“What are your plans tonight?”I ask, not wanting to let her go just yet.
“Nothing.Some laundry, more than likely.I don’t know what my sisters are up to.”
“What about tomorrow night?”
“Same old,” she says, and I bite down on my cheek to keep from grinning.
“Can I take you to dinner?”
She opens her mouth—I’m sure to shut me down—but she quickly closes it.“I can bring dinner here if you’re not ready for us to go out.Or I can bring dessert.We can watch a movie or go for a drive.I don’t care what we do, Ellison.I just want to be next to you when we do it.”I wait, watching her as she holds my gaze.I don’t know what she’s looking for, but she must find it because slowly, she nods.
“Yeah, we could get dinner,” she says.“What time?”
“You tell me, Ells.I’ll make it happen.”
“Let’s just say yes to dinner, and let the rest fall into place.Your mom might need you, or your family, and they come first,” she says, removing her arm from mine and moving to stand in front of me.
“I feel like a dick saying this because my mom is sick, but you’re first, too, Ellison.Please don’t take that as me being insensitive.I just—fuck, Ells, you’ve always been my most important.My mom and my brother, his family, they are, too, but you, you’ve always been something unique to me, something all on your own.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me.I understand where you’re coming from.They need you, Copeland.That’s why you came home.Text me or call me tomorrow when you know how your day ends up, and we’ll go from there.”
Unable to help myself, I reach out, snake an arm around her waist, and pull her into my chest, hugging her tightly.“I’m here for you, too,” I whisper, but I know she can hear me.I went too damn long without saying the things that needed to be said, without reaching out and taking the hugs, or without making the phone calls.I’ll never leave anything with my girl and me to chance ever again.
When she pulls away, I let her, shoving my hands into my pockets to keep from stealing another hug.
“Thank you for walking me home.”She smiles up at me.
“Anytime, Ells.”
She waves, and I watch her as she walks up onto the porch.
“Hey, Ells,” I call out.She stops and turns to look at me over her shoulder.“Can I call you later?”
She tilts her head to the side, and that long, dark hair of hers spills over her shoulder.“Do you want to call me later?”
“More than anything.”
She nods.“I’ll answer,” she says, before turning and walking into the house.
I wait until she’s inside and the door is locked before turning back the way I came.I head to my room and settle on the bed.It’s too early to ask Chandler about dinner, so instead, for the first time in years, I take a quick nap.
Fifteen
Ellison
“Would you stop staring at me?”My eyes meet my best friend’s in the mirror with a glare.
Kinzie laughs.“Stop worrying so much.This is Copeland.You could answer the door with bedhead, and he’d still be drooling over you.”She raises her eyebrows as if daring me to tell her that she’s wrong.
“Why did you get out of work early again?”I ask her instead, and she sticks her tongue out at me.Copeland from all those years ago, hands down, yes, I would agree with her.Today’s Copeland, I’m not as certain.I want to say yes, that she’s right, and my heart’s on board with that answer, but my head is a little more cautious.
“Because I knew my bestie needed me,” she replies sweetly.
“Sounds like a waste of PTO time,” I mutter, making her laugh.
“Come on, Ellie.I agree this is a big deal, but you have nothing to be nervous about.Besides, the two of you have already ripped off the Band-Aid and slept together.Tonight is just dinner.Should be a piece of cake.”She smirks.
“Ugh,” I groan, flopping down onto the mattress.I hold my hand up to show her that it’s shaking.Just a slight tremble, but it’s there.
