Page 43 of All I Feel

You awake?

I could’ve easily just given her the choices and got out of bed to get ready for work. But I was scrounging for any additional time I could spend talking to her, even if it was through a text.

Tessa

I am. Though, I’ve been delaying getting out of bed.

And there was a vision I liked a whole lot. It put far too many ideas in my head of what I’d do to delay her getting out of bed if she were in mine or I were in hers.

Let me delay you a bit longer. I’ve come up with some choices for tonight.

Tessa

Oh? You’re giving a girl options. I like it.

One half of my mouth quirked. I could hear her voice in my head with each reply she sent.

Movies. Bowling. Roller skating.

Tessa

Are you serious? You know there’s no decision to be made here.

I figured as much, but I didn’t want to be entirely presumptuous.

Tessa

So, you’re not joking?

Not at all.

Tessa

You’ll really go roller skating with me?

For a moment, I wondered when I’d be able to tell her precisely how much I was willing to do that I normally wouldn’t just to see her smile.

I’ll do anything that’s going to make you happy.

I’d known for years how much Tessa enjoyed roller skating. It was a good thing she and my sister had plenty of other things in common, because Lark wasn’t a fan of the activity. From what I knew, Tessa generally liked to roller skate outside for exercise, but I intended to take her to the skating rink tonight. I thought that’d be a better option for multiple reasons, not the least of which was that I could skate, but I wasn’t an expert like Tessa.

Tessa

Going roller skating with you would make me so happy.

I’ll pick you up after work, then. Roller skating and crappy roller rink food.

I would’ve loved nothing more than to take Tessa out on a real dinner date—something where she could get herself all dolled up—but we weren’t even close to being at that point. It’d be far too much too soon after her breakup. For now, I’d settle for the time alone with her doing something she loved without putting any pressure on her.

Tessa

It sounds lovely, Ace. Can’t wait!

The desire to stay in bed all day, texting her until it was time to go pick her up, was strong. If I sent even one more, I’d wind up completely sidetracked. And since I didn’t want to show up at work late today, I set my phone down and got out of bed.

After getting myself ready, I made my way to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. I was just about to sit down to eat when a knock came at my door.

I hadn’t been expecting anyone, so my mind immediately went to the conversation I’d had with Tessa last night. It was unlikely Phoenix would show up here this morning when he’d be able to see me at work. But it was possible Tessa’s dad might pay me a visit.