16. Shane
“Kissing burns6.4 calories per minute. Wanna work out?” ~Unknown
Hope is not happy with me, and I can’t blame her. I know she didn’t want me to tell Amelia about us yet, but I thought it was for the best. It’s like what they say about taking off a band-aid—it’s less painful when you rip it off all at once. At least it’s supposed to be. But now that the two of us are back at the inn sitting on the balcony in silence, I wonder if I’d let my impatience get the best of me.
“Hey, I’m sorry I jumped the gun in telling Amelia.” I nudge her knee with mine and give her my most apologetic smile. “Are you still mad at me?”
One side of her mouth curves up. “I’m not mad at you, Shaney. You’re so cute when you make those puppy dog eyes, I can’t not smile when I look at you.”
“And I can’t not smile when you use a double negative,” I reply as my heart melts into a big puddle of goo in my chest.
I’m still in awe that the first girl I ever crushed on is now my girlfriend. My teenage self would be so proud. My adult self, however, knows that it’s not all going to be a walk in the park. Relationships involve work and good days and hard ones, too. Whatever comes our way, though, I’m determined to make it work. Hope is worth it. I just pray I haven’t messed things up too badly already.
I swing my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. Of all the things I’d like to be doing with Hope on this vacation, consoling her about her friendship with Amelia isn’t one of them. It’s not the first time they’ve been on the outs. My sister never had a close friend until she met Hope. She’d had a tough childhood being in and out of the hospital—it’s the reason both of us went into healthcare—and didn’t have much of a social life. Once she and Hope hit it off, they were inseparable—that is, until Hope decided to go to college in a different state. Their friendship hit a rough patch for a couple of months after that, but they’d grown closer as a result.
“I know everything will be okay,” I say. “You guys survived your move to Arizona. This is just another life transition to get used to.”
“I don’t know. Back then Ames had Ryder to talk to.” Hope releases a long breath and hangs her head. “Even though this is hard, I am glad that you did what I couldn’t do. I knew we had to tell her about us; I just didn’t have the guts to do it yet. But I’m worried about Ames. She didn’t sound like her usual self. Something must be going on with her and Ryder. I really want to ask her about it, but she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“That’s not true. She just needs some time to process everything.”
“Her exact words were, ‘I can’t talk to you right now, Hope. Don’t call me. I’ll talk to you when I’m ready.’”
“See? She’ll call you when she’s ready.”
“I feel like I completely ruined her birthday, Shaney. What kind of friend am I?”
“It’s not her birthday yet, so you haven’t ruined anything. And you’re a great friend to be so concerned about her.” I kiss the top of her head. “Amelia will come around, trust me. This is nothing compared to the time when we were kids and I stuck gum in her favorite wig. She didn’t talk to me for a week after that.”
“How’d you get her to talk to you again?”
“I promised to name my firstborn after her.”
Hope glances up at me, her brows high on her forehead. “You did?”
The serious look on her face breaks my composure. “I’m joking! I wouldn’t do such a thing. My firstborn’s going to be named Shane Jr.”
“But what if it’s a girl?”
“That’s easy. Shanella or Shanette—take your pick.”
She wrinkles her nose. “No offense, but Shanella reminds me of salmonella. Which reminds me of Amelia,” she adds with another long sigh. “Do you think it would help if I told her I’ll name my firstborn after her?”
“But what if it’s a boy? Don’t tell me… Amelio?”
“That’s not bad,” Hope murmurs. “I think it could work.”
“Amelio Morgan?”
“I was only thinking of the baby’s first name. I don’t know what the last name would be yet.”
“Yet?” I clutch the front of my shirt as if her words struck my heart. “Are you planning on marrying another guy besides me?”
“Shaney! It’s way too early to be talking about marriage. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that a man even wants to be in a committed relationship with me.”
“Not just any man. Me, Shane Morgan.”
She grins. “I kind of like it when you speak caveman. Let me try.” She beats her fists against her chest, then says in a deep voice, “Me, Hope O’Connor.”
My stomach dips to see the sparkle in her eyes. There’s something about this woman that undoes me every time she looks my way. Maybe it’s the pure joy in her smile. Or the fact that she can do something as innocent and playful as pretending to be Tarzan, yet be completely womanly while doing it. I can’t wait to hear her say my name in that low, sexy voice someday. But for now, I’m content to have her by my side.
Like a scene straight out a Disney movie—yes, I’m well-versed in animated films, too—I pick up one of Hope’s hands and hold it in front of me with her fingers up. I then place mine against hers. As soon as our palms meet, heat spreads from her skin to mine and back again. Our fingers spread apart slowly in unison like they’re part of a dance, one that is unplanned yet perfectly choreographed. When our gazes lock, I know exactly what she wants our next move to be.
Even though she doesn’t say a word, her beautiful baby blues tell me everything. Her gaze flicks down to my mouth, then back up again, darting between my eyes. Questioning, longing, and hoping that I’ll get her message. So, I send her one of my own. The best one I know how…
“Boom, boom, boom,” I murmur as I place an arm around her waist and pull her close. “Boom, boom, boom.”
“I see you’re also fluent in ostrichese, too.”
“I am. Do you like it?”
“It has a certain appeal. Not quite as sexy as caveman-talk though.”
“Oh, that can be remedied.” I lick my lips and try again. “Listen up. Me, Shane, want to kiss you, Hope. Okay?”
She grins. “More than okay.”
I trace my finger down the side of her face, taking my time to savor her soft skin, before tucking it under her chin. We dip our heads in the opposite direction and lean in closer. We’re mere inches apart, but the distance feels like a journey that took a decade to complete. I’m no longer her best friend’s kid brother pining for the older, sophisticated woman who was so out of reach. We’re equals now. A man and a woman who are seeing each other in a whole new way. I feel like Tarzan, discovering the wonder and beauty of someone so like him but distinctly different. This also must have been how Adam felt when God brought him Eve. I feel like declaring to the world that I’ve found my other half. But first, I’ll treasure the opportunity to show Hope this very truth.
