T-Bone - L. Wilder Page 0,16
looked over to me when I said, “We didn’t get much time to talk.”
“No, we didn’t.”
A smile crept across my face. “Maybe we can rectify that.”
“Oh yeah? What do you have in mind?”
“Well, we could have a drink now, or you could come back one night next week, and I could fix you dinner or something. Let you try out my cooking.”
When he didn’t immediately answer, I thought he was going to turn me down, but then he surprised me by saying, “How about both?”
“Both would be great.” I walked over to the cooler and grabbed a couple of beers, then walked back over to Beckett. As I offered him one, I told him, “Just leave that. I’ll get it in the morning.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Besides, you’ve already gotten most of it.”
Beckett followed me over to the lawn chairs the guys had brought, and we sat down. Like the times before, our conversation came easy. We talked about everything from what he was working on down at the garage to how nervous I was about starting my internship. I found it strange how much I enjoyed being with him, but no matter how strange it might’ve seemed, he had a way of setting my mind at ease and making me feel safe in a way no man ever had. That thought made me want to get to know him a little better.
“Okay ... So, I’ve got a question for you.” I took a sip of my beer and smiled. “Actually, I have a few questions—if you’re up for it.”
“I’m up for it.” He opened his beer and took a drink. “Whatcha got on your mind?”
“Just a couple random questions, but as one friend to another, I’ll warn ya—think before you answer.” Beckett’s brows furrowed as he considered what I said, and I knew I had him. With a big smile, I crossed my legs and leaned towards him. “Are you ready?”
“Bring it, friend.”
“What’s your favorite movie?”
“Seriously?”
“You said you were up for it,” I pushed.
“Well, I’m going to need you to be a little more specific.” He cocked his eyebrow, and I felt a little chill rush down my spine. “Are we talking about a recent movie or an old one? Specific genre or whatever?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
“Well, you told me to think before I answered, sooo ...”
“Touché. Let’s just say your all-time favorite. Any genre. Any timeframe.”
“Okay, then I’d say Rio Bravo.”
“Hmm ... John Wayne. My dad loved his movies. How about your favorite band?”
“That depends. Are we talking about—”
“Beckett,” I fussed.
“Okay. When I’m out riding, it’s Metallica all the way. If not, then I’m pretty much an 80s guy.”
“‘Enter Sandman.’” I smiled.
“So, you know them?”
“A little. Clay used to listen to them when we were growing up.”
He nodded. “‘The Unforgiven’ is one of my favorites, but ‘Enter Sandman’ is a close second.”
“Good to know. And one last question ... How old were you when you got your first kiss?”
“Eleven or twelve.” He shook his head with a snicker. “Damn, that was a really long fucking time ago.”
“You got yourself an early start.” I took a sip of my beer hoping it would help ease the sinking feeling that was growing in the pit of my stomach. “I was fifteen before I had my first kiss, and it wasn’t all that great.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it was just the fact that I didn’t know what I was doing or maybe it was because the guy had braces. Either way, it was pretty terrible.”
“Nothing worse than a mouth full of metal.” He chuckled as he said, “Well, I hope your other firsts weren’t as bad.”
That feeling in the pit of my stomach plummeted, making me regret ever bringing up the “first kiss” question. I’d enjoyed our light-hearted conversation, and the last thing I wanted to do was dampen it by delving any deeper into the firsts conversation. Even though I wasn’t ready for the night to end, I figured it was best to keep things on a light note, so I yawned and stretched. “As much as I’m enjoying this, it’s getting kind of late.”
“Yeah, it is.” Beckett stood and took my empty bottle from my hand, tossing it into the trash. “You need help with anything else before I go?”
“No, thanks. You’ve already done enough.”
He nodded, then paused as he studied me for a moment. I would’ve given anything to know what was going through his head at that moment, but I was left completely in the dark as he