Chapter 3.30
Siobhan
I didn't know why I was so nervous meeting up with Seth. It was not like I liked him in a romantic way at all. I mean yeah, sure, he was gorgeous, but he knew it and that was a huge turn off. I had a strict rule on dating men who were "pretty boys". My first run in with a pretty boy was freshman year of college. I dated a guy who I swore looked like a cross between Dustin Jieber and Sean Hyatt of Fine Lines. It didn't last more than two dates. Every time we'd pass a window, he'd stop to mess with his hair in the reflection.
Gag.
But after spending a little time with Seth, I figured out he wasn't like that. He just knew how to throw his words around and tick me off. But I would give him credit for actually being very friendly and nice to me the whole time I was at his place this morning. And he did me such a gigantic favor that I could never repay...how could I not at least show up? And besides. It sounded fun. I'd always liked going to the spice festival. There were all these different vendors, games, lots of food, and fireworks.
When I saw him standing there waiting on me, something inside me hummed. I hadn't felt like this since I was a wide eyed child the night before Christmas. What did I expect to happen? This was Seth Gallegher. The snarky jerk who liked to give me trouble every time he saw me. The guy who thought he could spear women with the flash of his mesmerising crystal green eyes.
Well, not this woman.
When I reached him, my mouth started doing weird things all on its own. "H-Hey, there."
I didn't know why I was so nervous meeting up with Seth. It was not like I liked him in a romantic way at all. I mean yeah, sure, he was gorgeous, but he knew it and that was a huge turn off. I had a strict rule on dating men who were "pretty boys". My first run in with a pretty boy was freshman year of college. I dated a guy who I swore looked like a cross between Dustin Jieber and Sean Hyatt of Fine Lines. It didn't last more than two dates. Every time we'd pass a window, he'd stop to mess with his hair in the reflection.
Gag.
But after spending a little time with Seth, I figured out he wasn't like that. He just knew how to throw his words around and tick me off. But I would give him credit for actually being very friendly and nice to me the whole time I was at his place this morning. And he did me such a gigantic favor that I could never repay...how could I not at least show up? And besides. It sounded fun. I'd always liked going to the spice festival. There were all these different vendors, games, lots of food, and fireworks.
When I saw him standing there waiting on me, something inside me hummed. I hadn't felt like this since I was a wide eyed child the night before Christmas. What did I expect to happen? This was Seth Gallegher. The snarky jerk who liked to give me trouble every time he saw me. The guy who thought he could spear women with the flash of his mesmerising crystal green eyes.
Well, not this woman.
When I reached him, my mouth started doing weird things all on its own. "H-Hey, there."
Before he could say anything, I went on, "I-I h-hope, I mean...like...that you don't get the wrong impression of me. I don't normally go out with guys who pick me up from a bar and take me home when I'm black out drunk. Heh...s-so, we're just going as friends...to this...um...festival...right?"
He gripped me with those infuriatingly handsome eyes of his, not saying anything. I twisted inside.
Grabbing my hand, he pulled me along, saying, "No, it's a date."
My face caught fire as I stumbled over myself trying to keep up with him. I had to take three steps to just one of his.
"Do you like island cuisine?" he asked. "I think there's a vendor open now."
"Island cuisine? I don't know. l haven't visited the islands much, though I've been to Barnacle Bay, but they served pirate food. Does that count?"
"Pirate food," he said, grimacing. "What's that?"
"Oh, I don't know...if I remember correctly, we ate a bunch of fish and chips with lots of vinegar. My daddy bought me a talking parrot doll, too. The stupid thing wouldn't shut up, so I had to launch it in the ocean off our yacht just to get some sleep."
He smirked. "Remind me never to piss you off or you'll push me overboard."
I laughed. "You do have a knack at making me mad, that's true. So yeah, that would be smart. Make sure you're never around any bodies of water like a lake or a river or a pool..."
"Or a hot tub?" He clipped me with the corner of his eye and my stomach swooned.
God he was good at this.
As we approached the vendor, the man whistled at us and crooned, "Ahh...I see you got a hot sexy woman, brah. You've come to the right place. What you get for her today?"
He ordered us Tanjine. I had no idea what that was, but I was all for trying it out.
This flavorful dish was a mixture of rice, edamame, mango, papaya and pineapple with grilled shrimp on top. So good!
"Do you like it?" Seth asked.
"Yes, very much...do you?"
"I should...it's a recipe from my homeland."
"Your homeland?"
"Yeah, I'm from Pongo. It's a small Pacific island. Lived there most of my life."
He did have a Polynesian look about him. "What made you relocate? Did your parents bring you here when you were young?"
He shook his head. "No....I came over here to go to college and work. My island is very poor. There's not much opportunity for education there, so my folks sent me here."
"Wow...I bet you miss it. Is it gorgeous like Sunlit Tides?"
"Yeah...the most beautiful place on the planet, but I didn't mind leaving. I have three annoying older brothers." He chuckled.
I giggled with him. "I get that. I have two annoying younger brothers...but we're close so...I don't mind being in the same city with them." This reminded me of why we got closer and a pang of sadness swept through me.
