“Chance and I are best friends, so I think you'll be seeing me a lot. Is that okay with you?” I ask her.
Zooey wraps her arms around my legs. “Yes, yes, yes! This is perfect, Miss Tay. It’s just like I have a mom and a dad now.”
Her words have a way of shattering my heart. I’m used to hearing children make big statements in hopes of getting their way, but Zooey has me wrapped around her finger, and her comment hits me hard.
I run my fingers through her curled ponytail. “Can you show me to the dinner table?” I ask.
“I sure can. Follow me.”
Chance closes the door behind me and catches me as Zooey is dragging me ahead. With her back to us, he places a quick kiss on my lips.
Dinner is full of laughs and princess jokes that Zooey keeps making up on the spot.
“It’s almost time for bed, Zooey,” Chance tells her.
“Well then, I guess I should put on my printhess pajamas. I’ll be right back. Make sure I don’t miss anything.”
Zooey’s bedroom door closes, and Chance closes his eyes and places his hand on his heart. “August, I already love her to pieces. She’s incredible. Today was one of the best days of my life.”
He takes my hand and lifts it, placing a kiss on my knuckles. “Your happiness means the world to me,” I tell him. “Chance, I’ve fallen in love with you. I really really love you.”
“No,” he says. “No, no, no, you’re not supposed to say that yet.”
My throat turns dry, and my heart stops for a minute. It might just be a second or two, but Chance’s surprised look morphs into a smile. “What do you mean ... I’m so sorry. Is it too soon?”
Chance nods his head. “I had this all planned out. Tonight, before you went home, I was going to say good night to you, and you were going to say good night back. Then I was going to whisper into your ear—” Chance stands from his seat and hovers over me, bringing his lips to my ear. “I love you, August.”
My cheeks tingle from the sensation of his breath on my neck. “You do?” I ask, twisting in my chair to face him.
“It’s more than that,” he says. “It hasn’t been long, I know that, but sometimes in life when things happen, the arrow is there, pointing you down the path you’re supposed to follow, right?”
“I believe so,” I tell him.
“We’ll do this slowly because I want to date you a hell of a lot more first, and I want to watch your heart heal and your urges go away. When you’re better, I’m still going to be standing here by your side because the only signs I see ... are pointing toward a future with you in it.”
The thoughts swirl through my mind countless times. I’ve been feeling those thoughts, focusing on them, praying everything would come together the way it seemed to be going. This is what I want. “I’m going to get better for good, Chance. I’m going to heal, and I’m going to move on from my past. I’m doing it for me, and then I’m going to be a hundred percent in this for us. I’m not going anywhere. This is where I want to be.”
“I love you,” he whispers again.
“I love you too,” Zooey says, sneaking up behind us. Oh, dear God. “Best friends always love each other. We’re all best friends now, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Chance answers her, lifting her up and propping her on his hip. “Tomorrow, we’re going to Six Flags. Do you know what that is?”
“Yes!” Zooey shrieks. “I saw it on TV. They have rides and Looney Tunes!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Chance tells her.
“Is Miss Tay coming too?”
“You’ll have to ask her yourself,” Chance insists.
“I would be delighted to join you,” I tell her. Zooey, you know what, you can just call me Auggie, okay? We’re best friends now.”
She smiles shyly and shrugs her shoulders. “Yeah, we always have been.” Zooey takes my hand and pulls me from my seat. “Come look at my new bedroom. You can put me to bed with Chance.”
I follow Zooey into the room I helped decorate. Once again, the blinding pink and purple walls and the vibrant bright white comforter with all the pillow fixings bring a smile to my face. We built her a princess wardrobe closet to hang all her dresses, which I see she has already replaced the one she was wearing today.
Zooey pulls down the comforter and climbs into bed. “Auggie,” she sighs, waving me over.
