by Katie Simms
“I’m sure you can cure his loneliness.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she answered and rolled her eyes. “I meant that he could probably use a friend.”
“You only want to be friends with him? Have you seen him?”
“It’s all I have to offer right now.”
“That is the saddest thing that I have ever heard.”
“Especially because it’s true.”
Jess nodded and stepped away from Henley. She gazed out across the shop, and a small, sad smile ran across her lips. If Dean was in fact as lonely as he looked, she knew exactly how he felt.
Chapter Three
The last time Henley had put this much effort in selecting an outfit, was her senior prom, and that was a very long time ago. Actually, when she thought about it, she didn't take that long to select her dress for that matter. She remembered walking into the dress store, she had walked straight to the reddest dress she saw, and she bought it.
Today though, she had thrown her entire closet out onto her bed, and still wasn't completely satisfied with her results. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to look perfect and grumbled to herself as she pulled on a pair of comfortable light blue jeans and a pink shirt. She brushed her hair and looked at herself in the mirror.
“This will just have to do,” she sighed and left her apartment.
When Dean had called her, she tried to sound as nonchalant as she could, but clearly failed rather miserably. After a while, he even started to splutter around words that didn't make any sense. They had agreed to meet up at a small park close to her house, which made her feel a bit better because if he turned out to be a psychopath, she could just run away screaming for help. Hopefully, someone would help her.
Once at the park, she walked along the path running through the length of the park and spotted Dean sitting on a wooden bench, looking a bit frazzled.
A smile ran across her lips as she approached him, and he glanced up.
“Hey.”
“And why are you sitting here all by yourself?” she asked him.
“Oh, I’m waiting for this really beautiful woman to arrive.”
“Right.”
“I’m glad you came.”
She smiled at him and joined him on the bench. She bit her bottom lip briefly and turned to him. “Listen, I want to be honest with you right now. I’m not looking for a relationship, okay. We can be friends because that is all that I can offer you right now.”
He looked at her intently, as if hanging on every word she said.
“Is that okay with you?”
“Sure”
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to be clear right off the bat. I didn't want to give you false hope or anything.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I just liked the way you smiled, and when you talked to me, you didn't eye me with judgment.”
“Do you get that a lot?”
“Yes.”
“Because of your tattoos?”
“Yes.”
“I kind of like them,” she said and glanced down at his arm. “Are they all important, or is that a stupid question?”
“They’re all important, yeah. They all represent parts of my life. Some that I am proud of, and some not so much, but that’s the point of life, right?”
“Every event makes you who you are today.”
“Exactly,” he answered. “Do you have any?”
“Tattoos?” she asked and he nodded. “No, I’ve never really found something that I liked so much that I wanted it permanently etched on my body.”
“It’s not for everyone,” Dean shrugged.
“So what do you do, except go into coffee shops and pick up women?”
“That’s never happened before, trust me.”
“Really?”
“I swear.”
“Okay,” she answered with a chuckle.
“I’m an electrician.”
“Wow. I’m shocked,” she answered with a grin.
He let out a chuckled and looked at her.
“I’ve always been good at it and it pays the bills,” he answered. “What about you? Do you enjoy working at the coffee shop?”
“I do. I get to meet interesting people,” she said with a smile and motioned to him.
He chuckled and nodded at her. “Are you from around here?” he asked.
“I was born here, and went to school here as well, but I spent a few years in Sacramento, working. I guess I just needed a change of scenery.”
“We tend to need that sometimes.”
“Are you from here?”
“Lived here all my life.”
“Strange, because I’ve never seen you at the shop before.”
“I don't normally go to places like that.”
“Places like that?”
“Yeah,” he shrugged.
She frowned slightly and remember the glances that Dean got from the patrons inside the shop. “I get it, but you shouldn't let people get you down. They don’t know you, or who you are, or how hard you’ve worked to be where you are right now.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“You’re welcome.”
His jaw clenched and he glanced at her. “I have a kid.”
“What?”
“I have a daughter.”
“Okay.”
“She’s five. Her birthday is in two weeks.”
“Is that supposed to bother me?”
“Does it not?”
“No,” she answered. “Is she with her mom?”
“Yeah, we went through a pretty messy divorce.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not. We were really incompatible.”
“So how did you end up getting married?”
“I've asked myself that question every day for the last six years.”
“Again, I’m really sorry.”
“That's okay. It's not your fault. We were just too different," he shrugged.
“So do you at least get to see your daughter?”
“Claire has full custody, but I get to see her every week. We went to the beach a few days ago, and she loved it.”
Henley smiled sadly, her heart aching on behalf of his. It must be horrible to only see his child once a week.
