Page 41 of When You're Home
She sat up on the bench swing and turned around to face him. Was this it? Was this how it ended?
Inhaling, she used both hands to tuck her hair behind her ears.
“It’s not no.”
It’s not no.
“Tori,” he breathed, reaching out and pulling her into his arms. He couldn’t form thoughts, let alone full sentences. He pulled back slightly, seeking reassurance in her face that this was really, truly happening.
“It’s not no?” he questioned again, giving her a chance to confirm or deny where things stood between them.
She peered up at him and bit down on her lower lip. Then a small smile crept onto her face.
“It’s not no,” she confirmed, nodding as she spoke the three words that were quickly becoming the sweetest thing she had ever said to him. That was all the confirmation he needed.
He bowed his head to kiss her, seeking assurance that this was real. That he wasn’t dreaming. She responded immediately, opening her mouth at the urging of his tongue and letting out a soft whimper against his mouth.
He had thought last night had been one of the best nights of his entire life. And yet here they were, here she was, topping that experience and taking it all to the next level.
Chapter 25
Rhett
HewokeupwithToriinhisarms.Right where she belongs, he thought to himself as he reveled in the memories of last night. He laid perfectly still as not to wake her and stared at the ceiling fan hanging from the rafters of his family’s cabin. He almost couldn't believe everything that had transpired between them this weekend. How had they gone from the relationship turmoil at the Ledges last month to Tori agreeing to be with him again last night?
A tightness found its way to Rhett’s chest as he thought about all the things they needed to discuss. There was so much to figure out. He knew he would have to be the one to bring up most of it, and he knew he had to be strategic about it. He felt an uneasiness about trying to force Tori to figure things out too quickly, fearful she could still change her mind. But he also worried about leaving things undefined and falling back into old habits.
He took comfort in the fact that a lot of the logistics would just fall into place. They had already been doing long distance for the last several years. Hampton was twice as far from Norfolk as it was from Easton, but there were plenty of nonstop flights between Norfolk International and the local airports. It would be easy to fly home on the weekends and to fly Tori to him when her schedule allowed.
He knew they were going to talk about money, and he wasn’t looking forward to that face off. He would be making a six-figure salary in a few months, and he had no student loans or debt to worry about. He knew she would still resist accepting financial help from him, at least at first. But if they were together, he was going to take care of her.
He wondered what he could get away with paying for without her putting up too much of a fight. He would cover all her travel expenses, of course. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he considered that he could add her as an account holder on his credit card. If he asked her to use the card so that he earned points, she would probably be okay with that. Then she’d have the card with her at home in case of emergencies.
He could also get her and Paul both added on NorfolkStar’s company cell phone plan. They would have to change their numbers, and Tori would be pissed to give up her 330 area code, but it didn’t make sense for them to be on different networks.
He tried to rein in his racing thoughts. There was no longer an expiration date on their relationship. They had time to figure things out. He didn’t have to figure everything out on his own, either.Tori wants this, too.Years of rejection had conditioned him to tread lightly, but he didn’t have to worry about that anymore.
The first light of dawn was starting to creep into the room. He had only slept for a few hours, but he felt wide awake now. He decided to get up and start the coffee. He had promised Tori they would go down to the lake early this morning before they had to drive back to Hampton for her shift at Clinton’s, and he intended to make good on that promise.
Rhett located and pulled on his joggers as quietly as possible. He padded over to the bathroom, feeling the weight of his phone in his pocket when he pushed down his pants to relieve himself.
He washed his hands, then pulled his phone out to check the time. He had four texts and three missed calls. His heart caught in his throat as he hit the Messages app and saw that they were all from his sister.
Shit. He and Tori had joked about all the trouble Maddie was apparently getting into last night, but things must have escalated. But why would she call him? She knew he wasn’t anywhere near Hampton if she needed help.
The first text had come through at 11:06 p.m. last night:
Maddie: Hey, can you call me real quick?
Then again at 11:54 p.m.:
Maddie: I need to talk to you ASAP.
12:02 a.m.:
Maddie: Rhett, I think I messed up. Call me as soon as you see this.
Finally, 12:07 a.m.:
