Page 100 of You Saw the Best In Me

I’m in awe, and when she slips her hand in mine, I feel like the luckiest man alive.

“You look breathtaking, kitten,” I whisper as I help her into the passenger seat of my truck.

Her perfume is mesmerizing, and I’m having trouble focusing.

“Thank you, Angel. You clean up well yourself,” she smiles, and it’s electric.

“You think Harper will be alright on her own?” I ask, a little nervous about leaving her with access to not one but two empty apartments.

“Yeah, she’s a good girl. She’ll probably turn the volume on the TV all the way up since we’re not there to bug her about it,” she laughs, and I can’t help but agree.

I listen as she talks about work and the rumors of her salon closing permanently. I know the woman who owns it, so I’m surprised at the possibility.

Reilly, her co-worker turned friend, is paranoid about it, trying to devise ways to save their jobs.

I like her new friend, even though I only met her once. I’m just happy that Karina has settled in Forest Falls so well, making it her permanent home.

We arrive at the restaurant, and the atmosphere is perfect for a first date. Dim lighting, quiet music, and private booths. We follow the hostess to our table and order two glasses of champagne.

I’m going all out for my woman, and I want everyone in this establishment to know who she belongs to.

“Have you decided what to do with the house and the lot?” Karina asks, sipping on her drink and looking utterly perfect.

“Yeah, I think I’ve figured it out. Tony can have the house, and my bosses can have the lot. I want to take my girls' house hunting and pick out something we all love. That’s where we’ll plant our roots,” I tell her, holding her hand across the table.

She looked surprised, like something I said was abnormal. We never talked about her living with me and Harper, but maybe that’s because I assumed she’d come with us.

“Your girls? As in me and Harper?” she questions, with an arch in her eyebrow.

“Yes, baby girl. I want you to live with us. We’re a family,” I say, sipping my champagne slowly while she gathers her thoughts.

“Is that your way of asking me to move in with you?” she smiles sweetly, expecting more of a grand gesture.

“No. Absolutely not. That was my way of floating the idea. When I ask you to move in with me, it’ll be so big and romantic, you’ll have no choice but to say yes,” I cover my tracks and hope it suffices.

Karina is a romantic at heart, and she wants everything she sees in the movies. She’d never admit that, but deep down, she’s a girl who likes her fairytale.

We order appetizers and entrees, skip over the moving-in talk, and find new little things to love about one another.

I know so much about the woman before me, but I only scratch the surface. Any chance we get to sit, talk, and learn more about each other, I’m all ears.

Thankfully, I now know she takes her steak medium rare, a giant plus in my book.

My plan tonight is to pick her brain with rounds of questions and let her fire as many as she wants at me.

“Do you want to have kids?” I ask while we wait for our dinners to come.

“Yes, one day. Not more than two, though. I used to want a huge family like you see in those movies, but now, realistically, as an adult, I think I’d lose my mind,” she laughs, and I can sense how good of a mother she’d be.

“How about you? You technically already have one,” Karina winks at me, and the champagne makes her a little silly.

I love her smile, but in this dim lighting, it’s incandescent.

I’ve seen a million sides of Karina: when she was broken, the times she’s woken up next to me, the radiance when she’s pleased, and the times she doesn’t realize I notice everything about her, but tonight, in this restaurant, is my absolute favorite.

“It’s scary to think about because my mom died so young and left Harp and me behind. I think I would like at least one of my own, though,” I say just as our food arrives.

We marvel at how excellent the steak is, savoring every bite. Karina orders another glass of champagne, and I opt for water since I’m driving.