Page 117 of Darn Knit All

“He’s a man. They overcomplicate everything,” Annie said with a very expressive wave of her hand.

“He believes in me.” I shook my head with a laugh. “And he’s proud of me? As in genuinely delighted by my achievements. It’s….”

“Wonderful,” Flo breathed with a happy little sigh. “He cares for you.”

“He’s also….” I blushed.

Frankie leaned forward. “Ah, now we get to the bedroom. I recognize that look. Spill, missy.”

“He’s respectfully aggressive. Like he’ll throw me around the bedroom but he’ll check to see if I want that first.”

“Consent,” Frankie said with an approving nod. “Good man.”

“I wish someone would throw me around a bedroom,” Flo muttered, her bottom lip jutting out. “All anyone does is compliment me on my ability to walk from one side of a room to another without tripping.”

Annie patted her leg. “You’ll find your person.”

“They better hurry up. My patience is wearing thin.”

“Back to Mai,” Frankie encouraged, gesturing for me to continue.

“I know it’s quick?—”

“It’s not,” Flo interrupted. “You’ve been dating for years—you just didn’t know it.”

“But a friendship relationship is different to a romantic relationship,” Frankie pointed out reasonably. “And moving from one to the other requires courage and open communication. It also requires you to grapple with the reality that it might not work—and to move through that pain.”

I nodded. “That’s part of it. I’m worried that this won’t work out and I’ll lose him. He makes my life better in so many significant and simple ways.”

“You want to explore this with him but you’re worried it will break what you have.”

I blew out a breath at Flo’s statement. “Yeah.”

Flo tilted her head to one side. “Do you trust him?”

“Yes.”

“Then trust he’ll have a care with your heart.”

Flo’s words cut through my doubts. I trusted Theo. He’d supported me through this wild adventure—and had laid his own feelings on the line. I needed to trust that whatever happened, we’d navigate our way through it.

“Ouch!” Annie clutched at her chest. “Damn, girl. Way to lay that truth down.”

“I’m not going to lie.” Frankie grinned. “You and Theo? I didn’t pick it.”

“Odd bunch,” Annie agreed. She flicked her thumb in Flo’s direction. “Always assumed he’d end up with this one.”

“She’s pointing at you, Flo,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Theo and me?” Flo made a face. “God no. Could you imagine? We’re both too optimistic. We need someone to be the realist in the relationship.”

Annie rose from her seat and walked across to place her hands on my shoulders, staring into my eyes.

“What you and Theo have is worth fighting for. I’m going to channel my inner Flo right now and say something super mushy.”

“I can’t wait to hear this,” Flo muttered to Frankie.

“You and Theo make sense. You challenge him in ways no one else can. He’s been clocking in on life for a long time. Being with you is good for him.”

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