Perri giggles. “All right, I’ll tell you. I can tell you’re dying to know. Mom said she was sweet and, in her words, ‘just lovely.’”
I smile wide. “She is lovely.”
“So, what advice do you need from me? Because I think you’ve got things figured out already.”
“I know. It’s just happening so fast. Way too fast. I’m feeling overwhelmed.”
“So, step back. Take a little break.”
I nod. “I was thinking the same thing. Take a week or two off, get my head on straight.”
“That’s a great plan. Take a break.” Perri nods as she finishes the rest of her food. “Nothing wrong with that.”
We finish our breakfast, and I pay the bill. Perri doesn’t offer to pay, which is no surprise. Once a baby sister, always a baby sister. We hug at the door. “Love you, Perrianna. Talk to you soon. Oh, hey… your birthday is in a few days. Are we meeting for dinner?”
“Yeah. Mom’s gonna text you the location. I’m hankerin’ for some tacos. What about you?”
“You’re my favorite sister, you know that?”
“I’m youronlysister, jerk-face.”
I chuckle as I hug her again. “See you then.”
I wait for her to get into her car before I walk to mine in the opposite direction. “A break. I’m just gonna take a little break.” Sure, I’m still talking to myself, but at least the subject isn’t cohabitation. I feel better already.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
OVERWHELMED
“It’s overwhelming, Lauren.”
“What is?” she asks, grabbing our coffees from the barista. We are at our favorite coffee place, the Star Lounge Coffee Bar.
I gratefully accept my coffee cup. “This whole thing with Sam,” I continue. “This morning, he mentioned that we met seven weeks ago. In that seven weeks, we’ve been out twice, had two sleepovers, and he’s turned my apartment into Fort Knox with all of that expensive security stuff. I’m pretty sure I owe him like ten grand.”
Lauren laughs as she sips her café Americana. “You don’t owe him a cent. Gill said they had all of that stuff lying around from old jobs.”
“I’m not convinced. He had to special order a door. Special order. I know that costs extra.”
“Sweetheart, you shouldn’t worry about?—”
I interrupted. “Iamworried because I’m getting attached and because it’s been moving so fast. I swear, last night as I fell asleep, I imagined us living together.”
“Ooh, that’s nice.”
“No. No, it’s not. I’m not ready for this. I feel like I’m falling into a rabbit hole. I’m not used to this attention. Besides, did I tell you he said he liked the fact that I ‘eat like a man’?”
Lauren throws her hand over her mouth and starts to giggle. “Well, you do like to eat, honey.”
I ignore her comment. “Oh, and he said he’s…” I use my fingers to make air quotes. “Looking forward to getting fat together.”
“Oh, Jesus,” she says, choking on her drink. “The guy doesn’t know when to stop, does he?”
“Nope. He doesn’t. I was pretty irritated by those two statements. Sure, he apologized, but… I don’t know. Then he just decided to stay overnight.”
“Well, he’s a man who knows what he wants. He’s not going to mince words or justify his actions, apparently.”
“I’m just not ready. He’s intense. I’m overwhelmed.”
