I hear a rustling in the bedroom and stop sweeping the floor to pour a cup of coffee.
“I’m just guessing you take it black,” I say when I walk in on Ari making the bed. “Based on what you drank at the hospital last night.”
She thanks me for the cup and takes a sip. “Why does that taste so good the morning after great sex?”
“Everything is better when we’re together. Not just the sex.”
She smiles and wraps both hands around the mug. “Good answer.”
I stare at her for a long time, then she groans as she looks down at her clothes.
“Ugh. I can’t believe I came over in my PJs. Now I’m going to have to do my walk of shame like this.”
“Oh. You’re not going home like that because you’re not going home yet. Unless you want to. Either way, no girlfriend of mine does a walk of shame. You wear that bedhead proudly.”
When she laughs, my heart explodes.
“Well, if you want me to clear out, I can get Riley to come get me. I’m sure you’re busy and have to open the store.”
“I already called my employee, Kristen, to see if she was available to open the store. She can handle a Saturday without me, plus we have backup clerks. We can hang out for a while. Figure out this whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing.”
She pats the nest of hair on top of her head. “Not for too long. I have to pack up the decorations at the community center.”
“Why do you think I called in today? I’m going to help you. Now relax, have some coffee, then we’ll get dressed and go get some food before we hit the community center.”
“You’re very bossy when you’re being nice,” Ari says, drawing close to me. “Is that one of your Yankee things?”
“It must be. Most people don’t know how to take me.”
“Guess you’re stuck with me then. I’m the only one who speaks the language of Foster.”
“Well, and Rowdy. But I’ve already made it clear he’s not my type.”
“Such an idiot,” she snorts, and I pull her in close to me, and we kiss. Long, soft, and warm.
This is how I plan to kiss her every morning. After we’re together for a hundred years, and we’re ancient and silver-haired and watching the cars go by from the rocking chairs on our porch.
I’ve got plans. And they all involve her.
My Ari.
Epilogue
Ari
Two years later
The new arts center has been open for barely six months, and already the day camps have a waiting list.
I spent one of those summer weeks assisting Riley with a beginner's art class for middle schoolers, and on one of those days, Riley let me teach a class on basic paper quilling.
The lesson is so popular that the center's director asks me to teach a week’s worth of summer classes on the subject, as well as paper-making and origami.
I’m so excited to make my lesson plans for the following week that I lose track of time. I stay far later than I’m supposed to, and by the time I come up for air, the sun is setting over the ridge. It’s so pretty up here at the center, at the land that used to be Rowdy’s grandfather’s place. The center’s western wall is made of floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view is inspiring.
Pretty soon, I have too many ideas floating through my head.
One in particular is for Foster.
