Chapter 17

As we drove through the dark winding roads, the music blasting from the speakers, the windows down, and the breeze blowing through my hair, I felt my worries slowly start to fade.

The sweet scent of blooming flowers and sandy roads filled the air. Only Miami could manage to smell like flowers even at night.

Jason's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, his gaze flicking towards me before returning to the road.

I leaned back in my seat, letting the wind whip through my hair, and closed my eyes, letting the music and the moment wash over me. The stress and anxiety of the past few weeks seemed to melt away. I knew I would eventually have to go back to it but at that very moment, I just felt like I was floating and I relished in it.

Jason's voice cut through the music.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked.

I opened my eyes, smiling lazily, "Yeah, I'm good."

He nodded, his eyes never leaving the road.

"Just making sure. You looked like you were in another world for a second there" he said.

I laughed. The thought was amusing to me. Mostly because, technically, I was.
I mean, I was in another country, for starters and then, I was in a car going to a place I did not know with this man who was supposed to be off-limits. So, yeah, I would say I was pretty much in another world.

"Maybe I was." I responded, my voice barely a whisper, I wondered if he even heard me.

The music changed, and Jason turned up the volume, singing along to the lyrics.

"Well, what do you know? The man sings" I stared and he chuckled as he snuck a glance at me.

"He in fact does. Fun fact, I used to be in a boy band" he said and I laughed, thinking it was just a joke at first, before realizing it wasn't.

"No" I said, in disbelief.

"I wish it wasn't true and to make matters worse, I was the lead singer" he said and I burst into laughter. I just could not imagine the muscular and built man in front of me in a boy band.

"Please, tell me you were at least smaller than this" I said, craning my neck towards him in curiosity.

"Well, yes" he said and I breathed in relief.

"Otherwise, I imagine half the crowd would have scrammed everytime we played," he said and we both burst into laughter.

"Or swooned" I found myself saying. He stopped laughing and I froze as well when I realized what I said, the music being the only sound in the car.
Oh shit. I spoke without thinking again.

"Did you just -" he started but I cut him off.

"No, I didn't mean that" I said, cutting him off. Please don't make a big deal out of it. Please don't, please please please.

"Okay, fine. We can both pretend you did not just call me attractive" he said and I cringed. Hard.

"Tsk, tsk. You're in over your own head, Mr Miller" I stated, refusing to be caught or cornered.

"Only because you find me attractive" he said and I almost groaned.

"I said nothing of the sort" I retorted and he chuckled.

"Of course not, you only used the word 'swoon'" he said, emphasizing on the word 'swoon'. I dug my nails into my palms. This was my fault. My stupid mouth always worked faster than my brain.

"Only because it is a general notion that band members are usually attractive. But you aren't a band member anymore now, are you?" I said. Yes! That was a good comeback.

"Fair point" he said with a shrug, watering down how hot my response was. I almost groaned as he chuckled.

"I mean, I used to be hotter back then" he said and I turned away to hide the smile that crept up my cheeks.

Although I couldn't imagine any possibly hotter version of this man, I got super curious to see what he looked like.

I turned to him again and watched him, mesmerized by the way his eyes sparkled as he sang along, the way his voice blended with the music.

Eventually, Jason turned off the main road, and we wound our way through a series of narrow streets, the houses becoming increasingly quaint and charming. We pulled up at a small, cozy restaurant, the kind of place you'd never find unless you knew where to look.

"Welcome to my favorite spot," Jason said, turning off the engine.

I smiled, as I took in the environment.

"I can see why." I replied.

As we stepped out of the car, the warm glow of the restaurant's lights enveloped us, and the sound of soft music and gentle chatter filled the air.

Jason led me inside, his hand brushing against mine, sending a spark of electricity through me. I pulled my hand back, trying to ignore the sensation.

The restaurant was cozy, with rustic wooden tables and vintage decorations. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, making my stomach growl with hunger. Jason smiled, as my face turned red in embarrassment.

"Well, I guess somebody's hungry. Don't worry, it's a good thing" he teased, and I rolled my eyes exasperatedly.

