"No, he leaves in the morning. We're spending today together. I'm meeting him when I leave here."
Zoey bumped Grace's shoulder.
"Why didn't he come to church with you?" Grace asked. "Does he not like church?"
"No, I'm sure he would like it. I just didn't think of asking him. I knew I'd be working in the back. I told him I was coming here and that I would meet him after. I didn't even think about it. Okay, I guess I'm going so I can call EJ now," I said. I hugged each of them. "I won't see you next weekend, but I'll be back the following."
"Oh, that's right. Have fun in Italy," Zoey said.
"Keep us posted, and take pictures on your trip," Grace said. "And tell Gabe I want to go to Italy next time."
"I'll tell him," I said, hugging her. I hugged Zoey as well, and then I said quick hellos and goodbyes to a few other people before leaving the church.
I called EJ when I was on my way home, and he met me there. It was only 10am, but I had been up since six-thirty, so it felt later than that.
I was missing him. We had spent two amazing evenings together, and it seemed horrible and unfair that today was his last day. I was nervous and had butterflies in my stomach as I approached my house. I knew he had beaten me there because I could see his Tahoe parked on the street when I drove that way.
In my head, I knew that Christian had ruined me from wanting any sort of relationship with a man moving forward. But my heart was denying that. I kept catching myself thinking that things could work out with me and EJ.
My weakness, I feared, was a direct result of the fact that he had not kissed me or so much as laid a finger on me for two days. I was aching for him physically and also having to pretend that I didn't care because I wasn't supposed to care.
"Hey there, Eee-gh," I said, blurring the two letters together. His handsomeness caught me bysurprise every time. Who else could make jeans and a t-shirt look like this?
"Hey, Savannah. How was church?"
"It was great. I should've invited you. I'm sorry I didn't. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I was thinking you wouldn't wanna get up that early."
"No, it's okay, I didn't want to intrude. I know you have a routine."
"I would have wanted you to come," I said. "I just didn't think about it. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I got some work done and worked out while I went to my own church."
"Where?" I said.
"In my earphones," he said.
"What'd you listen to?"
"Uh, it was about Jesus's first miracle. The wedding."
"Oh, wow, you really did go to church. You should've come with me," I said, shaking my head and feeling bad.
I turned and started walking up the sidewalk with him. I would have loved for him to come with me this morning, but maybe it worked out that I forgot to ask him because it made me seem more nonchalant than I felt. I basically wanted to cry from relief now that he was next to me, which was so weird.
"What did you decide you want to do today?" I asked.
The night before, we had talked about going for a walk together, and I had given him a choice of walking in the city or walking in nature.
"Nature," he said. "As long as I'm dressed okay for it."
"You are," I said, glancing at him. He was in jeans and a t-shirt with a baseball cap tennis shoes. It all fit him like a glove, and I had to look away so that I didn't notice his masculine appearance. It was better if I didn't take in the looks of his body or the way his muscles moved.
"I don't need gear?"
"No, I’m the one who needs to change," I said, since I had on a dress.
"I like your dress," he said.
