though I may not be seeing it clearly. One of my brothers is old enough, he tends to be indulgent but they’re all way more overprotective. And I think my sisters did more bullying than spoiling.”
“What about your parents?”
Olivia glanced down at the table then back up at him, wondering how he would take this part. “They’re both still here in town. Mom is the chief of police and Dad is a prof at the university.” Few people blinked at her dad’s job but there were a surprising number of men who had no desire to date the chief of police’s daughter, especially their youngest.
Caden smiled. “I get it, no one ever wanted to date an MP’s son.”
“MP?”
“Military Police. Dad was in the Air Force, and I swear he served at most of their nearly one hundred bases.”
She felt her eyes go wide. “Did he really?”
“I’m not sure, but as often as we moved, it sure felt like it. At least to me.” He gave her a wry grin that made her stomach flip flop and heat shoot through her body.