“Mom, please ask Grams yourself then. Don’t put me in the middle of you two. Not at a time likethis.”
She releases my arm. “Fine, I’ll ask hermyself.”
“That sounds good. I’ll see you in a bit,” I tell her, rushing out of the room before she continues pressing me for moreinformation.
“Thank you for dinner,”I tell Jackson as I blot my lips with anapkin.
“I can order pizza like no one’s business,” hesays.
“But, can you cook?” I ask, teasinghim.
“Not to save my life,” hesays.
“Well, if this whole plan of my grandmother’s works out, we’ll be eating out a lot because I can’t cookeither.”
“There are plenty of good cookbooks out there. We may need to learn how to cook together,” hesays.
“Maybe.”
“You know what we don’t need to learn how to do?” hewhispers.
“What?” The look in his eyes makes me bite down on my bottom lip. He leans forward and pulls me from my stool at his kitchen’s bar table. His arms wrap tightly around me, and he leans down slowly as he seems to enjoy each time he’s stealing a kiss. It gives me a moment to take in the view. He’s slow with his movements when he touches his lips to mine. It's almost as if he wants to memorize the texture, the taste, and the way I return the gesture. It's like nothing else I've experienced, and it's just a kiss, but so much can be conveyed by the sensations, and it’s my favorite part of being withhim.
As he pulls away and sweeps his knuckles down the side of my cheek, I notice a pink hue spreading across his face. “You make me feel things I haven't felt before—things I'm sure I've been missing outon.”
“You know, some people would call us crazy and insane, talking like this after only knowing each other a fewdays.”
“Some would call us lucky,” heargues.
“I'm one of those people. We are lucky. I hope this lasts, Jackson. I'm not afraid of going all in, even knowing I could end up with a broken heart, but I know I don’t want it to end thatway.”
“Don't break my heart, Emma, and I won't break yours. How aboutthat?”
“Sounds easy enough,” I tellhim.
“I don’t understand why some people make it out to be sohard.”
“I suppose it’s like wearing a shoe that's two sizes too small,” I addin.
He chuckles. “Why do I have a feeling you've had experience in that department, Miss ShoeAddict?”
“Been there, notfun.”
“Em, I'm not sure I can focus on anything else until we finish reading thediary.”
“I've been thinking the same thing.” I rush over to where I left my bag near his couch and pull out the worn book. “I don’t know if I’m ready for thisthough.”
“Hang on then.” He jogs around the bar and into the kitchen where he pulls out two beers from the fridge. “This will help yourelax.”
“Yes,” I agree with laughter. “Who knows what we might need after finishing this. It’s supposedly going to make me want to get married, so it has to be something prettycrazy.”
Jackson drops down beside me on the couch and lifts his feet up to rest them on the table, then hands me one of the beer bottles. “Okay,ready.”
