AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lincoln
Iopened her car door and she saw the present I had left on the seat for her. Her eyes lit up as she started tearing it open before I even got into the driver’s seat. Her mouth dropped when she saw it was one of the music books she wanted from the bookshop.
“I was going to get you flowers, but I thought this would be better.”
“It is,” she whispered.
I don’t think she meant to say it out loud. She rubbed the cover and looked almost speechless. Her eyes were becoming misted. “Link, this is beautiful; thank you! How did you know I wanted this? This is a special edition, and I couldn’t afford it, so I put it on hold. You have to let me pay you back; this is way too much.”
I looked at her with an endearing smile. “Absolutely not. It’s a gift, and you will accept it. I pay attention when you talk; that’s how I knew.”
She gave me a knowing look. “You are a horrible liar,” she laughed.
She knows me too well already. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, maybe I asked Dan for some help.”
She gave me the cutest smile and grasped the book against her chest like she was holding onto it for dear life. She bit her lip and shook her head like she was in disbelief. We put on our seat belts, and I started driving. I kept stealing glances at her, and I knew she caught me because the pink of her cheeks had deepened to a crimson as we drove. I really liked knowing I did that to her.
Nashville isn’t too far away, so I planned a special date at one of the restaurants there. They have this really unique outside area where you can bring blankets and listen to live music. They have a ton of those tall outside heaters, thank God, but luckily, it’s in the fifties again, so it’s not super cold. Elijah’s band is one of four acts playing there tonight, so I knew the mix of music would be good.
“Hey, you never told me where we are going?” she asked. She sounded so adorable and unsure. I remember her sharing her love of schedules and having to know everything going on during the first dinner we had together. I teased her about it.
I didn’t look at her when I answered, “It’s a surprise, but I know you’ll love it.”
I was trying to seem more confident than I felt. I reached for Aubrey’s hand and placed our joined hands on her lap.
I caught her smile in the reflection as she looked out the window. “I’m sure I will love it too.”
Her fingers fit into mine like a glove; I noticed it last night when we were walking home. Holding her hand makes me feel good. I’ve never felt this safe with someone, especially a woman. The one woman who was supposed to love me unconditionally threw me away like trash so she could get high. What did I do as I got older? I built up a wall so high. I used my looks and confidence to keep people just far enough away so that no one would ever hurt me again.
It’s something I’ve never really gotten over, even though I remember nothing about her from back then. The one thing I do remember is feeling lost for a long time. Maybe getting placed with Mom and Pops was for a greater purpose. I’m not usually into that “everything happens for a reason” or “meant to be” bullshit, but this situation has me wondering. Maybe there was a reason we never went through with the adoption…Maybe it was her.
AUBREY
We pulled up to a beautiful restaurant. The parking lot seemed relatively empty for the amount of music playing and all the talking I heard, but from what I’d gathered, that was typical around here. People walk everywhere, enjoying the music on the streets instead of driving. I heard that bars around here were always full of life with loud country music playing. I was in heaven. He took me through the restaurant to the back door. I know I had to have looked confused as hell. He opened the door, and there was a beautiful stage with all kinds of lights flashing. To the left, there was a second bar with several tables in front of it and a few stand-up heaters throughout. People were relaxing on blankets, waiting for the bands to come out.
“Are we here for a picnic?” I asked excitedly. I grabbed his arm and jumped a little.
He chuckled and kissed my hand. “Yeah, I thought you might enjoy it. I had my friend Elijah set it up for me, so we got a good spot.”
This man…he can’t seriously be this perfect. Can he?
“Elijah’s band is playing here tonight, along with a few others. It’s a nice night to be outside. This area is heated, but we can go inside if it gets too cold. Just say the word.”
I pulled his face to mine and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Link, this is perfect.”
He looked me right in the eye. “You’re welcome, Songbird.” He leaned in and gently kissed my forehead right back.
I brushed my fingers over his cheek. “I like the stubble; are you growing it out?”
He looked at me adoringly, “I’m glad you noticed.”
I ruffled his hair with my fingers. “We need to do something about this mop on your head though.” I was joking, but he pulled me in closer.
“Are you offering?” he asked.
“Sure,” I smiled. We walked over to the grassy area and found our blanket. I sat down while Link went to the bar and ordered some appetizers and drinks. He remembered how I liked my margarita which made my heart ache a little, in a good way. It was a simple gesture, but it meant the world to me. Max always had to ask what I wanted to do, eat, drink, everything. He never just did something without me asking or because he remembered. Let’s just say I planned many of my own gifts and surprises. I even planned the majority of our dates.
As the night went on, we chatted with a few of the people around us. I enjoyed the vibe here. His friend’s band was getting ready on stage when they saw us and waved. His friend came over to introduce himself to me, which I thought was sweet.
