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Chapter 13
A hot shower was exactly what I needed when I got back, and I washed all the hairspray out of my hair and the old makeup from my face that I hadn’t bothered to take off last night. I put on my rattiest sweats and picked up the apartment a little bit before setting up on the couch with a book. The night was still catching up with me because I woke up from an accidental nap to the sound of my phone going off with a new message.
On our flight! Linley sent a smiling picture of herself and Gray on their flight to Paris. I sent back that I wished her a safe trip, to send me lots of pictures, and that I loved her.
I realized what time it was and realized if I was going to feed Alivia, I was going to have to get my act together. I also hadn’t eaten anything since the breakfast in bed many hours earlier.
I got myself dressed in a simple, loose sundress and sandals and drove to the organic grocery store that Esme’s dad, Butch, owned and managed. I rushed through the aisles, making sure to check my phone and Alivia’s recipe to make sure I got the right amount of ingredients. I couldn’t make Alivia an inferior lasagna.
Butch wanted to chat while he scanned my groceries and then bagged them in the reusable bags I’d brought with me, and I tried to be nice, but also give off that I was in a hurry.
He really was a sweet man, and I understood where Esme got her caring for others from. Butch remembered just about anything you’d ever told him, and I had the feeling he did that for all of his regular customers.
I threw the bags on the counter when I got back and rushed to start the lasagna. It wasn’t that it was hard to make, just time-consuming.
Come over in two hoursI sent to Alivia. That was just enough time for me to get everything done.
Looking forward to it :) she sent back.
* * *
I tried not to be too exact about the noodle placement of the lasagna, because it honestly didn’t matter, but I still wanted the food to be perfect.
I’d also got a bag of salad mix and had some cucumbers and tomatoes in the fridge to make a side salad.
I covered the lasagna in foil and blew it a little kiss before shoving it in the oven and hoping for the best.
While it was baking, I went and put a cuter outfit on, then set up the dining table with some candles. I’d also grabbed some of her favorite beer at the store and had that chilling and ready for her.
It felt good to put in some effort to impress her, even though this wasn’t the first time she’d come here.
The top of the lasagna was crisped to perfection just as the buzzer rang for me to let Alivia in. She knocked on the door and I called for her to come in as I pulled the lasagna out of the oven and set it on a rack to cool for a bit before we dug in.
“It smells really good in here,” she said, pulling something out from behind her back.
It was a bouquet of white and pink lilies, and they were gorgeous.
“These are for you,” she said, handing them to me. I made sure there wasn’t any tomato sauce or cheese on my hands before I accepted them from her.
“Thank you so much, they’re beautiful.” I set them down on the counter to find a vase to put them in. I had to reach to the top shelf of the cabinet, and my fingers were just a little bit too short.
“Come on,” I said, using the counter to pull myself up.
“Allow me,” Alivia’s voice said from behind me, and I felt her warmth on my back.
She pulled down the vase and I turned to find her standing extremely close.
“Thank you. I should have you around more often when I need to change lightbulbs or check the smoke detector,” I said with a laugh.
She smiled down at me and I wanted to kiss her so much.
It took me a second to realize that I absolutely could kiss her, so I did.
I kissed her in the kitchen as she wrapped her arms around me and picked me up to sit on the counter.
“Hey,” she said, looking at me.
“Hey,” I said.
