Page 95 of Because of Liam

Chapter Sixty

I can tellRiver is nervous about my moving in. And I’m not sure myself if it’s a good idea. Or how her parents will react to the news. We are too new and too fresh in our relationship and living together could be too much pressure. It can either derail everything or cement our connection.

We’ve known each other for six months and have been together for a little over four.

We’ve never discussed the whole dating thing. From that day on, from the day we found out about Jon and opened up to each other, the day we kissed for the first time, there was a mutual understanding, even if we never put words to it.

Maybe it’s time we talked about it. But I’m nervous too. What if I say the wrong thing? What if she thinks I don’t want to be with her?

“Wanna go for a ride?” I ask.

“Sure, where to?”

“Nowhere. Let’s just get in the truck and see where it takes us.”

She looks at me for a second longer than it should take to answer the question, River, too, is trying to read me and figure how this move will affect us.

“Okay,” she finally says. “Let me grab my stuff and get my shoes on.”

We don’t bother telling our siblings we’re leaving. Five minutes later we are out the door and walking to my driveway where Grandpa’s old truck is parked. I open the door for her and we are gone.

I drive aimlessly for ten minutes, getting away from town. No words are exchanged. The radio is on whatever was the last station Logan listened to. Some kind of rock country song plays softly, and it warms my heart when I remember this was Grandpa’s favorite kind of song. He used to say, “Country with just enough rock so you don’t need the cowboy hat or boots to listen to it.” Grandpa had a quirky sense of humor. I pay attention to the words and it’s as if this song was written for this specific moment.

We came together,

When I never believed we could.

We came together,

When all odds were against us.

We came together,

And here we are at a standing still.

Sitting in this old truck

As the tires eat the miles on the road.

Where will the path take us?

Is it too soon to say I love you?

Where will the path take us?

Is it too soon to say I love you?

We came together,

When I never believed we could.

We came together,

When everyone doubted us.

We came together,

And out of our darkness, light was born.

---