“Good job, babe,” The pet name slipped from my mouth, but, considering Colton had called me baby multiple times already, I wasn’t going to overanalyze it right now. It felt right to call him that.
“Thanks,” he whispered before pulling back. “They were really awesome about it. I swear my mom can read minds, too. Out of the blue, she just goes, ‘You know, you shouldn’t feel bad about telling us this. I’m getting to know my son better and I always love learning more about you’.”
I chuckled, unsurprised that Ellie would be able to pinpoint the exact words Colton needed to hear. They were more alike than either of them realized.
“See? So easy. You should have no problem telling your brothers now, huh?” I teased, bumping his shoulder with mine, and shooting a wink his way.
He scoffed, “Damn, let me bask in my accomplishment for like, five seconds.” But the way his smile still split his face told me he wasn’t offended by my ribbing.
“You get two seconds, tops.” I smirked before turning to head into the kitchen. “How about some celebratory drinks?”
“Actually,” The tone in Colton’s voice had me looking back at him. “I was thinking maybe we could go out for dinner.”
“Not that I don’t like your cooking!” He rushed to add. “Ijust thought maybe it would be good to have a break and go out once in a while.”
It was no secret I enjoyed cooking, but looking at Colton as he stared back through his lashes made my heart jackhammer in my chest again. There was something in his tone that told me this was more than just a simple request to eat out.
“Sure,” I practically whispered, my mouth suddenly feeling dry.
Colton’s face lit up, sending my heart into an erratic dance inside my chest. When had I ever been this excited over going out with another person? Or as nervous?
There was something about this moment that felt both softer and heavily weighted with expectation at the same time. But, Iwantedto meet it. Whatever Colton wanted from me, I wanted to give. And that realization thrilled me and scared me in equal measure.
Colton reached his hand out to me and as we laced our fingers together, I had two thoughts almost simultaneously.
I wondered if he could tell how sweaty my hands were and I knew that Colton Shaffer would either be the best thing to ever happen to me or the worst heartbreak of my life.
Colton took me to this place about thirty minutes outside of Westwend. It was this old honky-tonk looking barbecue place that supposedly had won awards and had even been featured on Food Network. As we pulled up, the fragrant smoke mingled with the aroma of meat grilling making my mouth water. The place itself looked like a barn that had been converted into a restaurant with a large fire pit in front full of pecan shells, which explained the particular scent in the air. There was a line to get into the building which gave me hope the food would be as good as Colton raved about.
“Best barbecue I’ve ever had—just under my dad’s.” He said the last part quickly and glanced around like he expected his father to burst from the bushes, offended he hadn’t been the top choice. At my laugh, Colton turned back and shot me a wink.
We passed the time chatting as the line slowly inched its way forward. Closer to the front, there was a small bin for menus that allowed us to peruse our options. It seemed like the portions were made family-style and were meant to be shared. Colton pressed in close, resting his arm on my shoulder, while he read over the options and we discussed what to order.
A series of vibrations came from my pocket and I pulled my phone out to check who was calling. Lucy’s blonde curls and a goofy grin on her face filled the screen and I shot Colton a glance.
“Need to answer it?” He asked.
I shook my head, clicking the side button to send her to voicemail. “I’ll call her later.” After sending her a text saying just that, I pocketed my phone again.
When we reached the front, we ordered a brisket plate that came with coleslaw, potato salad, and beans as sides along with a blackberry cobbler to share. Colton requested extra pickles and onions, causing my nose to wrinkle.
“Keep them on the side for him, please.” I said to the teen girl manning this part of the counter.
Colton scoffed like he was offended, “You don’t like pickles?”
I shot him a disgusted look. “No, and I’m considering never kissing you again depending on how many you eat today.”
Beside me, Colton froze, the look on his face a mix of horror and shock. I couldn’t tell if he was worried that I’d outed us in such a classically conservative venue or if he was truly horrified at the idea of us never kissing again. Uncertaintysimmered low in my gut as I considered the position I’d just put us in. Luckily, the counter attendant just giggled.
“I should try threatening my boyfriend with that! I hate pickles, too.”
Her cheerful tone and the light laughter settled some of my apprehension, but it wasn’t till I noticed Colton’s features smoothing over that I relaxed completely. Even still, I gave the girl a tight smile while I quickly paid, grabbing the styrofoam cups for our drinks once the transaction went through. We made our way toward the back of the open concept room to find a place to sit.
All the tables sported the same red gingham plastic cover that was so classic to Texas barbecue joints. It almost looked utilitarian as we made our way down the row lined with identical seating options in silence.
“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” I lamented as we slid into our picnic table.
Colton shook his head, lowering his eyes a bit as he placed the number stand in direct sight line from the aisle.
