A Very Happily Ever After
SYCAMORE MOUNTAIN
Chapter 1
Tuesday
“When can you get here?” Alex’s gravelly voice seeps through the receiver like incense, practically hypnotizing me with its familiar tone. After all these years, it makes me almost giddy to learn so much more about him. His different timbres give away his mood. Playful, serious, disappointed, caring, hopeful, and sexy, I love them all. The current one gives away a sense of longing and impatience. These rank among my favorites. Sure, sexy is hella good. But there’s something about that honest sense of neediness that causes me to feel we’re on equal footing in this.
If I have to be honest, I’m still utterly in shock about it all. I have to pinch myself.
“Not much longer. And I’m all packed, so I can head straight to Sycamore Mountain in a few hours when my shift is over.” It’s been several weeks since we’ve seen each other. After speaking with his friend, Trevor, Alex applied for a position with station 12 in North Carolina. Turns out they had an urgent need, so his transfer there came a lot quicker than he’d anticipated.
I’ve turned in my resignation here at Cygnature Blooms. Although I can barely call this a job. It’s more like a guilty pleasure I get paid to enjoy. Nonetheless, they count on me. It only seemed fair to give them some notice before leaving.
I tagged along with Alex after he accepted the position to help him locate an apartment. It’s a big step, moving in together. One I don’t take for granted. But I’m so ready. If a near fatal car accident taught me anything, it’s that life is precious. I’m not wasting a second of it doing things that don’t bring utter joy. So it was a no brainer to move to the little mountain town with Alex.
“You still there? You got awful quiet on me. You’re not having second thoughts are you?”
“No!” I blurt.
He lets out a chuckle before his voice gets all soft and dreamy. “I miss you, Sunny T.”
Dropping my voice to a whisper, I respond, “I miss you, too.”
“Do you have customers?”
I giggle. “No. This is all new territory for me. I guess I just didn’t want anyone walking in and hearing me flirting with my boyfriend.
“I like that.”
“What?”
“Your boyfriend.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Only thing better will be puttin’ a ring on it.”
I snort. “Wow. Mr. Romance.”
“Well, if I’m taking you away from your parents, something tells me they’d prefer I made an honest woman of you.”
I practically palm my forehead at his words. “Do me a favor? When the time comes for you to ask my dad for his permission, maybe come up with something better than I’d like to put a ring on it.”
His chuckle rumbles through the line, making my lower belly do somersaults. How is this even happening? A conversation with my long time crush, my brother’s best friend, Alex Bell, about marrying me. Who am I right now?
Nipping the skin on my upper arm between my nails, I really do pinch myself before laying my hand on my heart. This man. “I really do miss you. Between your schedule and mine this week, it’s been tough.”
“I know. The guys are all giving me a hard time because I can’t knock the grin off of my face knowing you’ll be here tonight. I hate that I won’t be off until six a.m. But we can at least hang out here together. Then we’ll have all day tomorrow. Hope you don’t mind sleeping in.” He teases.
“Sleeping?” I joke.
“Yes. I plan on having my fill of you for breakfast before a long nap.”
Heck yes. Sign me up.
The metallic clink of the bell above the front door steals my attention, and I look up to see an incredibly attractive man entering the shop. There was a time this might have made my pulse jump a bit. But now, this swoony heart belongs only to Alex.
