from the hospital bills and him not being able to work anymore. I took up stripping to keep shit afloat.”
It’s my turn to reply, but he’s left me speechless and dumbfounded.
“He’s refused his last treatment and only has days left to live. I work construction during the day and on the weekends, well you saw it.”
His words grow pained as he speaks each one of them. I try to help guide the conversation. “Where are your parents?”
“The state pen serving life sentences for murder.”
Well, I will just keep my mouth shut from now on. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. If they’d raised me I’d be in a cell of my own. I had Rhett and my grandpa growing up. It was perfect.”
“But now he won’t get any more treatment?”
He shakes his head in defeat. “The treatment may have bought him at most another year, but it kills his body. Fuck, it’s already destroyed his spirit.”
Reaching over the booth, I grab his hand and drag it to the center, cupping it in both of mine. “So, you’ve had all of this on your chest?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “The reason I don’t date.”
“I don’t get why that would be the reason.”
We both remain silent as the waitress sets down our drinks, but I don’t let go of his hand.
“I’ve been one hundred percent focused on making money and keeping the small farm.”
“Your grandpa is a farmer?”
“No, it’s just his love. He was actually a long haul truck driver. Rhett’s family helped out a lot when I was younger and then our high school years well, we turned that house into a club when he was out on the road.”
“Ha, real hard to imagine that.”
“My grandpa thought I’d been dealing drugs.”
“Why?” I squeeze his hand a bit tighter hoping like he doesn’t shy up on me.
“Late nights. Drugs were the main reason that got my parents locked up. Killed for drug money. Was just supposed to be a robbery, but went bad. I couldn’t have my grandpa thinking I was mixed up in the same shit.”
“So you told him you’re a stripper.” I waggle my eyebrows to lighten the mood.
“Yeah,” he chuckles. “He told me to stop and to start living my life.”
He picks up his longneck and takes a long drink of the beer.
“That’s why I texted you, Ava.”
“To ask me on a date?”
“I do believe you asked me out.”
An over exuberant smile spreads across my face. “I’ll take it and I hope you take your grandpa’s advice because I’d love to ask you out on another date.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“Asshole.” I swat his hand and scoot back, letting the waitress place our plates in front of us.
“I do have a manwhore rep to live up to.”
“Holy shit! Now this is a burger.” Both of our plates are over-flowing with a bun the size of Texas, oozing cheese with a sunny side up egg placed on top of the burger.
My stomach growls, reminding me just how hungry I am. Zane wastes no time picking his up and taking huge bites out of it. I follow suit. If I die from the burger and shady establishment I’m in, I’ll die a happy and satisfied girl.
His burger vanishes in a matter of seconds as do his fries. There’s no keeping up with him and I’m pretty sure I’ve moaned out loud a couple of times while enjoying the taste.
“What about you? Since you now know the fucked-up history behind me.”
“Me?” I ask around a bite of burger.
“Yeah, you.”
My willpower has disappeared and I take two bites before answering him.
I slide my plate in his direction. “Well, you pegged me correctly. The rich girl in town for the summer living off her parents’ dollar.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“There’s more to you, Ava. I’m sure of that.”
The last droplets of Mountain Dew wash down before I respond. “Well, my daddy is the great US Senator of Tennessee. My mother is a walking and talking campaign for him. And they have one child. I’m pretty sure they only had me to
It’s my turn to reply, but he’s left me speechless and dumbfounded.
“He’s refused his last treatment and only has days left to live. I work construction during the day and on the weekends, well you saw it.”
His words grow pained as he speaks each one of them. I try to help guide the conversation. “Where are your parents?”
“The state pen serving life sentences for murder.”
Well, I will just keep my mouth shut from now on. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. If they’d raised me I’d be in a cell of my own. I had Rhett and my grandpa growing up. It was perfect.”
“But now he won’t get any more treatment?”
He shakes his head in defeat. “The treatment may have bought him at most another year, but it kills his body. Fuck, it’s already destroyed his spirit.”
Reaching over the booth, I grab his hand and drag it to the center, cupping it in both of mine. “So, you’ve had all of this on your chest?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “The reason I don’t date.”
“I don’t get why that would be the reason.”
We both remain silent as the waitress sets down our drinks, but I don’t let go of his hand.
“I’ve been one hundred percent focused on making money and keeping the small farm.”
“Your grandpa is a farmer?”
“No, it’s just his love. He was actually a long haul truck driver. Rhett’s family helped out a lot when I was younger and then our high school years well, we turned that house into a club when he was out on the road.”
“Ha, real hard to imagine that.”
“My grandpa thought I’d been dealing drugs.”
“Why?” I squeeze his hand a bit tighter hoping like he doesn’t shy up on me.
“Late nights. Drugs were the main reason that got my parents locked up. Killed for drug money. Was just supposed to be a robbery, but went bad. I couldn’t have my grandpa thinking I was mixed up in the same shit.”
“So you told him you’re a stripper.” I waggle my eyebrows to lighten the mood.
“Yeah,” he chuckles. “He told me to stop and to start living my life.”
He picks up his longneck and takes a long drink of the beer.
“That’s why I texted you, Ava.”
“To ask me on a date?”
“I do believe you asked me out.”
An over exuberant smile spreads across my face. “I’ll take it and I hope you take your grandpa’s advice because I’d love to ask you out on another date.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“Asshole.” I swat his hand and scoot back, letting the waitress place our plates in front of us.
“I do have a manwhore rep to live up to.”
“Holy shit! Now this is a burger.” Both of our plates are over-flowing with a bun the size of Texas, oozing cheese with a sunny side up egg placed on top of the burger.
My stomach growls, reminding me just how hungry I am. Zane wastes no time picking his up and taking huge bites out of it. I follow suit. If I die from the burger and shady establishment I’m in, I’ll die a happy and satisfied girl.
His burger vanishes in a matter of seconds as do his fries. There’s no keeping up with him and I’m pretty sure I’ve moaned out loud a couple of times while enjoying the taste.
“What about you? Since you now know the fucked-up history behind me.”
“Me?” I ask around a bite of burger.
“Yeah, you.”
My willpower has disappeared and I take two bites before answering him.
I slide my plate in his direction. “Well, you pegged me correctly. The rich girl in town for the summer living off her parents’ dollar.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“There’s more to you, Ava. I’m sure of that.”
The last droplets of Mountain Dew wash down before I respond. “Well, my daddy is the great US Senator of Tennessee. My mother is a walking and talking campaign for him. And they have one child. I’m pretty sure they only had me to
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