Page 36 of So Worth More
This whole time we should have been spending time together. Having dates, hanging out with friends. All that you’d said you wanted. Just being around you makes everything better. I don’t think you know how special you are.
Even when you asked me to let you in, rather than seeing you becoming frustrated, I hid away further. I went about this all wrong. Instead of tackling all my issues myself, or with Dr. Arnold’s help, I should’ve told you about it. About how I struggle to trust after being cheated on twice with both of my brothers. About how lonely I’ve become after cutting off half my family and all of my old friends when they took sides against me.
This weekend I spent time with my brother Alex and worked through a lot of thingsand rebuilt some bridges. But the worst part of Sunday was hearing that you’d gone out with another man and thinking that you might’ve given up waiting on me. It was the push that I needed.
You are everything to me. My best friend. I think I’ve been falling in love with you for a while, and might already be in love with you, but I’ve been stupid and selfish and kept you at a distance.
That’s not what I want anymore. You are what I want. Everything you said you wanted, I need to have with you. Dates, meeting family, being around friends as boyfriends. I want to be with you every day. Falling asleep with you and waking up together. I’d even consider a cat. I just need you, Andy.
You are someone I think I could have a future with and it used to scare me. Now that thought makes me feel light and free in a way that I’ve never felt before.
You’re all that I never knew I needed. Please give us another chance.
If this isn’t what you want… if Clara was wrong about Jonas just being a friend, then ignore this and enjoy the flowers. I hope they bring some much needed sunshine.
If you feel the same, agree to a date. Tomorrow. You and me, in a restaurant, having dinner together. Let’s do this properly. See if what we had is still there underneath the hurt I caused by pulling away, for not seeing how good this could be.
I’ve made a reservation. Let me know if I should keep it.
I really am sorry that I caused you pain.
Yours, always,
Will
Putting the card down, I noticed a folded piece of thick paper had fallen out.
Unfolding it, I gasped at the drawing of myself, caught at the moment of laughing at some joke. This was how Will saw me? The guy in the picture was interesting, instantly attracting attention. The kind of guy you wanted to know. He was the type that you wondered what had made him laugh so you could be in on the joke.
When had he drawn this? It was apparent that he had looked at this often. The paper was worn in the corners. This picture was important to Will. I was important to him.
It didn’t take me long to make up my mind about what I wanted to do. Sending Will a message, I agreed to the date. Nerves rose, but I pushed them back. If there was one thing I was certain of, it was that Will and I would be great together if we were on the same page.
It looked like we finally were.
Twenty Nine - Andy
It was only when I woke up the next day that I remembered that I didn’t have a car and it was still raining from the day before.
I weighed my options but decided if Will wanted to be my boyfriend, I needed to know if I could rely on him. I put that to a test with a call.
The phone rang a couple of times before Will answered warily, “Hey, everything okay?”
“Hey,” I blew out a breath, “I need a favor. My car wouldn’t start last night and I left it at the office. Could you maybe pick me up on your way in?”
He let out a chuckle, “Phew, I thought you were canceling. Sure thing, babe. I’ll text you when I’m there, okay?”
My heart stalled when he so casually called me babe, the endearment tripping easily off his tongue.
“That’s, um, yeah, that’s great. Thanks, Will.” I managed to get out before saying bye and ending the call.
So far, Will was killing it in the boyfriend game.
Practically giddy from the call, it took me no time at all to get ready for work. I even had time to look for a mechanic to fix my car.
Will arrived earlier than I thought and it made me smile to think that he was excited to see me as I was him.
He was standing at the door to the building under a large umbrella and I couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for this, honey.”
