Page 12 of A Simple Love
“Well, I don’t have a pen to offer my answer.”
“No worries,” I say while pulling a pen from my pocket and handing it to her. “I came prepared.”
She shakes her head at me before grabbing the pen, clicking the top, scribbling a heart in theYesbox, and handing me the pen and paper back. She winks over at me, just as our moment is interrupted by her father.
“What the hell is he doing here, Victoria?” Her dad interrupts our perusal of each other, his fury easy to read in a room that instantly feels like it could burst into flames.
“What do you mean, Dad? Mike’s taking me on a date tonight.” Tilting her head to the side, she genuinely questions her dad and his reaction to me. The realization that he never uttered a word to her about his sabotage of our first date five years ago hits me as I watch Victoria confused with her father. She must not know how he truly feels about me or the downright devastating things he said to me all those years ago.
“I thought you were dating Ben, Victoria. Now I see a Kelley boy picking you up for a date a week later? What’s going on?” His voice booms through the room, Lilly appearing behind Victoria just a second later.
“Mike!” Lilly rushes over to me, her tiny arms hugging me around my waist so quickly, I don’t have time to react to her greeting. Lilly is a huge part of Victoria’s life, a fact I learned quickly after she was born, and I watched her take on much more than just a sisterly role to her. The day I played with Lilly at the park three years ago still plays through my mind sometimes, the look on Victoria’s face so clear in her affection for me. I thought it was a turning point for us, but sadly, Victoria held her distance and kept avoiding me after that day. I told myself I understood her priorities, the message loud and clear to anyone who knew her. But subconsciously, I hoped that day would make her see how much I not only cared about her but also anyone she cared about.
“Hey, kiddo. How’s it going?” I release her arms from around me and kneel to be on her level so we’re eye-to-eye.
“Good! Are you here to take out Victoria? She’s been talking about your date all week!”
“Ok, then! Thanks, Lilly.” Victoria interrupts her sister, rolling her eyes at me, but then glaring over at Lilly as she turns. “Dad, Ben, and Mike both asked me out, so I accepted. I know this is hard for you, okay? But I’m not a little girl anymore and I’m done with school. It’s time to live my life. I can date whoever I want, and tonight, that’s Mike.”
She walks over to him, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll always be your little girl, but it’s time I grow up.” Frank’s eyes never leave me as his daughter shows him affection, trying to reassure him that she knows what she’s doing. He finally glances down at her with a tight-lipped smile, kisses her temple as she turns to me, but his eyes meet mine once again, wordlessly communicating that this is far from over.
“Don’t worry, Mr. and Mrs. Baker. I’ll take good care of her and have her home at a reasonable hour,” I joke, winking over at Mrs. Baker, who’s now blushing behind her grin. Mr. Baker shows not one ounce of humor whatsoever.
“Bye Mom, Dad, Lilly.” Victoria blows a kiss over her shoulder as I guide her out the door and down the steps to my truck. After opening the door for her and helping her up into the cab, I push the door shut and walk around the front of the truck, granted with a seething Frank Baker staring at me through the front window of the house.
Shaking my head, I find my door, hop inside, and crank the engine before turning to Victoria sitting next to me. She’s quieter now, less self-assured than she was just moments ago.
“Hey. You alright, Vic?” I reach over for her hand, the simple touch sending streaks of electricity up my arm, straight to my chest.
“Yeah, I just don’t understand my dad’s reaction in there. Do you have any idea what that was about?” Her eyes find mine, filled with concern. I know that eventually, I must tell her why I stood her up all those years ago, that her dad is the biggest reason we’ve been kept apart all this time. But not tonight. I don’t want to tarnish the evening I’ve been waiting five years for.
“You know, dads can be overprotective of their daughters, so I’ve heard.” I nudge her, granted with a small smile on her face.
“Yeah, that must be it. I mean, this is my second date in two weeks with two different guys, and my dad has never seen me picked up by a guy before, let alone two different ones,” she chuckles, her joke meant to be funny, but all it does it make my stomach drop, a stark reminder that I’m not the only man vying for her heart.
“Well, let’s not waste any more time on that then. I don’t know about you,” I lean over and get closer to her face, my proximity granting me with a deep inhale from her as I close the distance, “But I’ve been waiting years for tonight, and I want it to be just about us. How’s that sound?” My hand reaches out to cup her neck, her eyes darkening with my touch, her pulse firing rapidly beneath my fingers.
“Me too,” she whispers just as I lean back, halting our moment before it goes further.
“Then let’s get going… there is much fun to be had, Victoria Baker.” I wink at her as I shift into reverse, back out of her driveway, and turn onto the highway that will lead us to our first stop of the night.
Chapter 9
Victoria
My dad’s reaction to Mike still doesn’t sit well with me as we drive west of town, country music filling the cab as Mike drums away on his steering wheel. I don’t understand why he was so angry, rude, and menacing when Mike arrived to pick me up for our date. I know there has to be a reason, but right now, my focus needs to be on my date, an evening I’ve spent more time fantasizing about than I want to admit. And not just over the last week. More like the last five years, ever since the first date was supposed to happen.
“So how has your business been doing?” I break the silence, which hasn’t filled the truck for too long, but this is what a date is supposed to be about: conversation.
“There hasn’t been a dull moment since I opened shop,” Mike states proudly, the muscles in his forearms flexing as he adjusts his grip on the steering wheel. Reaching over to the dash, I notice his black t-shirt tighten on his broad shoulders, the hunk of muscles I’m just now appreciating, as he turns the volume on the music down before continuing. “I never thought it would take off this fast, but I’m definitely not complaining. I’m busy, and I’m loving it.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, Mike. I know this is something you’ve wanted and that table you made for Hayley and Tyler was beautiful, so I know you have the talent. I’m glad that you get to do what you love now.” Last Thanksgiving, Tyler and Hayley had all of their friends and family over. I discovered that the long farmhouse table in their house was made by Mike, my first indication that his furniture hobby could be more than just a hobby for him.
He glances over at me momentarily, a small grin tilting up on one side of his mouth. “And soon, you’ll be doing what you love too, Vic. All your hard work is about to pay off. How does that feel?”
Mike has always known that I wanted to be a teacher, ever since he passed me one of his many notes during class back in school. This one wasn’t a yes or no box to be checked, but rather an introspective question that had to do with an assignment we were completing in English class. He asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and my answer was the same one I had given to that question since I was five years old. A teacher. I knew in my heart it was my calling, more than just a job to me.
“It’s exhilarating and yet, terrifying,” I answer honestly, more honest than I’ve been with anyone else about my fears of starting my job in two months.