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“Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked. Of course, you don’t wanna go,” she quickly says, then waves it off.
“Gemma, I’ll join you,” I quickly tell her. “Might be good for Noah to see what his life can potentially be like after, and perhaps it’ll give him some hope.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. If you don’t think he’d mind.” Based on what Katie said, Noah hasn’t wanted many visitors, so it may be crossing a line.
“He won’t. I told him about your situation years ago after it happened, and we spoke not too long after you came home. I think you’re right. It’ll give him some peace knowing life isn’t over after prison.”
“Then count me in.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
GEMMA
Spendingtime with Tyler yesterday was amazing, and it felt like old times. We laughed so much, and it took my mind away from reality, which is exactly what I needed. At the end of the night, I walked him outside, and he kissed my cheek. I blushed when he caught me off guard, and nearly stuttered over my words as I told him what time I’d be at his place the next day.
I was dying for him to kiss me, but I fought the urge to make a move. Though we haven’t really talked about what we’re doing or where this is going, it’s obvious we love being around each other. There’s no use denying what we both want.
Rumors and gossip be damned.
I’ve spent the past two years of my life worried about what others thought of me, and I was miserable. I won’t let those concerns run my life anymore. People’s opinions won’t stop me from doing what makes me happy.
After giving myself a pep talk, I drive over to pick up Tyler. When I spoke to my brother last week, he didn’t seem against the idea of Tyler coming with me when I mentioned it. Hopefully, he’s okay with it because I called the prison this morning and added his name to the visitors’ list.
“Good morning,” he says with a smirk as he gets into the car.
“Hey.” He’s dressed in another nice button-up, and I stop trying to imagine how I’d strip that shirt right off him. “Wanna grab coffee first? It’s about an hour away.”
“Sure. Want me to drive?”
“I can since you don’t know how to get there, and then you can drive us back.”
Tyler buckles, then surprises me when he takes my hand. “Deal.” He brings it to his lips and presses a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “I’ll buy the coffee since we’re taking your car.”
I’m so focused on his mouth that I nearly forget where we are. Sighing, I put the car in reverse, then drive us to the Coffee Palace, a newer hip cafe that opened last summer. They serve fun theme drinks, and I can’t wait for Tyler to try it.
“Happy Sunday!” Marjorie exclaims the moment we enter. She has her hair parted and put up into two messy buns that look adorable.
“Hey!” I reply, and when my hand brushes Tyler’s, he grabs it and interlocks our fingers. I try to hold back how giddy I am, but when I glance at him, I can’t stop the stupid smile that fills my face.
We step up to the counter and browse the menu. “Y’all gotta try one of my new seasonal lattes for fall!”
“Ooh, which ones?” I ask, excited. I love all the tasty drinks she creates.
“Pumpkin cream, apple butter spice, and harvest caramel.”
“I literally can’t imagine what those would taste like,” Tyler blurts out, and I giggle.
“Oh, darling, you can’t go wrong with any of them.Trust me,” Marjorie gloats.
I snort at Tyler’s wide-eyed expression. “Can I just get a regular coffee with cream?”
“What flavor?” she asks, typing on her cashier’s screen.
“Just black.”
“There are different types,” I explain, then point at the options.
