Page 29 of Between Then and Now
“And?” I press, unable to hide my curiosity. “You think that’s it?”
“I don’t know, Miller. Maybe yes, maybe no,” she admits with another shrug. “I haven’t really given it much thought. Let’s see where it goes.” With that, she stands up again and disappears into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
As I sit there, memories of Bonbon’s dating life flood my mind, and I vividly remember one evening. She was a senior in high school, and I was already immersed in my pre-med studies.We were having dinner at our favorite local restaurant with our friends. Bonbon was excitedly bragging about her date with Patrick. She was so anxious she barely touched her food, claiming he was going to pick her up in fifteen minutes.
Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, Patrick arrived, and Bonbon transformed. She borrowed Emily’s black jacket, let her hair down, and her usually vibrant personality dimmed by several notches. She became quiet and polite, a stark contrast to her usual self. We teased her endlessly about her “alter-ego” whenever she went on dates, and she’d always threaten us if we ever tried to reveal her true, lively nature.
Back then, her dating life was a source of amusement for us, a topic of light-hearted teasing. But now? The thought of Bonbon and John going on a date makes my insides squirm uncomfortably. Maybe it’s just overprotectiveness, a sense of responsibility for bringing her here, or a fear of seeing her get hurt. As her friend, I don’t want anything to jeopardize her happiness. Or perhaps, it’s a pang of jealousy, knowing how hard I struggle with Alexa while Bonbon seems to effortlessly attract attention.
I shrug, trying to shake off the confusing emotions. Whatever this feeling is, I know one thing for sure: teasing her about it is the last thing I want to do.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Bonita
Puppy is slowly becoming a beloved resident at the inn. Everyone is growing accustomed to him, offering affectionate pats whenever they see him. After a gentle pat from Dr. Fernandez, Puppy trots back to nestle under the bench where I am sitting, waiting for Ryan to finish his shift.
Today is our practice date. After capturing enough footage for my documentary, I take a refreshing shower and change into a short white floral skirt paired with a purple top. I complete the look with a little headscarf and apply some makeup. I'm not entirely sure why I suggested this practice date, but now that I'm here, I decide to make the most of it and genuinely help Ryan.
As I wait, I can't help but think about him. Maybe I'm starting to find him a bit cute and adorable at times, but it's nothing I can't shake off.
It isn’t easy to shake off, though, because when Ryan shows up, my breath hitches. He’s traded his usual khakis and button-downs for denim jeans and a plain white shirt that accentuates his broad (has it always been this broad?) shoulders. He has on sunglasses, and his hair is slightly tousled, with a few strands falling on his forehead. Overall, it gives him a relaxed, effortlessly cool aura going on. He approaches me with a confident smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. The change in his appearance catches me off guard, but it’s nothing I can't handle.
“Hey,” Ryan says as he stands beside me.
“Took you long enough.” I stand up and look at him.
“I’m sorry if I showered before showing up here.” He chuckles and stops to look at me. “You look stunning, by theway.” He smiles warmly and he makes a motion with his index finger to point at me from head to toe.
“You’re not too shabby yourself, Miller. I like this look on you,” I admit.
He smirks and then says, “Let’s go, Bonita. The night is young.” He reaches for my hand, and I instinctively take it. I feel a sudden jolt in my nerves as our palms touch, and I feel his soft hands under mine. I brush it off as a reaction to the cool wind blowing as we step outside.
He nudges my arm as we completely walk out of the inn and toward the parking lot. The others are nowhere to be found, probably busy with their own after-work activities. Not that there’s much to do here, but they’re probably trying out some water sports and just chilling at the beach. Some go all out and even continue going house to house to check on other patients.
Ryan goes straight to the car he rented earlier and opens the door for me. “After you.”
“Why, thank you.” I smile and make my way to the passenger seat. Once we’re both inside, I say, “This is a silver Volvo.”
“Yeah, and?” Ryan glances at me with his eyebrows raised.
“Edward Cullen owns a silver Volvo.”
“Oh please, not this again.” He groans, but he smiles anyway.
“I’m sorry but you brought this onto yourself,” I say as I adjust the seat. “Anyhoo, do you have a plan for this date, Ry?”
He nods immediately. “Yes. But before anything else, I just want to say something,” he says.
“What is it?”
“You’re about to go on the best date of your life. I just wanna remind you that we’re, you know, strictly just friends,” he gives me a playful look. “So, keep those feelings in check, okay?”
I snort, rolling my eyes. “Too late for that, I’m already planning a sunset proposal. In fact, I’ve already chosen our wedding destination and named our babies.” I say it as a joke, but I feel a twist in my stomach at the words.
“Well, in that case, let’s just skip this date and go look for a house with a porch where we can grow old together,” he says, “you know, just to save time.”
I laugh, trying to mask the flutter of whatever this is. “As long as you build a swing on that porch so our grandchildren will visit us on holidays.”
