Page 92 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“Tell me what you want.” Adam’s voice was a rasp.
“I want you to stay,” I shouted through the storm. It felt right to say it. “When you came and rescued our little festival, you rescued a part of my heart. A part of my heart I hadn’t known was waiting for you to show up.” I felt my chin quiver. “I want you to stay. That’s what I want. Now, it’s your turn to tell me.”
A smile spread across Adam’s face. His eyes squinted in the rain. “I want that, too. I basically turned down the job already. I’ve been trying to handle it on my own and figure it out, but I realized I want to figure it outwith you. I want to handle everything with you. Maybe I don’t have to do it alone anymore.”
Pressure floated off my chest. Tears sprung to my eyes. “You don’t have to do anything alone anymore. You’ve got me now.”I’d wanted to give him his space when Adam was wanting me to take my place by his side.
He brushed my dripping hair out of my face. “I’m gone for you, Lucy Rhodes.”
“I’m gone for you.” I lifted onto my tiptoes, bringing my lips to his. The rain was coming down in sheets now, heavy over us like a blanket wrapping us up in our own little world.
“Lucy, I’ve never felt anything like what I feel for you,” Adam said, sliding his hands down my waist. “It was so confusing when we first met because you were treating me like enemy number one, and to be honest, you were this wildcard that made me nervous. But even then, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I’ve been thinking about you nonstop since you first stormed into my office.”
“I’ve been thinking about you since I found you on that app,” I said, tangling my hands around the back of his neck.
“I was wandering all over Sweet River looking for that stormy redhead. I ran into you outside the restaurant and was so conflicted. This woman makes everything more complicated for me, but man, I wish I could take her to dinner. I’ve been desperate, helplessly trying to come up with reasons to be in the same vicinity as you.Can we try out this place for lunch for the festival? Can I help your sister mow her lawn? Can I drive you? Can I please just see you even if for a second?I guess I should be embarrassed, but the way I see it, anyone would be hopeless over you, Lucy. I mean, you’ve got me buying daisies. You’ve got me wandering around the art supplies aisle. I’m turning down jobs. I want to put down roots. I want to call your family my family. I’m thinking about summer festivals decades down the roadwith you.”
My sneakers were full of water as I said, “I want it all, too, with you.”
He lifted me up and I crossed my ankles around his waist, his thumbs dipping into my hips, as we kissed. He tasted like mint and summer rain. I trailed my fingers through his wet hair and down his neck. He shuddered at my touch. He pulled me in tighter. Our skin was slippery and wet as the rain poured over us. I could hear the band singing a cover of a Noah Kahan song through the storm.
“So,” I pulled out of the kiss for a second to ask, “you’re staying?”
He kissed up my jawline, then said warmly against my ear, “I’m staying with you.”
Thirty-Four
The next morning, we went for breakfast at Coffees and Commas, walking into the shop hand in hand. It smelled like paperbacks and coffee beans. Katie wiggled her eyebrows at us when she saw us. There was loud hammering from the back of the shop where the roofers were repairing the leaks. Adam and I were giddy to be starting our life together, hand in hand.
After we placed our order and were looking for a table, Adam was insistent that we should sit over by the wall.
“The wall?” I asked, confused. “Which wall?”
“That wall.” He pointed toward a blank wall that had four empty frames hanging gallery style. He had a mischievous smirk. “By the beautiful art.”
“You mean empty frames?” I whispered in case Katie could hear us.I had to be missing something.
“Empty frames waiting to be filled with your beautiful art,” Adam said, pleased with himself. He pulled out a chair at a table under the frames and sat down while I stood dumbfoundedly staring up at the frames.
“Did you…?” I asked slowly. “What have you been up to? Am I supposed to fill those frames?”
“Order up for Adam and Lucy,” Katie called out. Adam stood up to get our order and I followed after him, eager for answers.
“Katie, I’m telling Lucy what we’ve been talking about,” Adam said as he grabbed our drinks. I slowly picked up our bag of baked goods with my mind reeling.
“Oh, yes. Lucy, he wanted to surprise you with the idea,” Katie said, clapping excitedly. She then placed her hands on the counter and leaned toward us. “I mentioned to Adam that I’ve been wanting to display local art in the shop. So, Adam immediately thought of you. I didn’t even realize you were an artist! He’s been working up a contract for you to provide a few art pieces. I was thinking that either of the pieces you’ve already worked on, or you could make specific pieces for us—maybe even inspired by Sweet River? I love the piece Adam has. What do you think? He was really pitching you.”
“I think—yes!” I blurted out, not even needing to think about it.
Katie and I sorted out the details together for a while at the coffee counter while I sipped on my icy, sweet lavender latte. Adam was sitting at the table reading a book, waiting for me. My heart felt so full that it was close to bursting. My art would now be hanging in my favorite coffee shop.
Later, Adam and I huddled in the corner table underneath the empty frames waiting for the art I would make for them. We dreamed up plans for the lake with my family that coming weekend. They had extended the invite to my new boyfriend last night. This led to us discussing plans for fall and his brother’s coming visit to Sweet River.
Adam and I were dreaming up a life that wasours.
We spent the next few days enjoying the freedom of post-festival madness and relishing in our new relationship. Adam made a list of places he wanted to visit in Sweet River. I was soproud, walking everywhere hand in hand, staking my claim on Adam.
When the weekend arrived, we had both our bags in the back of his Jeep to head to the lake. Adam had his hand on my knee in my denim, cut-off shorts. He was telling me a funny college story.
