39. Makenna
Makenna
“Good morning! Oh, it’s afternoon there, isn’t it?” The sound of Mai’s voice makes me feel ever so slightly homesick. I wouldn’t have thought that was possible given my current circumstances, but here I am, missing my friend and our coffee dates.
“It’s afternoon, but good morning to you! How are you?”
“Well, I’ve worked nearly thirty hours this week already and Wednesday just started.”
“Eww.” I turn over onto my side. I’m in the guest bed. I decided it was a bit much for me to nap in Malcolm’s. I called Mai right after I settled in.
“I mean, yeah. But it will be worth it when I’m partner.”
“I hope so.”
“What about you? Any updates with your doctor friend?” She asks this like I’m about to tell her that Malcolm and I have eloped and have been kissing our way across Scotland.
Although, obviously, I do have news.
“Well … he kept saying things and doing things that made me wonder if he might have feelings for me, so I asked him.”
“And he does! I knew it!”
“Yeah. Shockingly, he does.”
“Stop that right now. You are ten thousand percent fantastic, and there isn’t the tiniest part of me that feels surprised by the fact that he has feelings for you.” Mai’s using her lawyer voice, so I know she means business.
“But you haven’t seen him in real life. He’s—”
“I don’t need to see him in real life. Any man spending that much time with you would be catching feelings, no matter what he looks like.”
“I’m glad you’re my friend.”
“Me too. You need me.”
I laugh and Mai joins me. “That’s so true.” I smile. “Oh, and he kissed me.”
“Oh my gosh! You could have led with that! I knew he had the hots for my beautiful friend! Okay, I have twenty minutes until I need to be in a meeting. Tell me everything.”
I bought a sundress today. It’s grey-blue linen with flowy short sleeves, a wide, square neckline, and it hits me just above the knee.
I wanted something pretty to wear for our date tonight.
I took way too long to curl my long hair, and apply make-up, and now I’m sitting on the sofa waiting on Malcolm.
Since I sat down, my feelings have been oscillating between excitement and worries for our future.
If this works out, one of us would have to move.
Could I? I’m not sure I could leave my mom alone.
She has a couple of good friends, but my whole life’s been just the two of us.
I know she’d encourage me to go if I really thought Malcolm was the one for me, but could I?
I would never want him to move. His family is fantastic, and they are all wonderfully close.
It’s something I wish I had. And I could, if I moved here.
I hear his key in the lock and realize how far ahead of myself I’ve gotten.
Malcolm walks in carrying the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.
It’s bursting with pinks and corals. The only flowers I recognize are dahlias tucked in with the rest. I stand and move to meet him.
I don’t even get off the living room rug before he’s made it to me and swept me into his arms. He presses me hard against him, and I giggle when the stubble along his jaw sweeps across the side of my neck.
He leans back. Keeping one arm around me, he offers me the flowers with the other. “I missed you.”
“Oh, yeah?” I take a closer look at the gorgeous flowers. “Thank you.”
“I was a wee bit worried you’d think it was cheesy.”
I shake my head. “Mmm-mmm. Or if it is, I’m really into cheesy.”
“Good.” He runs the backs of his fingers across my jaw, studying me intently, “Can I kiss you again?”
“Anytime. You can kiss me an—”
His lips are on mine. I’m grateful for my forethought, not putting on any lip gloss.
If he hadn’t told me he missed me, his kiss would have made it obvious. It isn’t the slow, tender movements from last night, this is a man starved, and I cannot believe it’s for me. He slides his hand back into my hair, while the other slides up my spine.
Gosh, I could get used to this.
He stops and rests his forehead against mine. “I’ve never been happier to get home from work.”
“I’m pretty happy myself.”
Malcolm grins, then presses a lingering kiss to my cheek. “I have something to get out of the car, then we can go. Are you ready?” Malcolm asks.
“I’m ready.”
I move closer to the door as I wait for Malcolm to get whatever it is from the car. He comes back in and pauses when he sees me.
“So, so bonnie.” His voice is a whisper, almost like he’s talking to himself.
I smile and swing my dress around a little, then I notice he’s carrying a guitar.
“I stopped by Rory’s on the way home and grabbed this,” he says, lifting the instrument.
“What are you going to do with his guitar? Is it different?”
“I wanted to know if you would do a song or two with me at my gig Friday night.” At my concerned face, he continues. “We have a few days to practice before, and if you don’t want to, that’s fine. Worst case, we have some fun playing together here.”
I nod. “I never thought worst case would be my preference.”
Malcolm grins and takes my chin with his free hand. He brings his lips to mine for a quick, but knee buckling kiss. “We’ll see what happens, sweetheart.”