“Are you done laughing your ass off now?” she asked when I finally caught my breath. I wiped away the tears in the corners of my eyes that the laughing caused.
“Wanna let me know why the hell are you laughing at me, TJ?!” Her voice had an angry edge to it.
“Jeez Sweetheart, you’d think I’d be the one with the quick temper in this relationship because of my hot-headed Italian blood and all… but I think it might be you,” I said. “Those girls you called puck bunnies are my twinsisters.”
Silence filled the line, and I wish I could’ve seen her surely shocked face. I could picture that little mouth of hers falling open and those green eyes searching for clarification.
“Bet you feel a little upset about not talking to me all day, huh?” I asked her. “I got the Ellie silent treatment for no reason at all. I mean… I think you owe me for makin me sweat all day, babe.”
“But they’re blonde!” sheargued.
“Yeah, bottle blondes!” I told her.
I heard a tiny, uncomfortable laugh pop out.
“There it is!” I said. “You had me scared there for a minute,” I admitted. “But what’s this I hear about you falling for me? You’re falling for me, Ellie? TJ and Ellie sittin in a tree,” I sang out.
I heard her “pshh” and could practically see her eyesrolling.
I leaned forward to close the book in front of me, that would have to wait another day, and I listened to her recount the bitchy bride’s wedding day as I walked to my bed.
We’d started talking on the phone every night until one of us drifted to sleep, and it actually annoyed me that my sisters stayed over last night and we missed out on it.
Her voice was the kind of comfort I’d always wanted. The only thing that could beat it would be having her here to cuddle with as she chattedaway.
I was a very touchy-feeling kind of guy, and it was a nice surprise to me that her love language was touch as well.
I felt like we were so close to having a solid foundation to build our relationship. I just needed to be allowed to cross her final barriers that were higher than frickin skyscrapers.
I started thinking that maybe I could help her out… Maybe I could ease her into telling me about her past. Maybe if I was able to show her that I already knew everything and that I fully accepted her no matter what, then we could really start building.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how my “stupid, stupid, stupid plan,” according to my sisters upon later consultation, came intoworks.
46. Ellie
The drive downstate for the banquet was not as hard as the first time I had driven down.
I knew what to expect this time and I kept TJ all dressed up in a fancy tux in mind as motivation.
I was running a bit late because of last minute issues that Nikki needed help with for this weekend’s wedding. I was slightly pulled in both directions because this was one of my last weddings of my busy season, but I also wanted to spend time with TJ. While more brides had started to schedule fall weddings, they always planned them before the end of September because true fall up north was way too cold. The two months following were empty. I had only had one winter wedding on my schedule, which was planned for the day afterChristmas.
I ended up getting all ready for the banquet at my apartment before leaving because I would be meeting TJ at his place and then quickly leaving to make it on time.
I decided to wear my hair half up with a French braid leading to the ponytail, and I added a bit of extra makeup to look “dewy,” as Nikki called it. Having events every weekend helped me perfect a couple signature looks that were easy to replicate each time I needed to.
I threw on the light green dress TJ had gifted me with some heels, hoping it would be the right level of dressiness.
My brain fired at a thousand miles an hour the entire drive, which made it go by much faster. My thoughts bounced from advertising tactics to TJ’s hair care products… The boy must’ve known what to do because of his sisters because no boy had that nice of hair. I bet he’d never admit what he used though. And his sisters… that was a whole other topic that I was scared to even touch. I needed to remind him to never ever bring up the fact that I thought they were puck bunnies. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot with his family…
His family… Would I ever even meet his family?
That thought crossed my mind a couple miles from the bridge… and I decided that would be a perfect time to cut my thoughts off and call TJ to distract my anxious self.
He answered on the first ring and his voice was like a securityblanket.
“Hi babe,” he said.
“Are you busy?” I cringed, hoping I didn’t interrupt anythingimportant.
