Ballad of Love (Utah Lovin’ Book 1)

28. Madison

The short drive to Saw”s is quiet, and I am getting anxious for what Braydon has planned today. he has had a cheesy grin on his face all morning, and he refuses to give even a tiny hint about what we are doing today.

“So, where exactly are you taking me today?”

We pull into a parking spot at Saw”s, and Braydon turns to face me. I have the overwhelming urge to poke bradyon”s dimples.

“I can”t tell you. It will ruin the surprise.”

Before I can protest, Braydon places a soft kiss against my forehead and jumps out of his truck. He opens the door to the backseat and pulls out a backpack that I didn”t notice back there before. I watch him sling the bag over his shoulder and open my door. He places a hand on the small of my back and helps me out of his truck. The bell above the door dings when Braydon opens it for me. Saw”s isn”t very busy, I guess a lot of people like to sleep in on the weekends.

“Why don”t you go pick out a table, and I will order for us?”

I nod and head off to a small table in the back corner. I can”t believe I am sitting in a coffee shop getting ready to study with Braydon. I pinch my forearm lightly just as Braydon is approaching our table with our coffees and a pastry bag.

“What was that for?” Braydon motions to the red mark that is now on my forearm.

“Just making sure I wasn”t dreaming.”

“I really am a dream come true. Aren”t I?”

He winks at me, and I feel the tips of my ears start to get hot.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, I guess.”

He sets the iced coffee cup in front of me and pulls out the chair across from me. Braydon pulls out two chocolate chip muffins from the pastry bag and sets one in front of me before taking a huge bite of the other.

“So, I didn”t know what exactly you were focusing on while studying, so I basically just did a bit of everything,” Braydon says around a mouthful of muffin.

Braydon reaches into the backpack and pulls out a binder.

“What the heck is that?” I ask, almost spitting out my sip of coffee.

He opens it, and pages upon pages with highlights and notes fill the binder. He pulls out a small thing that appears to be a stack of laminated index cards.

“It”s studying material. You didn”t think I was going to come empty handed. Did you?”

“Did you make all this?”

“Yeah.”

Braydon bows his head a little as an embarrassed blush creeps over his cheeks. I am almost in tears, and for the life of me I don”t know why.

“Braydon, that”s the sweetest thing ever. You didn”t have to do all this for me. When did you even have time to do this?”

“Last night when Iris was sleeping.”

I examine his notes and highlights. These are impressive notes, better than my own, but I can”t tell him that because he will get a big head.

“These are pretty thorough.”

“Like I said, I didn”t know what specifically you were studying, so I figured a good mixture would do. I also remember how organized you love to be while studying.”

I can”t believe he remembers my studying habits. I only let him study with me a few times in high school because he would always try and distract me.

“Thank you, Braydon.”

Braydon smiles up at me from his cup of coffee, and my heart skips a beat because it is my smile. It”s the smile he always used to give me in high school, and I didn”t realize how much I missed just seeing it. Pictures can”t do it justice.

“Shall we begin?”

I nod eagerly as Braydon flips through his papers and picks where he wants to start.

Two hours and more chocolate chip muffins than I can count later, we finally wrap up our study session.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” I ask Braydon, as he is practically pushing me out the door and in the direction of his truck.

“Because I have an entire day planned, and I have looked at index cards enough for the rest of my life.”

“You never did like studying.”

“I just didn”t need to study.”

“Ha! Don”t remind me. That was one thing I always loathed about you.”

Braydon had a natural gift for learning things way too quickly, which meant that he never studied, unless I forced him to. And he still passed with mostly A’s. Braydon opens the passenger door for me, and I hoist myself in. After I am settled, I take the backpack from him and set it in the backseat.

“So where are we going for the rest of the day?” Braydon rests his hand on my headrest to look over his shoulder while he backs out of the parking spot.

If I weren”t sitting, my knees might have buckled. What is it about that action when men are backing up is so attractive? I may never know, but I am content to watch him do it for the rest of my life.

“Nope. I still can”t tell you.”

“So what are you going to do? Blind fold me for the whole drive?”

“I guess we”ll just have to see. Now won”t we, Boots?”

Braydon drives farther down Main Street, and I watch the shops pass by in a blur. He parallel parks his truck in front of the book store, and I nearly jump out of my seat from excitement.

“What are we doing here?” I try to school my face, but Braydon has already seen my little outburst of excitement.

“Going to the bookstore.”

I scan the windows, and the only lights on are the fairy lights in the window display.

“Are you sure it is open today?”

“I made special arrangements with the owner.” Braydon winks at me before opening his truck door and jumping out.