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“After I threw my fit, I put myself in your shoes. You had every right to not only ask but to assume if I’m being honest. That’s what people have shown you. Trusting that someone isn’t trying to double-cross you has to be hard. Once I understood that, I got over myself and realized I needed to give you another chance.”
“I’m glad you did. After the accident, I was afraid of everything. I didn’t see my making it through as a second chance. I saw it as punishment. It wasn’t until I decided enough was enough that I opened myself up to it. And now, I want to make the most of it.”
“That’s not only brave but good for me.” She grinned, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “If you let me, I’d love to go on this adventure with you. I think we can teach each other a few things.”
I felt at ease with her, better than I’d felt in years and better than I’d felt with any romantic partner. I’d thought about it before, but after spending more time with her, I realized I was definitely falling in love, if not already there. It was more than the sex. So much more. It felt like she’d been a part of me for years, not just days.
When I was done, I felt a tremendous relief. More than I’d ever thought possible. She hadn’t judged me, tried to challenge my feelings, or made me feel insignificant. It was a better reaction than I’d ever hoped for. Who knew moving to the middle of nowhere would get me past the darkest time of my life?
“Thank you for trusting me. It means a lot.”
“Thank you for not walking away.”
23
TARA
“I don’t suppose you want to get some clothes on and eat breakfast?” I asked right as my stomach growled.
“It sounds like we need to eat sooner than later. There’s a place in town with great breakfast, right? Your dad told me about it.”
“Um… talking about either of my parents while naked in bed is a little weird, but yes. Dina’s.”
“That’s fair. Let’s get dressed and get your belly fed.”
A short while later, we were on our way to town, me following him in my car. My head was spinning with everything he’d shared. I’d learned a lot of what he’d said online, obviously not from his point of view. The lack of private life provided to people in the spotlight wasn’t fair. I thought it was interesting he’d taken some of the responsibility. I guessed it made sense, but it certainly wasn’t all his fault. It seemed like he’d been incredibly hard on himself. He wouldn’t be the first person who’d fallen into that trap. I think we all did it at least once or twice. But his blame had lasted an entire decade.
We parked beside each other, just across from Dina’s. I was aware we were close to my parents’ business. My mother hadn’t texted me yet, which was shocking. It had to be killing her, wondering what was going on. He met me on the sidewalk, taking my hand in his. My heart swooned. I was happy he was willing to show a little PDA with me. Kissing at the bonfire the other night didn’t count. This was in daylight and less spontaneous. This told me his feelings for me were genuine and that he was getting more comfortable.
He opened the door for me, and we walked into the restaurant, finding a booth in the corner. A few seconds later, a server came by for our drink order.
“Do you eat here often? Or I guess, did you?” he asked, taking a menu.
“I used to come here every Saturday morning with my dad. Their sausage gravy and biscuits are amazing. But the sugared Belgian waffles are out of this world. That’s probably my choice today.”
“That sounds good to me.”
I sat back in the booth as our server walked our way again. She was an older lady with a tired smile on her face. She reminded me a bit of my grandmother. A twinge of nostalgia hit my gut.
“I’m sorry. I might not have mentioned it before. We’re a little busy today. I’m Sandy.” The poor thing looked a little frazzled.
“Hi, Sandy.” I smiled easily. “I hope the crowd means big tips for you. Through college, I served. It’s not an easy job.”
She smiled back and took our food order before turning away again.
“You served?” Landon asked.
It hit me that we really hadn’t talked much about me. Our conversation had been focused on him. There was a piece of me that worried he might not like what he found out. I quickly dismissed it as normal anxiety found in every new relationship.
“I did. Strangely, I loved it. If you asked me if I was a people person, I would tell you no, but once I’m out in a crowd, I’m good. It’s the buildup to it that causes me issues.”