Noticing my change in mood, Seth added, "Well, I'm half a world away from my brothers. I'll have to admit, I do miss them. Haven't seen them in five years."
"Five years? Why haven't you visited them?"
He shrugged. "I don't have the money for a plane ticket home. That's why I work all the time."
Chewing on the spicy shrimp, I swallowed and asked, "You said you got an education...in what?"
"Oh...I'm a doctor still in residency. I work at S M General in the E.R."
A doctor. That knocked the breath out of me. I had conflicting emotions about this. My mother and stepfather were doctors. Just living with them alone left a bad taste in my mouth. But that wasn't fair to judge Seth on the likes of them. It showed he was very driven. So different from my initial thoughts of him. "But why do you work as a bartender?" I asked. I knew doctors, even in residence, made a decent living.
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he grinned, sheepishly. "I send most of what I earn back home. And I'm paying off student loans. I'm lucky E lets me live in that fancy apartment for free. He's a trust fund brat."
"Like me?"
"Um....oops?" he said, wincing.
He was cute when he got in trouble. "I'll let it slide...just this once."
After we finished eating, Seth led me toward the horseshoe pits. It was surrounded by adorable stuffed animals you could win. I said, "Aww...we should play. I bet I can beat you and win a prize."
Just then someone came up behind me and honked my nose. "Hel-lo, lovebirds!" Fashionista sang.
"So you finally talked this pretty lady into coming with you, huh, Seth?" He whispered in my ear, "Smart move, honey. I guess you've ascended to a two-night stander."
Laughing, I shoved Fashionista away.
Seth took my hand and pulled me beside him. "Leave her alone, Jayden, before she kicks your sorry ass. You don't want to make her mad. Believe me. Her scary eyes will turn you to ash in an instant."
I squinted at him. "What scary eyes?"
Pointing, he said, "See? You're doing it right now." He shivered, wiggling his huge body. "Terrifying."
I punched his rock hard arm. My God. The guy must constantly work out.
"Listen, kiddies," Fashionista taunted, "the only people that are going to be terrified are you two after E and I wipe your bodies off the floor from our slam dunk at horseshoes. I sooooo want that vampire teddy bear with the adorbs red eyes."
"Yeah," Emerett agreed, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend.
Fashionista pointed at us with a menacing smirk. "Oh and E was the horseshoe champ of Apaloosa Plains. You're so going down."
E pumped his arm for effect.
Without a glance at me, Seth raised his fist to signal a knuckle bump. "Want to take 'em, Siobhan?"
"Oh...it's on," I said in a low, menacing voice.
Unfortunately, Seth and I were HORRIBLE at horseshoes.
"Tell your boy to give up, Shiv," Fashionista jeered. "He hasn't even hit the stake once."
I laughed. "I know. For a guy who looks so athletic, he's pretty much a spaz. I'm carrying our team."
"Hey, now," Seth said, closing his eyes in concentration. "Is that any way to talk about your teammate who incidently bought you dinner?"
"Just hit the stake, teammate, and I'll stop talking smack."
In the end, we weren't even close. But Fashionista gave me the stuffed bear. He said it didn't match the dark theme of his apartment. He wanted the vampire bear, but they ran out of those.
"Where to next?" I asked. I couldn't believe how much fun I was having. Seth was beyond great. He was so funny and easy to be around. Plus, I'm not going to lie, he gave me butterflies constantly throughout the night. We had this connection I couldn't describe. I was blown away, surprised by it all.
"Want to get a drink?" he asked me, rubbing my arm. "I mean...of anything. I'm sure you don't want alcohol." He lifted the side of his mouth at me in jest.
"You got that right. I'm good for right now."
We found a bar area that had a fire going and stood around there. It was a romantic spot. Seth wrapped his warm body around me and I snuggled into him. It was nice. Music was playing on the speakers and we all sang along.
The guys got some beer although I passed. But after a while, I began to get thirsty. "Hey, I think I'll walk over to the cafe on the corner of the festival and get some coffee. Do you want anything, Seth?"
"I'll go with you," he said, taking a swig of his beer.
"No, that's alright. I'll only be a minute."
Walking toward the cafe area, my eyes widened in shock as I stopped short. Julien was manning the cafe bar.
Just when I hadn't thought about him all day and was having such a great time, Julien appears. Why couldn't I get away from him?
Seth
Siobhan ran off, but I felt uneasy leaving her by herself, especially since I'd noticed her dumbass ex working at the cafe where she'd decided to get coffee.
"Hey, Siobhan," I called out. "Wait up!"
She had stopped right in front of the festival cafe. Following her gaze, I saw the British bastard giving her a mopey face. I wanted to deck him. I had no clue what he did to her, but she was obviously messed up over him. I'd never seen anyone down drinks in misery like she had last night.
Turning around, she scampered away, not even looking at me. "Hold on! Siobhan, wait!" I cried, chasing after her.
Grabbing her, I whispered, gently, "Hey...are you okay?"
Whipping around, she clung to me tightly, surprising me. I felt her shoulders shake as she cried.
Patting her shoulder, I whispered, "You want to go? I don't mind."
Wiping her eyes, she sniffed and nodded.
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