Page 12 of Michelle
"I know this is all a lot, but you aren't the only one that feels this way. I'm falling in love with you." He holds up his hand to stop me. "I know that's crazy just to blurt out, but when things happen that make you realize what is important, it gives you clarity that you might not find so quickly."
“You can’t love me.”
“But I do.”
“We barely know each other. You didn’t even tell me you have a son.”
Nate's head snaps back, and he shakes his head. "What?"
“Tobey, your son,” I clarify.
I don’t know why he’s being so obtuse about it.
“Tobey is my dog. Obviously, he’s family to me, but I can assure you that I don’t have a son.”
Once again, I feel the smack of misunderstanding hit me in the face when it comes to Nate. I try to think back to what he said this morning, and I can see where I got things mixed up. But then again, he wasn’t entirely clear with me either.
“He’s your dog?”
Nate nods. “Yes, I share custody with Steph.”
“I feel like an idiot.”
Nate pulls me into his arms, and I hear the rumble of a chuckle in his chest. But then he stops and pulls back to look at me.
“You were going to dump me because you thought I had a kid?”
"Not dump. Just step back and evaluate. I was overwhelmed but what I was feeling and the news that you had a son that you didn't tell me about. It was all happening so quickly, I panicked."
Nate studies my face. “I understand now why you felt the way you did. But I need to know if you still feel this way. I’m an open book to you. I want to share everything with you and you with me.”
"Well, if we are sharing, then I'm not sure I want to step back anymore. Even though what is happening between us is crazy, I'm willing to ride the ride if you are there with me. And I want to tell you that I'm falling in love with you too."
A smile spreads across Nate’s face. “Really?”
I nod. “I want to be with you.”
“Okay, but under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“No more assumptions. If you have a question, ask me.”
I roll my eyes, but Nate doesn't give me a chance to respond with some smart mouth comment. His lips meet mine, and I know that we are going to find our way together. Assumptions and all.
* * *
Lily sits down in the seat next to me at our regular table in The Story Brew. She’s got her worn copy ofMy Buzzing Boyfriendsitting on the table in front of her. As promised, she was able to switch her schedule around and to meet with The Nice Girls' Naughty Book Club this week.
“I see we have a new member,” Quinn says with a bright smile as she and the rest of the members—Jess, Courtney, and my twin sister Fiona—take their seats at the table.
"Glad you could join us. It's always good to see new faces here," Courtney says.
“Michelle?” Jess asks from across the table. “You look different. Did you do something with your hair?”
I shake my head, unable to hold back the smile spreading on my face.
“She’s in love,” Fiona chimes in before I can answer.
All the eager eyes at the table turn to me, and I shrug.
"I thought I was getting a buzzing boyfriend, but instead, I found a real one instead."
“It’s her hot new neighbor,” Lily joins in excitedly. I’d already told her about Nate while we were waiting for the rest of the club to show up.
She admitted that behind meeting more women that enjoyed reading naughty books, we all seemed to find luck in love off the page with each book we read. And she was right.
“I want to find someone, and if the gods of naughty books are looking for someone to find a match for, then I’m ready,” she said.
I don't know if the romance stars aligned for us or if the power of us gathering together to talk naughty romance made us a lightning rod for love, but I'm hoping for Lily that there is a match waiting for her in our next book selection.