He led me to a quiet table by the window, and we sat down, the soft cushioning of the chairs enveloping us. Jason perused the menu, his eyes scanning the pages with a practiced ease while I scanned the restaurant.

I felt at peace. Like no one was here to judge us or make me feel bad for hanging out with Bree's father. I pushed my logical reasoning aside.

"Hmm, tell me you like pizza" his voice cut through my thoughts and my eyes snapped to his.

My stomach growled again, although this time, not loud enough.
"Love it" I responded and he smiled.

"Good then, because that's my favorite thing on their menu" he said before he finally called a waitress over and ordered for the both of us.

"So, you come here often, huh?" I asked and he nodded.

"I find it very easy to think when I come here. I've never brought anyone else here before" he said, looking straight into my eyes, and I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach. How was that even possible? I was so close to asking why he brought me but I feared that would arouse some answers I wasn't quite eager to hear. I just opted for smiling in response.

As we waited for our food to arrive, Jason attempted to change the topic.
"Soooo… what do you think of my singing?" he asked and I almost laughed at how random the question was.

I smiled, trying not to show how impressed I was.
"Well… it's- umm, it's not too bad, I guess" I said and he chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Not too bad? That's all I get? Are you trying to pretend that you weren't impressed?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.

I raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Impressed? Please. I've seen better performances at a karaoke bar."

"Oh, that's cold. But I suppose I deserve it after revealing my boy band past." He stared.

I leaned in, my voice taking on a teasing tone. "Hey, someone's got to keep you humble. And besides, I'm still trying to figure out how someone like you ended up in a boy band."

His grin widened.
"Someone like me? What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, leaning in as well.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Just that you don't exactly scream 'boy band material'." I said and I could just see how amused he was.

"Oh, I see. So now you're an expert on boy band aesthetics?"

I smiled sweetly. "Well, I think I have a pretty good eye for it."

"Used to date someone in a boy band?" he asked and I cringed.
The only ex I had was Peter and he sure as hell did not even have enough talent to be in a boy band.

"Nah" I said, as I paused in thought.
Peter could not even play any instrument or even sing for the life of him.
That was fine, it was not for everyone but it was just so extremely easy to see all his flaws now.

"Hmm" Jason hummed in thought, drawing me back to reality. And that was when I realized how close we were. I mean we were sitting on opposite sides but I was leaning on the table and he was doing the same. I swallowed, trying to pretend not to notice the proximity between us.

"Dating someone in a boy band?" He asked and I immediately figured out what he was trying to do.
I smiled, before looking away from him and leaning backwards.
"I'm not dating anyone" I said and if this information made him happy, he did not show it.

My curiosity piqued and I suddenly thought of whether or not he had a girlfriend too. But it sounded all shades of wrong in my head to ask. The air was awkward for some seconds, before I broke the silence again.

"I'm only an expert on boy band related things because I used to listen to a lot of them" I said, going back to our previous conversation.

"Ah, I see" he responded and that was that.

Our food arrived, and we dug in. As if we did not just end our chatting on an awkward note, the conversation flowed easily.

I found myself feeling more and more dangerously at ease with Jason, like I'd known him for years. I knew I shouldn't be doing all that but I couldn't stop.

As we finished our meal, Jason leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed and content. I followed his lead, feeling the warmth of the restaurant and the ease of our conversation.

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the atmosphere. Then, Jason spoke up, his voice low and smooth.
"I'm really glad we did this, Andy." he said and my skin tingled.

I smiled.
"Yeah, me too. It's nice to have some downtime sometimes and just talk." I said.

"Thank you for bringing out here. I feel so much better" I said sincerely.

"Always. We should do it again sometime." he said and I clenched my toes. He said it so casually. And it was crazy because it wasn't meant to be.

I just smiled. Partly because I wasn't sure of what to say to that and also partly because I was not sure I was ever going to let it happen again. I could work with being friends but going out alone and together felt so inappropriate and all I could think about was Bree. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was getting in over my head. Jason was still my roommate's father, after all.

He didn't push it though and I was grateful for that. We chatted for a bit longer before deciding to call it a night.