What do I say to that? Nothing. I ignore it like we do most other topics, which we should discuss but don’t.
“Try this.” I once again change the subject. I scoop up a big bite of my chicken and dumplings and hold it out for him. He doesn’t hesitate to lean in and wrap his lips around my fork.
“So good,” he says after he finishes his bite. “Try this,” he mimics me and offers me a bite of his pot pie.
“Delicious,” I say, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Right?” He grins.
We enjoy the rest of our dinner with easy conversation. It’s always easy between us. “Where to now?” I ask once we are back in the car.
“I thought I would take you to one of my favorite spots.”
“Is that all I get? No hints?” I pout.
“You’re cute,” he says, tapping my nose just like I do with Lexi. “My grandparents own some property not far from their house. It has a huge pond, and every time I visit, Gramps and I spend a lot of time there. When I came to visit a few months back, Dad came with us. It was good to spend time just the guys. It’s always been my favorite spot, and I want to share it with you,” he says sheepishly.
“I can’t wait to see it,” I tell him. I really can’t. Anything that’s important to him and makes his eyes light up like that, I’m in.
I thought I would be nervous, but I’m not. I know this is the right thing to do. Her parents think the same thing. Hell, even Aaron agrees with me. This whole situation is surreal.
“Is this it?” she asks as I park in front of the old red barn.
“This is it.” I hop out and open the cargo area where I snuck a couple of blankets.
“Where did those come from?” she questions me.
“I put them in there earlier. I was banking on you saying yes to getting out of the house.”
“You calling me a sure thing?” she teases.
I close the hatch on the Durango and throw my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “Never, baby. I was just hopeful you would spend the evening with me.”
“Let’s see this pond,” she says. She’s trying not to get too close; I recognize the signs. I fought it just as hard, but I don’t want to anymore. She’s going to be my wife, and while she is, for however long that may be, I want this to be real.
I keep my arm around her as we walk down toward the pond. “Watch your step,” I tell her when we reach a section of uneven land. There is a wall of trees sheltering this side of the pond. It’s great for shade on a hot summer’s day.
“You sure you know where you’re going?” she asks as we walk through the tree line.
“You don’t trust me?”
“No, I do. It’s just . . .”
“Right there,” I say, motioning with my head. She pulls her eyes from mine and looks in front of us. The huge pond is lit with nothing but the moonlight surrounded by stars.
“Wow,” she breathes. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah,” I agree with her, but I’m not looking at the pond. My eyes are glued to her. We reach a shadowed edge and I stop her. “Let me lay these down.” I spread one thick quilt down on the grass and take a seat. I hold my hand out for her and help her with her balance while she takes her place next to me. I throw the other blanket over us and she snuggles in close.
“This is nice,” she says as she takes in our surroundings. “This place is so peaceful.”
“Yeah, even during the day it’s like that. It’s great for fishing. I’ve spent many hot summer days at this pond.”
Turning her head, she looks up at me. “Thank you for sharing it with me.” She shivers, but tries to cover it up.
“Come here.” I throw back the blanket and spread my legs, patting between them. She doesn’t hesitate to climb over and settle against my chest. I cover us back up with the blanket. This time, my arms are wrapped tight around her.