My mouth is finally on hers, moving gently and lightly at first, then with a firmer pressure as our lips dance to a rhythm of their own. This is all that I’ve dreamed of and more. I want to memorize everything about this moment. How Hope wraps her hands around my neck and weaves her fingers into the hair at my neck. The soft sounds of delight she makes as I deepen the kiss. And how she tastes as sweet as she smells, like honey and the ripest strawberries of summer.
This kiss—it’s too good to be true. I want to pinch myself to make sure I’m not sleeping and in the middle of a dream. My senses tell me I’m fully awake, though, and totally and completely at this woman’s mercy. If Hope O’Connor is the only woman I ever kiss on this earth from now on, I’ll be a very, very happy man. If only this kiss could go on and on?—
Scree! Scree scree scree!
No, not now!
“Shaney! Do you hear that?” Hope’s out of my embrace and her seat quicker than I can open my eyes. “It’s my luggage! Let’s go, let’s go!”
I barely have time to groan before Hope pulls me to my feet in one swift move. Her show of strength has my mouth gaping. “Have you been working out?”
“Not a chance! It must be the adrenaline! Come on! We need to stop her before she leaves!”
Twenty seconds later, we’re back on the first floor and running across the parking lot towards a little old lady. She’s pulling a rolling green suitcase toward a car in a similar shade of green.
“Stop, please!” Hope calls out. “We need to ask you a question!”
The woman stops and turns around to face us. She looks surprisingly like a white-haired version of Edna from The Incredibles with her shortcut bob and bangs. Piercing dark eyes glare at us through thick, round frames as she places her hands on her hips. She purses her lips in annoyance. “Yes, what is it?”
Hope is out of breath, so she holds up a finger to ask for a moment.
I quickly jump in and try to explain the situation as best as I can without sounding like Hope gave her luggage away to a complete stranger. When I’m done, I ask expectantly, “Can we ask where you got this suitcase from?”
The first thing out of the woman’s mouth is, “You let a stranger take your luggage?”
“Um, yes.” Hope winces. “It’s been a crazy vacation, let me tell you. Not all bad, though. I got reunited with my best friend’s little brother and he’s now my boyfriend.” She laces her fingers with mine and holds our hands up in the air. “See?”
Ms. Edna Mode 2.0 looks me up and down. “You have good taste, at least,” she remarks to Hope. “You can keep the boy, but this luggage is mine,” she adds in a firm tone. “I bought it fair and square at the flea market near the edge of town.”
Hope frowns. “The flea market—I knew it. Were there candles there, too? They were inside the suitcase.”
“Candles? I don’t believe so. The only thing the seller had were suitcases. Big ones and small ones, tall ones and wide ones,” she states rhythmically, as if reciting a Dr. Seuss poem. “Most of them were a plain black or blue color besides this green one and a yellow one. This one’s a whole lot snazzier, so I snatched it up as quickly as I could.”
“Snazzy’s the perfect word to describe it.” Hope sighs as she looks longingly at the forbidden piece of luggage. “Green’s my favorite color.”
“Mine, too.”
“Really? That’s so rare. I don’t know anyone else who likes the color green. Everyone always says it reminds them of Ker?—”
“—mit the Frog!” Ms. Edna finishes for her with a toothy grin.
“Yes!” Hope perks up for a moment when Ms. Edna offers her a high five. “Kermie’s a beautiful color! What’s so wrong with liking green, am I right?”
“Absolutely nothing at all,” the older woman agrees.
“Sorry to interrupt your mutual appreciation for amphibians,” I jump in, trying to get the conversation back on track, “but about the luggage. Do you remember anything about the person you bought it from? Was it a man or woman? Age, height, clothing—does anything come to mind?”
“Unfortunately, I can’t help you there, sonny. My visual memory’s not all that great. I have what’s called aphan?—”
“—tasia?” Hope exclaims with anticipation. “Don’t tell me you have that, too!”
“You, too?” Ms. Edna’s eyes grow as round as her frames. “I knew I liked you the moment I saw you.”
“Me, too!” I declare, earning my own high five from Hope’s new friend. “She’s quite likeable, isn’t she?”
“Aw, shucks.” A pretty pink colors Hope’s cheeks as she ducks her head. “You guys are too kind. You’re totally making me blush.” She offers Ms. Edna a bittersweet smile. “I guess I’m thankful that out of everyone who could have bought my suitcase, it turned out to be you. You’re kind of like a kindred spirit. I’m Hope, by the way.”
“I’m Faith.” The older woman turns to me and says with a cheeky grin, “If we’re Faith and Hope, then you must be Love.”
“Close enough,” I reply with a chuckle. “I’m Shane. I am in love though.”
Hope glances up at me but doesn’t say a word. A flicker of emotion passes over her face that makes me wonder if I should be concerned.
Meanwhile, Faith humors me with an amused eyeroll.
“You know what? I’m feeling generous today,” Faith declares as she gives the suitcase a push in Hope’s direction. “Here, take your luggage and go ride off into the sunset together.”
Hope gasps. “Really?! Thank you, Faith!”
I pull out my wallet. “Let me pay you for it.”
“No need. Save your money and treat your girl to a nice meal. Be sure to hold onto this one. I can tell she’s a gem.”
I couldn’t agree more. Watching Hope embrace her suitcase like it’s a prodigal child who’s returned home puts an automatic smile on my face. She’s one of a kind, and I love everything about her. Put me on board the love train and cut the brakes because I’m ready to go full steam ahead with this relationship.
My only concern is if Hope is as committed as well.