Chasing Football Dreams (Diner Girl #2)

Chapter Seven

I gave a long, over-enthusiastic exhausted sigh after I finished wiping down all the tables. Duncan left a few minutes after lunch to get something, not wanting to tell me what this secret something was but promised to be back to pick me up since we were going to his place instead of his parents.

I flopped onto a seat and dropped my head back against the window—my eyes hitting the roof as the memories I worked on to suppress, resurfaced. How does a person who was kidnapped come to terms with the truth? How do I conceal the hate for what was done to me—how unfair it was of them to pluck me away from my parents and shove me into an orphanage? A place where I was bullied, fought for a dry piece of bread, and watched rich people walk over me as if they flicked a bug from their sleeve.

I wanted to feel sorry for myself and say it was unfair. God, I pry myself away from falling into the hole filled with dark thoughts.

Suddenly my love for my dream faded and the hope of the people I treated like family and loved beaten me to my knees.

The thought of other kids sitting in my position tore my heart out.

My thoughts dissolved when out of the corner of my eye, I caught the jerk guy who couldn’t be satisfied with one girl, coming up to me. I pushed to my feet not wanting to be cornered by him.

His date left a few minutes ago and I didn’t want to think about what Duncan mentioned. He can’t seriously have a crush on me. That would be insane and plain awkward. And I don’t do well with awkwardness.

“Can I just have the bill?” He asked smiling and standing way too close for my liking.

Oh, Duncan. Where the hell were you? By the time he comes back from wherever he is. I will be having this guy lights out on the floor if he so much makes a move.

I gave a breath of relief when I separated us when I darted behind the counter to print out his bill.

“I haven’t seen you around lately,” He was now leaning with his upper body on the counter, smiling at me and giving me weird vibes that he was trying to flirt.

“Yup, been busy,” I tried to keep it professional and did my best to make it clear I had no intention of becoming one of his girls.

How could he have missed the 6,3 ft, broad-shoulder, and muscular man kissing me?

I handed him his bill and watched him not even take a look if I made a mistake when he held the cash out to me, midair. I was contemplating if I should take the money from his grasp but I didn’t want to have him in here longer than necessary.

I pinched the money when he tightened his hold on the cash. “Are you free, on Friday?”

I almost threw up in my mouth. Fuckknuckles. “No, sorry. I’ve got a game,”

“We can always go somewhere afterward or you can invite me to your game,”

I stared at him with disgust. How can those girls find him attractive? I tried to stay composed when he still didn’t let go of the cash.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,”

I looked at the door when it jiggled and I almost sighed in relief when Xander entered the Diner. “Hey, Zo! Duncan asked me to pick you up. He is stuck somewhere and didn’t want you walking,”

The guy finally let go of his cash and I rang up his bill, handing his change back over which he rejected and muttered that I could keep the change. He held his head low as he walked out and I noticed the way Xander was looking at him as he passed him.

“What did I miss?”

“More like came to my rescue,”

He frowned. “Did he do something?”

“I think if you came in two minutes later, he might have or I might have,”

His furrowed eyes followed me as I gathered my belongings and walked out from behind the counter. “Is he dangerous?”

“No, he is just some Gigolo who by the looks has the hots for me,” I hated that Duncan is observant and that I was blind to it.

Xander smiled. “Oh, is that him ,”

I wasn’t even surprised that Duncan told him. They were like brothers after all.

Xander followed me with his laid-back strides out of the diner and came to a halt on the sidewalk when Duncan’s Merc SUV pulled up. My tummy broke out in thousands of butterflies when he climbed out and reminded me why I’d fallen so hard in love with him. His confidence and big strides should be almost intimidating for any man who dares come too close to me.

Xander shook his hand and Duncan removed his sunglasses, placing them on my head before finding my lips.

“Thanks for getting Zoey,” He thanked Xander, completely unaware of making my hormones skyrocket.

“Yeah, I was around and it seems like she is tough enough to take care of herself,” He said with a wink that caught Duncan’s attention.

By now I was already running over to his SUV and getting in the passenger seat, not wanting to repeat what happened two minutes ago.

He followed with Xander following.

Duncan said nothing as he slipped into his seat with Xander sitting in the back. I wanted to hand him back his sunglasses but instead, he wrapped his hand around mine and rested our interlaced hands on his lap.

I looked out the window to hide my blush and let them talk about the upcoming games and how Ivy was improving. Duncan dropped Xander off at his parent’s house on our way over to his house.

“Why haven’t you told them about your place?” I asked.

“I have,”

“Then why only invite me over?”

“Because I want to spend time with you and they will be over at my place tomorrow night,”

I hopped out when we arrived at his place and followed him inside. The place was starting to look like a home with the new furniture he got and I was almost tempted to stretch out on his new couches.

My feet halted when I entered the kitchen and found a wrapped box on the counter. “What’s this?” I asked.

“Your birthday present,”

I looked at him. “But you already got me the jacket,” I reminded him.

He shrugged. “I only received this earlier today,”

“Is that why you had to leave?”

He nodded and gestured for me to open.

I pulled the wrapping off and opened the box to find the first edition copy of Pride and Prejudice. “Duncan? How in the hell did you get this?” I was almost too scared to pick it up—afraid I would ruin it.

“My mother knows some people and I got her to make a few calls,”

“Duncan, you really don’t have to do all of this for me,” I was barely able to save up some cash for his upcoming birthday and here he was spoiling me.

“You deserve everything and I can give it to you,” He laid his hands on my shoulder, planting a kiss on my head. “There is one more thing,” He held a smaller box out to me.

“It’s a phone,” I noted.

“I know you are comfortable with your old phone but I would be more at peace to know that I will be able to know where you are if something must happen,”

I turned around to face him. “What are you saying?”

“Call it my intuition but after this whole Kelly thing and we not knowing who she spoke to about coming to fix their mistake. I need to know you are safe. I know you don’t like to be held prisoner and forced to live in fear but I can’t let some man roam the streets, stalking you. We don’t know what he is capable of or what his intention is,”

He held up his phone. “I can trace your location on my phone and vice versa. It’s not my intention to keep an eye on you when you go out or work. It’s just for emergencies,”

I got his fear but even though I didn’t speak about it. I felt the same.

“Thank you,” I slid my arms around his waist and dug my face into his chest. “For everything. Getting my favorite book. Bought me the same jacket. Taking care of my needs. I don’t know where to begin to show you how grateful I am,”

I haven’t felt this safe in what almost feels like forever. His love for me was honest and filled with so much care that I had to look twice in the mirror to acknowledge this was not a dream.

I believed that I would forever be seen as an orphan and my life forward would not be blessed with any kindness but how wrong I was. Meeting Duncan over spilt coffee was probably the best way fate could have mingled in. It brought me close to a man who made me see my worth by pushing me to chase my dreams. He was the wind underneath my wings and I only wish I could do as much as what he is doing for me in return one day.