“So much for one last practice, eh Ellie?” Lizzie asks, but I ignore her.
I march around the bench, cross the kitchen in two strides, and have her in my arms a second later.
“Caleb what are you—eep!”
Lifting her off her feet, I take her weight into my arms and kiss her. Heedless of any audience, it’s several minutes before I let us come back up for air.
“Don’t,” I wheeze against her mouth, “ever do that to me again.”
“What?” Lizzie laughs. “Kiss you? I’m not sure I can agree to that…”
I groan, pressing my forehead into hers in a punishing little knock.
“You know what I mean.”
“Mmm,” she sighs into me, her shape molding to mine. “I do. And I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“You can’t just walk out on a guy after he’s…”
My words dry up when I notice my mother, watching us with an all-knowing smirk on her face.
“Ah yes, but it’s exactly because of that, that I needed to come and see Ellie.” Lizzie reassures me, placing a hand on my chest.
“You needed to ask her for my hand?”
I’m only half-joking.
If anyone told me two months ago that I’d be seriously considering—no, wanting—to get married by winter, I’d have said they were crazy. Now, things are entirely different and optimism is making me dare to hope that Lizzie might feel the same.
“Ha. Ha,” she simply jokes, taking my hand. “Come on, you’ll see. Ellie, you ready?”
As I follow Lizzie out toward the couch and living room, I’m afforded the pretty picture of her butt in little denim shorts… and one foot bound from toes to knee.
“Lizzie, your foot?”
Her golden hair shimmers like silk as she shakes her head.
“All good. Just a sprain, like I thought.”
“How did you even get here?”
“I know people. Now, shush.”
I frown, annoyed. Jace is involved in this somehow, I just know it.
With a hand on each of my shoulders, Lizzie positions me in front of the old armchair and nudges me to take a seat. She raises her palms like she’s training an animal.
“Sit. Stay. Good, Caleb.”
I raise an eyebrow at her.
“Am I getting a treat after this?” I ask. The heat Lizzie’s eyes shoot back says that I just might be.
Settling myself into the old leather, I suck back the first deep breath I’ve taken all morning.
“Now, Mr. Walker,” Lizzie says, moving to stand front and center in the open living space. I only now notice that Ma’s coffee table has been moved. “You told me something very special last night—”
I cough, feeling heat creeping up my neck.