“She’s a real outdoorsy kid, like me.”
“It’s nice that you get to share that with your daughter.”
“It is,” he answered and looked at her.
“So what exactly do you like?”
“Well, fishing, camping. Building sandcastles with Cora.”
“That’s a beautiful name.”
“It suits her.”
“I bet it does.”
“So, yeah. Anyway, anything to do with the outdoors.”
“I’m not one hundred percent outdoorsy, but I don’t mind playing in the mud, you know. I’m not one of those women who squirm away from dirt.”
“Great,”
“Except spiders, and snakes. When it comes to those two things, I’m a typical screaming woman.”
Dean burst out laughing and Henley just looked at him.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn't be laughing.”
“No, it’s okay. I would laugh too.”
“Thanks for meeting me here. I know I may have possibly come on a little strong, but...”
“You don’t have to explain.”
“Actually I do,” he said and looked at her with a serious expression.
“Okay.”
“I don't go around asking women for their numbers. You were the first one.”
“I bet you say that to all the women you take here.”
“I don't, honestly.”
“I feel flattered. Thank you.”
“And when I keep saying that you’re beautiful, I really mean it.”
“I appreciate your sincerity, Dean.”
Dean smiled at her and glanced out into the distance.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“Sure,” he
answered.
“I know this great place at the harbor.”
“Jolly Roger?”
“You know it?
“Of course I do. that’s only the best seafood place in Oceanside.”
“I completely agree.”
***
Dean glanced over at Henley and watched as she wiped her mouth with a paper napkin.
“That was so good,” she sighed.
“You can always count on Jolly Roger’s.”
She smiled and glanced out at the ocean. “I missed this place.”
“Oceanside?” he asked and she nodded. “Why’d you leave?”
“I felt like a change, and I got an amazing business opportunity there.”
“Which was?”
Her facial expression changed and she frowned.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to pry.”
“It’s okay, actually.”
“You don't have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“I haven't talked about this to anyone, actually, which I feel is a bit unhealthy.”
“Only if you want to,”
“I feel comfortable with you, so...”
“That is a huge compliment.”
Henley smiled and just as she was about to start talking, his phone rang.
“I am so sorry,” he said as he glanced at the screen. It was Claire.
“It’s no problem.”
Dean sighed and answered his phone. “Claire.”
“Good of you to answer.”
“What do you want?” he asked, trying to sound as nice as possible.
“Have you ordered the cake yet?”
“I was just about to. I’m just having lunch with a friend.”
“Just don’t forget, because you’re going to have one disappointed little girl if you do forget.”
“I won’t, I swear.”
“Yeah, because we all know you’re a man of your word.”
Dean sighed and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. He didn't have the strength to fight or argue with Claire. He had been doing that for too long.
“Is there anything else?”
“No.”
“Send my love to Cora.”
“Bye, Dean.”
Dean lowered his phone and stared at it for a few seconds.
“Is everything okay?” Henley asked and he looked at her.
“Yeah, it’s just Claire reminding me of things to do for Cora’s birthday party.”
“That sounds fun.”
“Hardly. It this ridiculous pink princess party.”
“What’s so bad about that?” Henley asked, but then nodded. “Right, Cora isn’t into that.”
“She’s not and I keep telling Claire that, but she doesn't listen. Claire does what she wants, it’s always been that way.”
“Is that why you split up?” she asked, but cringed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, that is none of my business.”
“It’s okay,” he answered. “We came from two different worlds. She comes from a wealthy family, and I don’t. She gets what she wants without asking. Everything I have or had, I worked damn hard to get it.”
“Like most of us. We’re not all born with a silver spoon in our mouths.”
“Exactly. Claire didn't understand that. She tried to change me into being what she expected a husband to be, and it didn't work.”
“That’s unfortunate,” she sighed. “You are allowed to go to the party, right?”
“Yes, I am.”
“That’s a good thing. Cora will appreciate that you were there.”
“I know.”
The waiter stepped up the table and cleared our plates. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Just the bill please,” Dean answered, and the waiter nodded.
Within a few minutes, the waiter returned with the bill and placed it on the table. Henley took out her wallet and Dean glanced at her with a frown.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m paying for my half of lunch. Why?”
“You don’t have to go that.”
“Of course I do. I ate it.”
“You shouldn’t-”
“You’re not going to pay my half.”
“Not even if I offered?”
“No,” she answered confidently and placed a few bills on the table.
Dean smirked at her insistent tone and admired her independence. “Okay, fine.”
After they paid their bill, they left the restaurant and walked back to their cars.
“I have not seen such a bent out of shape Beetle since the nineties. Where on Earth did you get this?”
