With a frown on his face, he led her over to the living room couch and pulled her down on his lap. Brushing her hair out of her face, he kissed her brow. “What is it?”
For a moment, Paige almost felt bad for what she was about to tell him. Almost. But she knew it was for the greater good, so she let it rip. “I’m sorry, but I hate those brown loafers you insist on wearing to work.”
Andrew blinked, shooting her a confused stare. “What?”
“I keep wondering why you don’t buy another pair. Do they ever get worn out?” When he didn’t respond she babbled on, “Ugh, I feel so bad. You obviously love those shoes, but gosh, they are hideous. Like you should wear them at a church barbecue or a Motown dinner cruise. You’re too young and too fine to be walking around here looking like someone’s grandpa.” Paige held his face in her hands. “Consider this an intervention.”
He stared at her with wide eyes. Then he laughed. And she let out a sigh of relief, dropping her head to his shoulders and laughing with him. When she pulled back, she had tears streaming down her face. Andrew wiped them away and kissed her gently.
“You had me thinking something was seriously wrong,” he said, a wide smile on his face. “I was bracing myself for some hard truth.”
“I’m sorry. You were putting them on, and I couldn’t take it anymore.”
Chuckling, he traced her bottom lip. “I hope you know,” he said, “those are my good luck shoes.”
She raised a questioning brow. “I have no idea why. They are so old and ugly. When did you buy them? 1999?”
“They’re not old. I just bought a pair last month.”
Paige smacked a hand over her forehead. “Don’t tell me you just keep purchasing the same shoes over and over again? Oh my God, where did you buy them?”
Andrew scratched the back of his head. “Famous Footwear,” he mumbled.
She gaped at him. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “That BOGO sale is the best. I can get two pairs at a time.”
Paige shook her head. “It’s worse than I thought. You need help.”
“My shoes are comfortable.”
“Comfortable and ugly. I need you to do better. I need your shoe game to be great. When we finally walk out in public together?” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You better not have on those shoes.”
“Why don’t you buy me a pair then?”
“You ain’t said nothing but a word.”
He barked out another laugh. “Whatever you do, I don’t like hard soles because they’re too slippery. I like to be prepared to run if I have to.”
“Got it.” She nodded. “I’ll make sure you have fashionable rubber sole shoes. If they even exist,” she added under her breath.
“You got jokes, huh?”
He squeezed her tight and she broke out in a fit of giggles. When she settled down, she ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry. That’s my confession. So what’s yours?”
“I love you. And I’m not sorry.”
Paige held her breath, covering her mouth with her hand. “What?”
“This is my confession.”
“Oh my goodness. Andrew?”
He framed her face in his massive hands. “I can’t think of anything that has ever felt so right to me.”
This time, Paige’s eyes filled with tears of joy. The first tear fell, and he kissed her cheek where it landed. “Drew, you love me?”
“I don’tjustlove you. Paige, I’m so in love with you I can’t even think straight.”
