Garrick’s gaze alternates between me and the road. “Those are all reasons why I like you, Stevie. I like that you’re cautious. I’m just impatient to get to the next part because I haven’t ever felt like this about anyone before.”
“I haven’t felt like this before either. It’s totally new. I’m not used to being so vulnerable. It scares me as much as it excites me.”
“You can trust me. I won’t ever do anything to deliberately hurt you. That’s not who I am.”
“I know, Garrick. You have shown me that already. That doesn’t mean I won’t get hurt though. Or that you won’t.”
“No one knows that or can make any guarantees when they enter into any kind of relationship with another person. You risk getting hurt every time you open yourself up to others.” Raising our conjoined hands to his mouth, he brushes his lips against my knuckles. “But that is life, and that is love. You risk far more by not putting yourself out there. You risk never knowing the pure elation of loving another person so completely you’d take a bullet for them. You risk never knowing true happiness and contentment.”
“How are you so wise?” I ask as he lowers our hands.
“I’m not wise, nor am I experienced. Not when it comes to love. But I know what I’ve learned from my parents. My mother never truly opens herself up, and that’s why all her marriages fail.”
I suspect her rotten personality is the reason for marital failure, but I keep those thoughts to myself. After all, I’ve only met the woman once. I don’t think my first impression is wrong, but she did give birth to Garrick, one of the most amazing people I know, so she can’t be all bad.
“My father is vulnerable with Dawn, and watching how they support one another through the bad shit is even more inspirational than seeing them happy and glowing in the good times.”
“I watch my mother risking herself for love all the time and getting burned,” I quietly admit, rubbing circles on the back of his hand with my thumb. “I see her being vulnerable, and it backfires every time.” I lift my eyes to him. “I am cynical and skeptical. I know that, but for the right person, I am willing to try.” Gulping back nerves, I force the remaining words out of my throat. “I think you’re the right person, but I want to be sure before we make that step. I owe it to both of us to have fully thought it through. I’m eighty percent there.”
Garrick presses a kiss to my brow. “That’s good enough for now.”
* * *
“Are you sure you’re okay to do this?” I ask one final time before we get out of Garrick’s car. He parked his Range Rover beside Nana’s older version in front of the house, alongside a row of other cars. I spot Hadley’s in the mix, so even if she hadn’t already texted me to say she’d arrived, I’d know she was here.
He chuckles as he tweaks my nose. “Relax, Stevie. It’s fine.”
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I singsong, curling my hand around the door handle.
“Wait!” he exclaims, and I pause mid door opening. “Let me get that.”
Before I can protest, Garrick jumps out, races around to my side and opens the door.
I peer at him in amusement.
“I’m making it an official rule,” he says, taking my hand and helping me down. “You don’t get in or out of this car unless I’m opening the door for you.”
On instinct, I reach up and kiss his cheek, lingering a few seconds longer than necessary. His spicy scent is delicious, and I have a sudden urge to lick him like a popsicle. “And they say chivalry is dead.” I beam up at him, and gosh, he really is fucking hot.
I deserve a medal for not pouncing on him yet. “For the record, I have no issue agreeing to your rule. It’s sweet.” I pat his chest. And yes, I am using the opportunity to salivate over the hard muscles flexing under my palm.
“Good.” Without warning, he hauls me into his arms, and I don’t protest, falling easily against him and resting my head on his chest. He dots kisses into my hair, and I silently swoon as I grip his waist and savor the moment.
A girl could get used to this.
“Let me write this card super quick.” Easing out of our embrace, he places the birthday card he insisted on buying at the store on Main Street down on the hood. Pulling a pen out of his jeans pocket, he writes a message in neat penmanship before sealing the card in the envelope.
I grab the cake box and bag with Nana’s gift from the back seat as Garrick opens the trunk. He reappears with two bottles of sparkling wine carrying the Allen Wineries label. “Do you just happen to have wine in your trunk, or did you bring them on purpose?” I ask.
“I brought them for your nana. Even if I wasn’t invited in, I planned to gift them to her for her birthday. You’re only sixty-seven one time,” he adds with a grin.
I could kiss him for his generosity and his thoughtfulness. He makes it so hard to stay away from him.
Light pokes out between the curtains in the open living room window, and the sounds of lively conversation and background music filter out into the nighttime air. Just as I’m opening my mouth to reply, the front door swings open, and I figure the welcoming committee has run out of patience.
Honestly, I’m surprised Mom didn’t rush out the door the second Garrick’s car pulled up.
“Darling.” Mom runs toward me, flinging her arms around my neck as I stand awkwardly with a cake box in one hand and a gift bag in the other. “I’m so glad you’re here. Nana would’ve been devastated if you hadn’t made it.”
