September 18th
Not just any girl.
Damon
I kiss Ainsley’s neck, waking her up. There’s something I want to talk to her about before I head to campus.
“Morning,” she says, looking up at me with sleepy eyes.
I roll onto my side and lean up on my elbow, my head cradled in my palm. “Morning.”
“Last night was fun,” she says. “Daine is really good. Thanks for bringing me home early, and I’m sorry if I fell asleep on you.”
“We were mid-kiss,” I say to her, smiling while absent-mindedly twirling a piece of her hair. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m kinda worried about your car.”
“Yeah, me, too, but not much I can do about it right now. It’s paid for, and until I get a job, I can’t really afford a new one.”
“Look, you’re driving up here for me all the time. And I want—no, I need—for you to be safe while doing so. Would you allow me to buy you one?”
“No, I wouldn’t, Damon,” she says, but then softens. “You’d do that for me?”
“Of course.”
“I just couldn’t accept a gift like that.”
“It would really be for me and would ease my conscience. I wish that we could rotate. That I could come see you every other weekend, but I can’t during football season.”
She purses her lips.
“After you fell asleep, I started online shopping and found one that I was going to surprise you with. But when I texted Dani to ask if she would go with you to pick it up today, she said you should get to help pick it out.”
“I’ll think about it,” she says, and I can tell she’s just saying that when she has no intention of doing so.
“Think about this,” I say, pulling her in tight and kissing her sweet lips.
Things heat up quickly from there.
A little later, I’m kissing her neck, and my fingers are tangled in her hair. I’m awash in that content feeling that comes after sex with her. Like everything is perfect in the world and nothing else matters.
If only that were true. I’m worried about her car and the fact that I’m still not starting. Which is crazy, considering I’ve been setting school records.
“What if I have Dani take you to the dealership and show you the car that I was going to get you? You can take it for a test drive, choose your favorite color, and if you like it, you can drive it home on Sunday.”
She crinkles up her nose in response.
“I’m going to buy it either way. And if you care about me and my mental well-being, you will drive it.”
“What if we break up?” she asks.
“The thought never crossed my mind because we are never breaking up.”
“You can’t just go around, buying cars for any girl you date. That’s not exactly fiscally responsible,” she chastises.
I pull her hips into mine. We’re still naked, snuggled under the covers.
“You’re not just any girl, and you know it. What if I buy it and let you drive it? Then you don’t have to worry.”
“Unless we break up,” she mutters.
I tickle up her sides. “You are quite stubborn—do you know that?”
“I’m practical, Damon. Realistic.”
“And I’m in love with you, and I care about your safety. I agree to let you drive it until the end of the semester, whether we break up or not. And once you get a job, you can either buy it from me or give it back. How’s that?”
“It would be nice not to have to worry,” she says tentatively.
I smile at her and kiss her forehead. “I agree. And car shopping is fun. Enjoy it.”
“I’ve never been car shopping before,” she says.
“You’ve never been shopping with my sister before either,” I say with a chuckle. “You’re in for a treat.”
“Actually, we did shop a little the first time I visited you. She made me buy team apparel, and that’s where I found those corn socks.”
“I love the corn socks. Did you know that I’ve been wearing them to every game?”
“I didn’t know that,” she says with a grin.
“And we haven’t lost. So, that’s on you.”
“It’s because of the corn socks that the team is winning?”
“Pretty sure.”
She kisses me deeply, then says, “You’re silly.”
“I won’t see you until tomorrow. We’ll go straight from practice to the team hotel.”
“I know the routine now,” she says, giving me a really good kiss. The kind that will linger on my lips until tomorrow. “Although, last time, you did manage to make your way back.”
Absolutely.
Ainsley
“I hear we’re going car shopping!” Haley says when I go out to the common area.
“I’m still not sure I’m comfortable with this,” I tell her.
Dani stops stirring what I think is sausage gravy and says, “I get it. You want to be an independent woman. Buy your own car, right?”
“Yeah, and I know my car had some issues on this trip, but it has been a good car and just has to get through the semester.”
“And it would,” Dani says, “if it wasn’t for the fact that you’re putting so many miles on it, driving here and back for him. He just wants you to be safe. The car he picked out is pretty. I think you’ll like it. I like it.”
“That means it’s expensive,” Sammy says with a hoot.
Dani rolls her eyes but smiles and shrugs.
“So, besides that, what do you guys have planned today?” I ask.
“We have a ton of orders that need to be shipped out. The shirts all arrived earlier this week, and we want a quick turnaround. If you guys want, you could help us,” Haley says.
I turn toward Sammy, wondering what he thinks.
“I’m cool with that,” Sammy agrees.
Dani says, “I thought we’d eat, go to the dealership, pick out the car, and come back here and work. Then we need to take Daine around town and out to lunch. I thought we’d do dinner here up on the roof.” She turns to Sammy. “I hear you’re a good cook. Would you want to grill?”
“Of course I can!” he says, sounding shocked anyone would think otherwise. “I grew up in Kansas City and come from a big family. I’m practically an expert at grilling.”
“Perfect,” she says to him. “I’ve got some big steaks, potatoes, and veggies waiting for us.”
“And I’ll whip up some brownies,” Haley says. “Speaking of Daine, do you think I should go wake him?”
“I’d let him sleep,” Sammy says.
I love how he’s so easily become part of the group.
“Everyone up but me?” Daine asks a few minutes later.
He moves toward Haley and whispers something in her ear that makes her blush. They’re cute together.
“The concert last night was amazing,” Sammy says. “And the new song? Love it!”
“People seem to like it,” he says humbly. “What’s the plan for today?”
Haley fills him in, and we all eat breakfast.
We went to the car dealership and brought home the car Damon had picked out—which, I will admit, I love.
It’s a luxury brand, and it’s probably going to ruin me for future cars.
It’s also an SUV, which means once I have the baby, it will be so much easier to deal with a car seat than in my current car.
It’s practical, I keep telling myself. Even though I still don’t know how I feel about it all.
Damon calls me when we’re working on One Eleven orders.
“Hey, Champ,” he says.
I step out of the room and walk down the hall so we can speak in private.
“What do you think of the car, really?” he asks.
“It’s amazing. Way more than I was expecting. Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely,” he says.
I smile. “Do you remember another time you said absolutely to me?”
“Not exactly,” he says.
“Then I’m going to remind you. Remember when you gave me the charms and you showed me how you had the number seven engraved on the golf flag?”
“Of course,” he says.
“You told me that night on the golf course, where you broke the drought, was literally the best night of your life so far,” I tell him. And I can’t help but think about how it was also the night I got pregnant. “When I asked if you really meant it, you said—”
“Absolutely,” he says, finishing my sentence. “I also practically started crying when I showed you the most important one.”
I look down at my bracelet, touch the butterfly charm. “The butterfly.”
“Yes, because you’re my butterfly. My soulmate. And you always will be. That’s why I wanted you in a safe car, really.”
Tears fill my eyes just like they did that day.
“Remember, this is just a blip in the timeline of our life together,” he says.