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“It’s been almost two months, and you know what? I’m happy. Happier than I’ve ever been in my life, and I’m not scared to move in with him. I’m excited, and even more so to see what’s in store for us next.”
Realization dawns on me while my sisters all give me goofy grins. I’m in love with Ryan and want to spend the rest of my life with him. So what if it’s fast? So what if it’s scary? Love is scary. Giving your heart to someone is the greatest risk, but if you can overcome that fear, it’s the most rewarding thing ever.
And Ryan is offering me what I’ve always wanted. A life filled with love.
Will it work out? Maybe not. But I’m pushing all of my reservations aside to find out if a life spent with Ryan is as wonderful as I anticipate.
I smile as I glance around at my sisters. Each of them wear their own grins, drinking and laughing at something another one says. These are the moments I’ll always cherish, moments filled with shared laughter and tears. These are my sisters, my best friends.
“So tell us about the bed and breakfast,” Lexi encourages.
“Well, Ryan and I were kinda in bed together when we could hear this other couple going at it hot and heavy on the other side of the wall, and it turns out…”
***
Later that night, after we drank two pitchers of margaritas and consumed a few sample platters of appetizers, Josh arrives to take us all home. It takes two trips to get us all safely to our destinations, but he manages. He even arranges for a friend to help drive our cars.
Lying on my side in bed, the clock on the nightstand reads ten-thirty. As it has all night, my mind continually wanders to a certain tall construction worker with dark brown eyes and a sexy smile. As if he knew I was thinking about him, my cell phone chimes with an incoming text.
Ryan: I know how much you like lists, so here’s my top reasons why you should move in with me.
I think U R the most incredible woman I’ve ever known.
I want to spend the rest of my life proving to u how grateful I am that u chose me.
Because u make me smile & hearing ur laughter is sweet music.
And the most important reason of all…because I love u.
As I finish reading, I see the bubbles appear and know that he’s typing.
Ryan: I see that u’ve read the message. Don’t reply. I want you to wait until you’re ready & the answer is YES.
I smile at his words and picture him lying in bed as he types them.
While I’m on the verge of typing that one word back to him, I know that he’s right and I need to make sure this is what I want beforehand. So instead of replying, I reread his list a few dozen times before setting my phone down on my nightstand and curling up against my pillow. Ryan wants me to move in with him. He has asked, and I will accept. I feel it in my bones, there’s no other option for me.
However, I might just sit on it for a few days and make him squirm.
***
It’s Friday. My last day at Blossoms and Blooms. I’m beyond excited to start my new job on Monday at Addie’s Place, though a twinge of sorrow creeps in every once in a while when I think about not working with Payton every day. I’ve become accustomed to working beside her and now depend on her daily dose of dry humor to get me through. I’m going to miss her face.
I’ve also received nightly text messages from Ryan. He has continued with the same pattern and given me a few more reasons why I should move in with him. Out of all of them, the one that made me laugh the hardest was ‘endless supply of orgasms.’ What girl would turn that down? And, of course, he always ends his messages with ‘Because I love u.’
I’ve kept my word not to reply until I was ready to say yes. Every night, I would actually type that one word–three little letters–but then I would delete them. I didn’t want to tell him via text message. I refuse to be that person like my ex, even if it was good news. Instead, I plan to tell him this weekend. In person.
As I tidy up the workbench for what could be my last time, I feel my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. When I pull it out, I see a certain someone’s name printed boldly across the screen and a smile instantly spreads across my face. His messages have been arriving later in the evening all week, so this mid-afternoon text is a welcome and pleasant surprise.
I slide my finger across the screen until his words are displayed.
Ryan: I need to see you. Can’t wait.Dinner tonight. My place. 7p. Say u’ll come.
My fingers fly over the keys as fast as they can to type out those three little letters.
Me: Yes
Ryan: That’s my new fave word. See u tonight, gorgeous.
