A white Ford Edge pulled into an empty space right out front, and my stomach flipped. As soon as her door opened, the first waves of her dark hair peeking out, I sprang to my feet with roses in hand. Wanting to meet her outside, I paced forward, eyes searching for her as soon as I sprinted through the door. Her lips curled at the tips, nothing overly excited, but she looked happy.
I hoped she was happy.
She wasn’t wearing her gator onesie. Instead, she wore a periwinkle dress that flowed in the light breeze. Her hair fell in beachy waves around her face, in her natural ombre of chestnut and honey blonde. I quickened my pace to catch up, feeling a surge of gratitude that she had agreed to spend time with me. She hadn’t noticed me yet., I called out, “Elinora!”
Our eyes caught slowly, a sly hover before her lips sprang into a full smile, and she took the final steps toward me, right into my outstretched arms. I wrapped both arms around her, drawing her into a hug and burying my face into her hair, inhaling her.
She smelled like all the best summer sunsets. The crimson ones that glowed low on the horizon. Her scent emboldened me to press a kiss to her neck, and my toes curled as I did. I didn’t pull away from her. I’d waited too long to hold her, and we swayed back and forth, half dancing in the parking lot. When she tilted her head back to look at me, her smile was so large, it was hard to think she’d ever felt any emotion other than happiness. “You’re so beautiful.” I was surprised my voice didn’t croak, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her radiating smile.
“I’m so glad to be here.” An inexplicable magnetism kept us together, embracing as if we’d been together for years. That had always been the case in my heart, but this was the first time I’d ever acted on it. It wasn’t just a physical connection. It was something deeper.
Spiritual.
Usually, I went about my days, running a to-do list through my brain of all the things I should and could be doing. As I stood here, there wasn’t anything else I could possibly do other than be here. “I’m glad you’re here, too. That’s way too many miles for us to be separated.”
Pressing my palm to hers, I paused as our hands wrapped together, and my heart skipped a beat. Something so simple, but it felt exactly how I’d thought it would. Like we were meant to be.I dropped another kiss on the back of her hand and grinned as I pushed the roses toward her. “For the prettiest woman in the world.”
“I don’t know about the prettiest”—she paused to smell the flowers before tucking them close to her chest—"but I am the luckiest.”
“I have a surprise for you.” I set one foot in front of the other, tugging her toward my car. “Dinner reservations at one of the best places in town. I hope you’re hungry.”
“That sounds amazing,” she cooed wistfully. “I’m starving, but I’m more excited to see you. I sort of would rather stay in so I can get used to looking at you again.”
“We have time for that.” I opened the passenger door to my car, presenting her seat with a lowered hand. “But not until you are properly fed.”
“You just don’t want to risk me getting hangry.” Even though she teased resistance, she strolled to the car and got in, setting her roses on her lap.
“That too.” I closed the door after her feet were positioned inside and raced around to the other side. I was half glad she said she’d rather not go out, because what I’d planned would give us time alone. “Do you still like Cherry Coke?” I reached behind the seat where I had a small cooler and pulled out a cold one I had grabbed just for her. I already knew the answer to her question, but I played coy.
“Drink of champions.” She eagerly retrieved the bottle, twisting off the cap. “And perfect timing because I’m super thirsty.”
After she took a sip, I shifted the car into drive, and took her hand in mine again, gently squeezing as I anticipated my heart to miss a beat again. Yep. Like clockwork. It’s what she did to me. Every time we touched. “Does this feel like a dream?” Isteered toward the freeway, barely able to keep my eyes on the road, as all I wanted to do was look at her.
“It feels like...” Her voice dropped off and she stared back at me before tacking on, “Home.”
My phone vibrated, and I willed myself to ignore it. It wasn’t hard to do at all because I wanted to be present with her. Everyone understood I was out of town today. The only person who’d risk bothering me was maybe…my babysitter. “I'm sorry,” I muttered as I slid my phone out of my pocket, confirming what I had suspected.
I hit the text to voice.
Lacy: Just letting you know Hadley has a slight fever and didn’t want to eat anything all day. I don’t think it’s much. Maybe her molars are coming in? You’re fine with me giving her a little medicine, right?
I voice to text back to her.
Me: Yeah, please. Thank you. Let me know if she gets worse.
I sat my phone in the middle console while stealing a quick glance at Elinora. “She’s in good hands.”
Elinora tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “If you need to go—”
“She’ll be okay.” I took a sharp left onto a narrow road, leading to a park I had Googled. It was listed as one of the best places to bring a date. I pulled into a parking spot and popped the trunk.
“Oh.” She glanced out her window, eyeing the water around us. “I assumed we were going to a restaurant.”
“Remember how you said you didn’t feel like going out?” I opened my door and dropped one foot on the cement, staying focused on her. “I figured that would be the case, but I also knew you’d be hungry. So, I packed a picnic.” I purposely left off the part that I was flat broke, and spending the weekend away took all my disposable income for the month. She deserved so muchmore, all the spoiling of a princess, but I wasn't in the position right now to provide that for her. What I couldn't give her in lavish gifts, I planned to make up with creativity. I was trying…
“That sounds perfect.” Her eyes widened, reflecting all the light in spirals of happiness. “I can’t wait to see what’s on the menu.” I grabbed the cooler from the backseat, and she followed me to the trunk, where I grabbed my favorite fleece blanket—the one with my high school football logo and state championship title. It was probably the only possession I had left from my youth, as I mostly tried to forget everything about my younger self. Football and Elinora were the only two good things from those days, and now, finally, after all these years, I had Elinora back.
“Can I carry something?” Her hand hovered over the other tote in the corner of my trunk.
