He's the guy moms warn their daughters about. Bold, outspoken, and self-confident, Brian O'Brien returns to his hometown only to discover some things changed in his absence.
Brian has a new neighbor - a shy, smart girl Leah, who hates his guts since...
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I sit in front of the mirror in my bedroom with eyeliner in one hand and my phone in the other.
"I think it looks okay. What do you say?"
Annie chuckles. "It's cute how nervous you are. And yes, it looks good. You're a natural. The more you practice, the better the line will get. What are you wearing, by the way?"
"Just some jeans and a sweater. Brian told me to wear something comfortable, and it's not like I have many clothes apart from those, anyway."
"All because of that bitch." Annie groans. "I can't wait for our next meetup to beat her ass."
"She's not worth it. Brian and I talked, and we're okay. If Bella thought we'd break up, she's in for a surprise."
"That's my girl. Okay, you're all good, and I still have to get dressed. You forgot I also have a date."
"Have fun!"
Annie waves goodbye, and we disconnect the call. I put my cell down and glance at my face in the mirror again. My eyes look more expressive with the eyeliner, and the line seems decent for a rookie like me. Seeing that it's already late, I grab my things and go downstairs.
Lucky for me, Mom isn't home. I feel bad for telling her I'm going out with some girls from my class, but I don't have a choice. She hates guys that wear leather jackets and ride bikes, and I know she'll be against me dating Brian.
Until recently, I'd found the idea absurd as well. And now, I feel butterflies every time he looks at me or says my name.
We're different, and what Brian told me could've been enough to scare me off. Instead, his honesty drew me in. He didn't lie to get in my pants and told me it was up to me whether I wanted to be with him. I might get burned, but I like him too much to reject him.
The sight of Brian next to his bike pulls me out of my thoughts. He smiles when he sees me, and I rush toward him after locking the front door.
"Hey, Kitten," Brian says. "Ready to have some fun?"
I smile and nod. Brian hands me a helmet and waits while I climb on his bike and settle behind him.
We leave town and ride for almost an hour. I've never been to the place where we end up.
Brian parks the bike downtown and takes my hand in his as soon as I take off the helmet and smooth my fingers through my hair.
That last thing makes Brian chuckle. "You look pretty, Princess. It's windy, so don't worry so much."
"Thank you," I say.
He draws an arm around my shoulders and kisses my cheek. "I should thank you because you agreed to go out with me. I hope you don't have a curfew."
"Mom doesn't work tonight," I say. "But I told her I was with some classmates."
We stroll along the narrow street with cobblestone pavements and red brick buildings on either side of it. Most of those constructions are hotels and restaurants. Brian halts next to a small cafe and waits for me to follow him inside.
