I look back at my plate, all I have still to eat, the peas I hadn’t even touched yet… Pretty sure even the dogs would pass on these.
Somehow I manage to get it all down. Eating everything together was more manageable than separate. When she asked if I wanted more, I said I was full, but the truth was, I lost my appetite.
I help her clean up before we make our way to her couch. She’s got her laptop opened to an aerial shot of tables.
She sits beside me. “Oh. Right. I need some of your input on seating chart.”
“Ugh.”
“Don’t groan. Addison’s gonna write it all on a big window for us. I told her I’d have the list back to her by next week.”
She pulls the laptop into her lap, but I take it and set it back on the coffee table.
“Later?” I suggest, inching closer, my lips just a few inches from her. She smiles.
“If we get it done, we have the rest of the night to—”
I kiss her. She giggles under my lips.
“Mase—”
“You wear stress like a costume,” I tell her, rubbing my fingers on her shoulder.
“I’m stressed because there’s a lot to do and you won’t help me.”
The air shifts, like what was a good night just turned rocky, and that’s the wrong path I wanted to take.
I pull back. “I never said I wouldn’t help you, I just thought we could take a minute.”
“We can, but I would rather get this stuff out of the way first.”
“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry.”
She pushes her hair back and sighs. “We could practice our first dance first,” she compromises.
“I’m down for that.” I smile, pulling out my phone. I scroll until I find our song and set it on the kitchen counter. Megan follows, and I reach for her, drawing her close as the first few notes fill the kitchen.
My chin rests lightly on top of her head, and I feel her body relax against mine. The song wraps around us—familiar, steady.
“This…” I whisper, brushing my lips against her hair, “this is all that really matters to me. Not the seating chart, not the flowers or napkin colors. Just us, Meg.”
She squeezes me tighter.
“Just a few more weeks,” I murmur, my voice low, “and this is what we’ll be doing. Dancing. You in your dress, me trying not to step on your toes. Everyone watching us fall in love all over again.”
She lifts her head and looks up at me, and tears glisten in her eyes—the good kind.
“I love you,” she whispers.
My hand slides up her back. “I love you too. I want you to enjoy this time and not worry so much.”
She just nods, followed by another kiss. She deepens it, her fingers curling into my shirt, and I can’t help myself…I scoop her up and carry her to the couch. The world narrows to the sound of our breathing, the faint music still playing behind us,her laughter catching softly against my lips as I lay her down. We move slow, careful, lost in that in-between place of wanting and waiting.
Footsteps echo from the stairs, and I’m off her faster than I’ve ever moved in my life. Megan bolts upright, cheeks pink, eyes wide as she fixes her shirt. I grab her laptop off the coffee table and immediately plop it on my lap like it’s been there the whole time.
“See? I think they’d be fine sitting together, don’t you?” she asks quickly, pointing to the screen.
My pulse is still racing when her mom appears at the bottom of the steps.
