For Life

11. The do-over

Austin Silver POV

After Rose got all she needed from the shop, I finally let go of her small hand and told her I'd be right back as we wait in line.

She's been quiet since she told me why we were here and now I feel like a dick, so I'm buying her some shit from the sweet aisle, I have no fucking clue what she likes or doesn't like so I just bought one of each and dropped it into the basket. 

I'm hoping this makes her look at me without being embarrassed.

I might have crossed her boundaries more than once today and I don't fucking know why I did hold her hand and keep holding onto it, just felt nice so I didn't let go, she didn't seem to mind that much since she didn't let go either.

Fuck it, I'm interested in her, and no denying or hiding it.

After shoving everything in the basket I head back to Rose who still stands in the line and thankfully we are next to pay. I go to stand beside her and she looks at all the shit in the basket with a slight smile on her face.

As a young boy behind the register begins to scan our stuff I notice a car outside across the parking lot that I had noticed outside the school, I keep my eyes focused on the car as I grab my wallet from my pocket and pay the boy whose eyes haven't left Rose's face.

"Oh I can pay, really it's no problem Austin.." Rose says and I shake it off and scan my card.

I pull my eyes off from the black vehicle and look down at Rose with a smile. "I got it babe." I say with a smirk then lean down to her ear.

"Play along." I whisper.

I pull back and then look at the young boy with a wink as I collect our bags with one hand and hold onto Rose's hand with the other as I walk us outside the entrance of the shop.

"What was that all about?" She asks shyly, her eyes focus on our hands.

My eyes shift from hers to the car, the black car start up and drive off down the street until I can't see it anymore, now I'm for sure whoever it was, was following us since we left the school.

I let go of her hand. "I saw how uneasy the kid was making you so I made him back off." 

She nods her head slowly and moves a piece of hair behind her ears. "Thanks.. you didn't have to do that, I honestly didn't notice." She says shyly and I laugh.

Of course, she didn't notice, I sure as fuck did though.

"Let's head back, then we can get to know each other better." I say leading the way back to the estate, she follows next to me.

She's quiet around me and I know why, I'm a big strange dude and her boss, she doesn't know me and I've implanted myself in her life and invaded her personal space more than once, not to mention I probably seem scary to her, despite my good looks I am still a bad person, people can pick up on that shit from the get-go.

We make it back without a single word being spoken to one another but it doesn't bother me much, it's nice considering the women I've been with never shut the fuck up, compared to them this is bliss for me.

While Rose puts all the stuff away I got for her I kick off my shoes and remove my cap as I sit down on the chair outside beside the pool, it's quiet out here, the garden was the main reason I bought this property while I was in prison, something about it just stood out to me so I bought it.

Times like this I used to hate the silence, it always brought back too many shit memories from my childhood and troubled youth, but now it's different, I feel lighter about shit, I can really just sit here and enjoy the moment instead of thinking about everything that stresses me out, like my job description.