“Don’t be rude to Betty. She gets me from point A to point B.”
“Sure, but how long does that take?”
She shoved him against his arm playfully and he laughed.
“She’s not as reliable as I hoped she would be, but right now she’s all that I can afford,” she answered and tapped the hood of the car. She looked over at him and smiled. “Thank you for today. I enjoyed it.”
“I’m glad you did because I did too.”
“I’ll see you around then?” she asked.
“Absolutely. Let me know if you get home safely.”
“You don’t trust Betty?”
“Not really,” he cringed.
She chuckled as she climbed into her car. “Don’t worry Betty, haters gonna hate.”
Dean chuckled and waved at her as the car roared to life. “Bye Henley.”
“Bye,” she smiled brightly, gave him a slight wave and drove off.
He dug his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and sighed, watching the Beetle as it disappeared from sight.
Dean spent the entire drive home thinking about Henley. Not only was she beautiful on the outside, but she was beautiful on the inside as well. He detected a bit of sadness in her eyes, but he would never ask her about it. They were only getting to know one another and he didn't want to ask her about things that she wasn't comfortable talking about. Like her business in Sacramento. Even though his phone call interrupted her when she wanted to answer, he noticed her hesitation, and reluctance to do so. Something must have happened that made her give it up and move back, and he didn't want to ask. It was not his place to ask.
He stepped into his house and found it oddly quiet, especially on a Saturday afternoon. Normally Devon and Kyle would be either playing games on their console, shooting each other to smithereens, or they’d be watching the week’s sports recaps. As he hung up his keys against the wall, he noticed Devon and Kyle were outside, chasing each other around like two crazy children. He went out the back door and looked at them.
“Hey,” Kyle said as he spotted him standing by the door. “You’re back.”
“Yeah,” he answered. “What are you guys doing?”
The two lost boys called a halt and Kyle stood holding his back while Devon collapsed into a heavy-breathing heap on the grass.
“Devon bet me twenty bucks that I couldn't tackle him to the ground.”
“Okay.”
“How was your day?”
“It was good.”
“Where were you anyway? We could have used a referee.”
Dean shifted his weight and smiled slightly. “I had lunch with a friend.”
The two men immediately stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
“You had lunch with a friend.”
“Which friend?”
“A new one.”
“What’s your new friend’s name?”
“Henley.”
The two guys exchanged puzzled glances and then looked back at Dean.
“I’ll let you guys get back to your game,” Dean shrugged, trying his hardest to avoid the conversation that was about to start, and headed back inside.
“Hold up, Dean.”
Dean walked through the living area, and into the kitchen, with Kyle and Devon following closely behind him, knowing very well that Kyle and Devon would not just let this go
.
“Where’d you meet this friend?”
Dean looked at them and sighed.
“It’s a girl, isn’t it.”
“Dean met a girl. Who would’ve thought?”
“Is she hot?”
“Slow down, okay. We’re just friends.”
“Right.”
“No, really. She told me she wanted to be friends only, for now.”
“Dean got friend-zoned.”
“That’s brutal.”
“Guys, come on. Be nice.”
“Is she hot though?
“She’s beautiful and smart and funny.”
“She’s too good for you,” Kyle pointed out, and along with Devon, they burst out laughing.
“Seriously, stop kidding around,” Dean said and the laughter died down.
“Dean, listen. I know you’re going through a bit of a patch right now, being newly divorced and all, but-”
“I’m fine, Kyle, but thank you for your concern.”
“Does Claire know about your new friend?”
“No, she doesn't need to know about every aspect of my life anymore.”
“Does she know that?”
“We’re just friends,” Dean said.
“For now.”
“Kyle...”
“So, if she’s a friend, why don’t you invite her over?”
“Does she like football?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Invite her over Monday night.”
“I’ll see if she’s working or not.”
“Great.”
Dean was surprised when his friends left him alone in the kitchen as they headed back outside. He was convinced that there would have been way more questions from them. He was slightly shocked but more relieved that they were so nonchalant about his new friendship with Henley.
Chapter Four
Dean glanced over at Henley sitting on the single couch, laughing at some lame joke Kyle told her. Dean was convinced that she was only laughing because she was trying to be nice, not because it was funny.
He had been pleasantly surprised when he phoned her to invite her to watch football with him and a few of their friends. She didn't even hesitate or make up an excuse why she didn't want to. She just said, “That should be fun.”
He didn't take her for the kind of girl who enjoyed football, but then again, his experience with women wasn't very credible.
Claire was a prime example.
Enough said.
He glanced at the television just in time to see the official waving a yellow flag.