Page 116 of The Other Guy

JACK

It’s been a month since Sierra and I had our first date. Not a day has passed since that we haven’t seen each other. Even if it’s only five minutes, we’ve made time to connect every single day. I crave her, and I’ve never craved anyone like this before. She spends the night at my place several nights a week, and the nights she doesn’t, I miss the hell out of her.

She’s brought me to my knees, and I love it. Wouldn’t have it any other way, in fact.

In the month we’ve been together, we’ve learned a lot about each other. Just like I told her we would, we’re taking our time. She’s outspoken but not rude, has a sarcastic streak that cracks me up on the daily. She hates running but loves going on walks outside, which she’s been doing with Toby almost every day, weather permitting. She loves art. Loves it. Doesn’t own any and, according to her, doesn’t have an artistic bone in her body, but can get lost looking at it online for hours. Her dream trip is to go to Italy and France and immerse herself in museums. By herself. She’s told me the trip is one she’ll eventually take on her own because she doesn’t want to feel guilty dragging someone around who doesn’t want to be doing the same thing she wants to. I told her I’d gladly go along to every museum she wanted to if she indulged me wanting to eat my way through Italy and maybe learn a few new tricks along the way. She turned it dirty, which turned the conversation into one where we explored each other’s bodies again, which turned into her giving in and saying I could come along to Italy with her.

We shared pictures of our “ugly” years where we both had braces and acne and our bodies were awkward and gangly. Even then, I would have lost my mind for the chance to date her.

She loves mangoes, the pound cake that you can buy in the grocer’s freezer, Pepsi over Coke, playing tic-tac-toe while we wait for our meals if we’re out to eat. Loves to take baths, which moved up my bathroom remodel which now includes a huge bathtub with jets. When she was younger, she hated reading but now she’s been getting into it as an adult. I bought her an e-reader and now she doesn’t leave home without it.

When she was eighteen, she learned to drive a stick shift but has since completely forgotten how. She swears if she climbed behind the wheel of a five-speed she’d immediately remember how to do it, though. I told her I wasn’t going to be the guinea pig who got in the passenger seat with her.

She absolutely hates scary movies but loves action or Rom-Com movies. Could curl up in front of the TV and watch two or three movies in a row, cuddled up with Toby and me. I don’t hate it. Not one bit.

I introduced her officially as my girlfriend to my parents. I’m sure the rest of the family is dying for their chance, but after the entire picture-taking incident, they know not to push. When she’s ready and not a moment sooner, is what I’ve told them about meeting the whole clan. My mom immediately fell in love with her. Invited her to lunch or manicures, just the two of them. My dad gave me a knowing grin.

We’ve made a weekly lunch date with her uncle Kyle and his friend Rebecca. We join them at church, go out for lunch, and then go our separate ways. All of us being business owners, we have a lot in common but we also enjoy their company. I’m used to being around family, but it’s new for Sierra and Kyle and I think they’re realizing how much they missed not having it.

Last weekend Sierra’s parents, Keith and Samantha, joined us. They’re an eccentric couple but welcoming and nice. Not once did they make me feel like an outsider. Even when telling stories of Sierra’s childhood, making her blush and beg them to be quiet, they somehow included me and made me feel like I was there, rather than hearing it for the first time.

Samantha gave Sierra a container of “special” brownies before we parted from each other and even though Sierra tried to refuse them, Samantha thrust them into her hands.

“Mom! I can’t take these!”

“Why not? They’ll help you relax if you’re insecure about trying certain things,” she says suggestively.

“Mom!” Sierra admonishes and looks around the parking lot. “Do you have no filter?”

“No, but you already know that. I’m serious, Sierra, your dad and I each ate one to relax the first time we tried…”

Sierra throws a hand in the air and interrupts, “Okay, Mom! Okay. I’ll take the damn brownies.” Sierra shoves the container into the back seat of my Jeep before her mom could finish whatever she was about to say. I’m not upset about that, though.

“Good. Enjoy!” She wiggles her fingers in a wave and winks at me and I chuckle when Sierra mutters, “Kill me now.”

I wrap an arm around her and pull her close, kissing her temple. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’ll relax after you have one of the brownies.”

She elbows me in the side.

We watch as they pull out of the parking lot and Sierra turns to me, “So, those are my parents.”

Kyle says to Rebecca, “And that’s my brother and sister-in-law. Can’t say we didn’t warn you.”

Rebecca and I share a look and laugh.

They did warn us. Over and over again. That we’d have to watch as they fed each other during lunch. That her mom’s hand would slide up her dad’s leg and he would grab her breast. And all that happened… and a little more. Right in the middle of Applebee’s. It was slightly uncomfortable at first but soon it was obvious that was just their way.

It also helped me to understand Sierra’s hesitance when it came to being with someone she felt passionate about. Her parents lack of inhibitions turned her off from that. Lucky for me, she’s over it, and fully embraces how we feel toward one another.

We cook, exercise (okay, so that’s an exaggeration — I work out while she pretends to skip rope or just distracts me by being cute), and run errands together. She even let me tag along with her once when she went to the trampoline park then she joined me at the indoor rock climbing gym. She laughed as she bounced off the rock the first time she tried to glide back down but then got the hang of it and soon tried racing me up the wall.

Six weeks.

That’s how long I’ve known Sierra.

And still, I can hardly remember a past without her in it.

Six weeks.

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