Page 5 of Just Keep Driving

“No. Do you bring your girlfriend here?”

A grin creeps across his face, lighting his whole face up. “I don’t have a girlfriend, but I have brought a date or two here.”

I smile back up at him.

Cool. Cool.

“What kind of tacos do you like?” He asks me, still holding on to my hand.

All the plates on the tables around us look delicious.

“What do you recommend?”

“I keep it simple with the carne asada tacos. Squeeze a little lime on them, and...” He brings his hand to his lips and kisses.

I watch how his lips move. They’re so full and pink. A small part of me wonders what they’d feel like on mine.

I blink, forcing myself to focus.

“Sounds good.”

He licks his lips and grins again.

“Champ!” Someone calls from a table near us.

“Aye, Brandon!” Champ uses his free hand to greet Brandon. I can’t believe I’m still holding hands with this man.

“You got anything open tomorrow?”

“Man, you know you gotta use the app. I don’t have my schedule memorized.”

Brandon laughs. “My bad. I know you like to keep the shop in the shop. You out here on a date too. That’s my bad.” Brandon pats his chest.

“Nah, it’s all good man. I’ll see you next time you come in.”

He didn’t correct Brandon about being on a date. This isn’t a date though. I already went on one of those today. And it was very much a one and done type deal.

It’s a nice evening. The sun just set, and some of the heat in the air lifts just enough to not feel oppressive anymore.

We take a step forward as another order gets filled.

Champ lets his eyes roam over my body. “You look really nice in that.”

“Why thank you. It’s nice to be able to show it off a little more.” I’d been saving this jumpsuit for something special, but that something never came up, so I just went ahead and wore it today.

“It deserves to be shown off.”

I look into his eyes. There’s no game in them. No lines. Nothing. He’s just saying what he thinks.

“How long have you been a barber?”

“Legally?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.

I pull back.

“I’m joking. I been cutting hair since I was in middle school. I have two older brothers and one younger. House full of boys, and my oldest brother Andre ran out of time one day before a date to get a haircut. He asked me to edge him up. I did it so well, he stopped going to the barber, and I been cutting ever since. I got my license after high school. I went to barber college while I was in high school. Graduated with a license. Ten years later, here I am.”

A man who knew what he wanted and went after it.