Chapter 12 #2
I’ve known Amber since I was eighteen and she was sixteen.
We’ve been there for each other through all the ups and downs of life.
I was there when she and Mitch got engaged (hiding in the bushes to get photos) and then married.
I was the first to know she was expecting Lou, because Mitch was out of town and she was terrified to take the test (she had me wait outside the bathroom while she peed on the stick).
I was the one who drove Amber to the hospital the night Mitch was hit and killed by a drunk driver.
A few weeks later, I was waiting at the hospital the day Lou was born.
After the cancer diagnosis, Deke and I switched off taking Amber to treatments and staying with Lou.
And in return, she’s been there for me every time I’ve needed her. Her unconditional love, along with those nuggets of wisdom she always gives me, have gotten me through some really hard times.
I’ve still got my arm wrapped around her shoulders when she looks up at me. “You look deep in thought. What’s going on in that head of yours.” She reaches up with her knuckles and gives my head a light tap.
“I was taking a walk and saw Lou and Stephanie at the playground. I unintentionally ended up eavesdropping on Stephanie’s phone call to her nana instead.”
“Stephanies’s nana?” Amber’s eyebrows shoot up. “She’s the most inappropriate senior citizen I’ve ever talked to—in the most entertaining kind of way.” I love Amber’s laugh.
“I got that impression from listening to Stephanie’s side of the conversation.” My smile deepens as I relive it in my mind. “Speaking of Stephanie?—”
“Ooo! You two are so alike it’s almost ridiculous. I know you’re going to get along great!” Amber’s excitement makes her sit up and turn her whole body toward me.
“Alright, give me your top ten.” I don’t even try to hide my interest in Stephanie. Mostly because there’s no point. Amber can sense these things from a mile away.
“She’s incredibly smart, has a great sense of humor, is insanely talented at what she does, has a quirkiness about her that makes me love her all the more,” she’s ticking off on her fingers as she goes, “she loves athletics, has tons of energy, is fantastic with Lou, is always up for something spontaneous, is so beautiful it almost isn’t fair, and has a heart that’s almost as big as yours.
” She reaches over and taps over my heart.
“That’s ten. Oh!—and you’re perfect for each other.
That’s eleven.” Amber’s eyes are bright.
“So did you already buy the wedding ring for me? Or should I go shopping for one tomorrow?”
She reaches out to swat me, but I easily dodge her half-hearted attempt. “You’re such an idiot.” Her laughter fills the space between us. “Have you actually met her?”
“We met, but let’s say it didn’t go well.” I give a little laugh. “I was dizzy and bumped into her, which caused me to accidentally get a little handsy, and then I knocked us both to the ground, where I promptly fell on top of her.”
Amber’s laugh rings out. “You’re always so smooth with the ladies.”
I groan but can’t stop the corner of my mouth from ticking up. “But seriously, I already want to know everything about her.”
She spends the next twenty minutes telling me about Stephanie in more detail, until we realize we need to go.
I help Amber up, and we start walking toward the condo.
“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been interested in anyone?
” I stop walking. “How deep could I dive right now and not scare her off?” Deacon and I have been diving together since our freshman year in college, and we started using ocean depths to compare how much we were interested in a woman—or how serious the relationship was.
Snorkeling meant the date was fun, but we didn’t see a second one happening.
A ten-meter dive was considered exclusively dating, but not serious.
The deepest I’ve ever gotten was forty meters.
It was senior year of college, and I dated her for nine months.
So Amber understands what I’m talking about when I ask how deep I can dive.
Amber stops walking and looks more serious. “No deep dives right now. Her heart is pretty battered, so her defenses are up. Tread lightly.”
A weary sound slips out. “Another woman I have to tread lightly around, but this one because I’m the one too interested.” I let out an ironic laugh. “How’s that for flipping the script?” I’m weary of this game.
“If you push too fast, you’ll scare her off. She’s working through some trust issues. But she’s worth the wait. If you slowly let her get to know you, you’ll be fine.”
She wraps her arm around my waist as we start walking again.
“So,” I review my to-do list with Amber, “I slowly let her get to know me while not pushing her, then a 100-meter dive?” My deadpan delivery lets her know I’m joking, but she answers my question anyway.
“No, no, no. That’s not how it’s going to work with Stephanie.” She looks up at me. “Getting to know Stephanie won’t be like diving into the water at all. It will be more like diving into the sun.”