Page 22 of Eye of the Hurricane
Ares
“Can’tyou just tell me where you’re taking me?”
“Can’t you just let someone else take the lead?” I counter. Katherine’s smile drops and she gives me the finger.
“This is weird for me,” she admits, playing with the hem of her dress.
Today’s dress is a yellow and orange floral sundress. The neckline is cut low enough that if I had just a little less restraint, I might crash the car sneaking a peek. Naturally, she’s got on a matching pair of heels.
I wonder how many pairs she has. More than that, I wonder where she keeps them all. I feel like I never see her in the same shoes twice.
It’s entirely unplanned but we almost match. The core of both of our outfits is yellow. Although hers is yellow and orange and mine is yellow and blue. Blue dress pants and a blue and yellow striped button up.
I don’t normally dress up so much going out but I always try to make a point of matchingher energy.
“What’s weird for you?”
“All of it I guess. Going on dates, even if they are fake. Letting you take the lead on things. Even riding passenger in the car, I don’t think I’ve been passenger in a car and sober since I got my license.” She hasn’t said these things out loud until now but on some level, I knew. It’s always been somewhat obvious that giving up control isn’t something that comes natural to her.
“Do you want to drive on the way back?” I offer. Control means nothing to me so if it’s something she needs, it’s hers.
“You’d let me drive your car?” she asks, seeming genuinely surprised at the offer.
“If it would make you feel better,” I state simply, giving her a nod of assurance. Just then, I’m pulling into the parking lot for the South Carolina Aquarium. She looks to the sign, then to me.
“It would.”
I don’t hesitate to pull the keys from the ignition the moment we’re parked and place them in her palm. “All you, honey.”
I slip out of the car and make my way around the front to open her door. I hold out a hand for her and she uses it for leverage to step out of the car.
I consider taking her hand on our way in because it’s what feels natural and because it’s what I would do if we were on a real date. But I don’t because I don’t know where her line is and I don’t want to touch her without her permission.
I make a mental note that when we’re not in public, we need to have a conversation about the rules for this situation. How close to a real boyfriend should I be acting?
When we reach the ticket counter, she reaches for her purse and I shoot her a deadly glare.
“You’re kidding, right?” I ask, pulling my wallet out of my pocket.
“I don’t need you to pay for me,” she quips, pulling a small white wallet out of a white purse.
“I know, but I’d like to,” I tell her. She sighs, shoving the wallet back in her purse. “Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you, you’re paying for my ticket.”
“Kat, if a man takes you on a date and expects you to pay, get up and leave him there.” The thought of all of this being practice for her to someday be with someone else sits like a brick in my stomach. Still, I’m doing her a disservice if I let her think that’s acceptable behavior on a date.
“Noted.” We walk inside and the whole building is illuminated in shades of blues. The bright white water ripples reflect in various places.
“I’ve never been to an aquarium,” she admits. I figured that out by the way her eyes turned to big round baby blue orbs. They’re wide and glossed over as she takes in the full scenery.
“How have you been living in South Carolina and never been to an aquarium?” I can’t count the amount of times I’ve been to every aquarium in a five hour radius of Doves Harbor. Maybe that’s because I have a marine rescue employee as a best friend.
“As you know, I don’t allot myself much free time. Usually when I have some, I just rest or do whatever Luna wants to drag me into.”
“I feel like there’s so much you’ve never done.”
“First time for everything, right?” She gives me a nudge with her elbow and walks to the first exhibit. I follow like a puppy behind her.
