𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐘 (𝟏𝟖+) √

02

ROSE

"Tobias." I tasted the name on my tongue. It felt strange, it felt exhilarating. Something about the way his name sounded brought shivers down my spine.

"Yes?" He questioned. It only then occurred to me that I spoke out loud. Slight blush crept up my cheeks as I cleared my throat.

Thinking of a way to end the awkwardness in the air, I asked the first thing that popped into my mind, "How old are you?"

Louise kicked my leg under the table.

"I'm terribly sorry for my granddaughter's poor manners."

"That's alr—" I cut him off before he could finish.

"I simply asked for his age. I don't see how that's considered bad manners."

Grandma wanted to protest but I didn't allow her. I knew she'd have a lot to say, but I was rather intrigued by the man standing in front of me that I had to start a conversation.

"So, Tobias, what do you do for a living?"

He took a sip of his drink, holding the cup tightly between his fingers. They were long and slender and quite honestly, perfect. I wanted to be that cup so badly.

"Actually, I am a lawyer. I have a small office, but most days I work under my father as a counselor for troubled youth.''

Now, that made me laugh. It was almost bizarre, because that man looked like he would be doing all the unholy and ungodly things to my body if given the chance, yet he was not only the pastor's son, but also worked at a camp for kids that didn't believe in God.

Though, I was eager to learn more, "What does that exactly mean?''

I was flustered. His blue eyes were the color of the sky, they held some sincerity whilst giving me the darkest thoughts. Imagine being looked at with these eyes while doing the nasty.

He licked his bottom lip and I instantly found myself gawking at the action. Pathetic, I knew that much, but I didn't care. If I could paint a perfect man for myself it would most definitely be Tobias.

"I have a small cabin behind my house where the kids would stay for two weeks at a time, multiple times a year. It's located in a remote area in the woods.''

''You, a man that is definitely older than thirty-five, are staying alone with children for weeks in the woods?'' I chuckled, "It sounds like a beginning of a horror movie.''

"Rose!'' Louise gasped, "Apologize, right now!''

Tobias interrupted, "No need. I understand why it might seem that way, however, it is not just me. Since there's no age limit to the children that can be put into the camp, a lot of parents opt to come along. We have a lot of priests, even from the nearby cities coming every day.''

Glancing at Louise, she was most definitely looking at Tobias as if he were God himself. So much admiration and respect was put into her gaze that it honestly made me want to strangle her. If we ignored the fact that she wasn't a good grandmother, from the stories that were told by my aunt, I knew that she was also a terrible mother.

My aunt, Eliana, was the younger of the two sisters and hence, less pressure was put on her. She escaped when she was in her early twenties to go to college and never returned. Louise never met my cousins, and by the looks of it, never will.

My train of thoughts was interrupted by her squeaky voice, "Well, you see, Tobias, my granddaughter over here...'' She began and I immediately groaned. She was about to either embarrass me completely, or exaggerate my situation to make Tobias hate or pity me. I couldn't decide which one was worse.