Meet Me By The Dock

Chapter 16

I held the flowers out in front of me and watched his face transform from shock to confusion, "Hi." I replied.

"What's this?" He asks taking the flowers from my hands.

"I guess it's to repay you for the lilacs." I shrug. He holds them up to his nose and breathes them in while staring at me with a smile tugging at his lips.

"You didn't have to repay me but," he pauses for a beat too long, "Thank you."

We stare at each other for a moment, not breaking eye contact.

Of course I break it first. I clear my throat and pass him on the steps, "You can leave them on the porch or in my bike." I offer as we walk down my driveway.

"No that's okay, I'll keep them in my truck." He says truck with a deep u and a hard k. It was oddly satisfying, I want to hear him say it again.

That's weird.

I laugh, "Okay, country boy." We cross our yards and head over to his dark blue pick up. This is giving me a serious flashback to when we saw each other for the first time. I can't believe that was only a month ago.

He opens the passenger door for me and I slide in. I watch him walk around the front of his truck and fix his hair in the reflection of the window, then he winks at me when he catches me watching and I laugh.

He slides in next to me and props the flowers on his dashboard, and he twists the key to start up the truck and the engine roars to life. Before he turns into the street he fixes his flowers once more by turning them to make sure they face him.

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"How many cotton candies can one consume before they die?" Matthew asks, watching me curiously as I stuff my face with my third cotton candy for the night.

"Hopefully more than three." I reply. What can I say? I love cotton candy. I get it every time I'm at a fair, or an amusement park, or in this case, a carnival.

He laughs, "Yeah, hopefully." He runs his hand through his hair and something catches his eye and he grabs my free hand and drags me over to a stand.

The milk bottle toss game, to be exact.

"Oh my god," I say with my mouth still full of cotton candy, very ladylike Lilah. But Matthew doesn't seem to care and if he does he doesn't show it. I make sure to swallow before I speak again, "I want it." I'm staring at a giant octopus stuffed animal that is half my size.

"Well I'm sure you don't want me to win it for you," he's right I wouldn't, "so go get it." He hands me a $10 bill and holds my cotton candy.

I slide my phone into my back pocket as I walk up to the vendor, "Five balls please." I say and look back to Matthew who's grinning at me.

"Go get him, champ." He shoots me a thumbs up.

I missed every one.

"Well that thumbs up didn't age well." He walks up beside me.

I frown, "And to think, I mistook myself for an athlete for a moment."

"Tough luck girl," says an old man with scrappy hair and a raspy voice, his shirt stained and so are his hands. I'd prefer to not know with what. He's working the stand, and doesn't look very happy to be here, "Get going." he says.

Matthew already has another $10 in his hand and is slipping his wallet back into his pocket.

Matthew glances behind us, and there's no one there. "But, there's no line." Matthew points out.

"Doesn't matter, get going." grumbles the man.

I want to throw one of the balls at his head so badly.