Lilliana grew up there.Her parents sold the house two years ago and moved further south then.I had been afraid that maybe Lilliana would move south too after college or stay in New York, but she’s always loved Wolf Valley.Hell, she stayed in New York, taking classes during the summer too, all so that she could graduate a semester early and come back to this place.
“Hey, Dad!”I call as I walk in through the garage door.
“Hey, Foster.I was wondering when you would be by,” he says with a smile as he pushes himself up from his favorite armchair.
I set the takeout bags that Ford packed for him on the counter, and he smiles when he sees them.
“How’s your brother doing?”He asks as he opens the bag and grabs a fry.
“Good.He said he’ll be by on Sunday.”
“Good, good.What about you?”
“I can come for dinner on Sunday.”
He nods, smiling.
It’s been just our dad and us for the last eight years.Our mom passed away when we were fourteen, and we were all devastated.I know that Dad won’t ever remarry.He always says that Mom was the love of his life and that no one could ever replace her.
I know what he means.Lilliana is the love of my life.I just wish that I was the love of hers.
“Lilliana comes back today.Are you ready?”He asks me, and I sigh.
“Ready for what?”
“To woo her.”
“People don’t say woo anymore, Dad.”
“Sure, they do.”
I don’t bother arguing with him.
“You would think that Lilliana would know since everyone else in town seems to know that I love her,” I grumble, and my dad laughs.
“She doesn’t because you’ve always treated her like your girlfriend, just without the kissing and all of that.”
“So, how do I change that now?”
“You don’t.You just need to tell her how you feel about her.How you’ve always felt about her.”
“Not always,” I argue weakly, and he snorts.
“Son, I saw you that first day that she moved in.You looked like you had been hit by a truck when she got out of the moving truck.Trust me, you’ve always been in love with her.”
I know that he’s right.It’s always only been Lilliana for me.I never dated in high school and never even looked at another girl.Hell, even after she left, I never tried to date or paid any attention to other women.It’s Lilliana or nothing for me.
Now, I just need to figure out how to get her to see that we’re meant to be together.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out, my heart lodging in my throat when I see Lilliana’s name on the screen.
“Go get your girl,” my dad tells me, and I look up.
“Yes, sir,” I say, giving him an excited smile as I head back out to my truck and climb behind the wheel.
She texted me her new address, saying that she stopped for gas but should be there soon, and I head that way.It’s right in town and I’m there in under ten minutes.
I pull up behind her old Ford Explorer with the U-Haul trailer attached to the back, and just like all of those years ago, as she climbs out of the SUV and our eyes lock, I fall in love with her all over again.
