“I’m fine. I promise. I can handle anything you two can throw at me,” I say, chuckling as I reach over and take her hand in mine. “I just want to make a good impression for you is all.”
“You will. You’re a very impressive man, farm boy.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as she smiles up at me.
“I think I might be the one who’s nervous,” she admits, and I’m quick to pull her into a tight hug. “It feels like forever since I’ve seen her.”
“It’ll be like no time has passed the moment you see each other. You’ll see.”
“I hope so.” She lets out a heavy puff of nervous air then readies herself to get out of the car. I follow.
We’ve been together for a solid month now and with every moment we spend together, our lives and hearts are finding themselves more intertwined. I’ve never felt so close to another human being before, and the fact she’s curvy and gorgeous with a killer sense of humor just adds to that. However, now it’s time for me to meet, not her parents, but her best friend. Getting the tick of approval from the one person Reggie is closest to is important to me. And as much as I’m reassuring her that I’m fine, I’m nervous as hell.
Hand in hand, we walk into the airport and quickly locate the correct terminal. There’s a swarm of people already heading our way from baggage claim, and it doesn’t take long before Reggie points out a redheaded woman with warm-brown eyes and a smile that could light up any room.
“Mariah!”
“Reggie!” Mariah lets out a loud squeal as she runs to hug Reggie, the two of them spinning in circles in the middle of the airport as they laugh and cry over their reunion. It’s a wonderful sight, and I make myself busy fetching Mariah’s luggage while they rejoice in each other.
“You must be Josh,” Mariah says when I return, giving me a tight squeeze not unlike the one she just gave Reggie.She’s definitely a hugger.
“That’s me,” I reply with a smile as I release her and step back.
“Reggie was right, youarea hunk,” she says, glancing at Reggie who rolls her eyes and giggles like a schoolgirl. It’s adorable. “Wonderful to finally meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mariah. Reggie’s told me so much about you.”
“I hope she’s said nothing but good things.”
“Nothing but,” I reply, before putting my arm around Reggie’s shoulders and pulling her close. “She only has kind words for you.”
“Well then, our best friend status remains. Even though I’ve missed you terribly these past months. Saturday brunch just isn’t the same without you.”
“Saturday brunch?” I ask.
“It’s something our friend group has been doing since college,” Reggie explains.
“It’s how we keep apprised of all the gossip,” Mariah adds as we start walking back to the carpark. “You know, who’s dating who; who got a promotion; who got fired. The usual.”
“I see,” I say, gesturing for both women to walk ahead of me through the exit door. “Folks in Cedarwood Valley just go to the diner for that. Missy is like the town herald and will fill anyone in on anythin’ at all. Whether you ask about it or not.”
“That sounds kinda fun,” Mariah says as the three of us locate Reggie’s car and get in.
As we make the long drive back to Cedarwood Valley, I keep my focus on the road while Reggie and Mariah seem to talk non-stop. Despite chatting regularly on the phone, they still have months of catching up to do while also pausing to explain things to me, so I have a little background knowledge. By the time I turn into Reggie’s driveway, I feel like I know more about Mariah and their friend group than I know about myself.
We took all of Reggie’s excess boxes over to the farm for storage so Mariah could use the spare room during her stay. So once we get her situated, we head into the kitchen to prepare some food.
“What do you think of her?” Reggie asks in a hushed whisper. “She’s great, right?”
“She’s great.” I smile and kiss her on the forehead. “You feelin’ calmer now?”
“Yeah. You were right. It is just like old times.”
Changed out of her travel clothes, Mariah joins us in the living room, and over the next few hours, we sit together eating good food, drinking tart wine, and of course, talking. I get my second crash course of the day, this time learning about all things Mariah. She talks of her job as an PR specialist and how she'd love to travel Europe and finance her travels as a lounge singer. She’s quite the character.
“You know, I auditioned for the American Idol once?” she says, holding her glass out while I top up her drink. “Didn’t get past the first round, but at least I didn’t end up being one of those horror stories everyone makes fun of.”
“That’s because you can actually sing,” Reggie says, giving me a nod when I top up her wine too.
