She wrapped her arms around me and held me close. The steady swell and fall of her chest was soothing, and I realized how incredibly safe I felt.
“Melany,” I murmured, nuzzling into her neck.
“Kendra.”
“I really trust you.”
She kissed me on my ear, and then my cheek. “Thank you.”
“I realized that I needed to not be afraid anymore. If I didn’t stop being scared, I’d regret it. I’d regret not being with you.”
“I know how big this is for you,” she said. “We’ve only known each other for a short amount of time, but I’m so proud of you. I know you’ve overcome a lot.”
“And I still have a way to go,” I admitted.
“I’ll be right there with you,” she said.
“I want to do what I can to help you, too.”
She squeezed me. “You already are helping me. Now I know what it’s like to fall in love with someone.”
I looked at her, surprised. Her gray eyes flashed, and then looked shy. “What?” she asked. “Kendra, you’re making me feel embarrassed.”
“Can you say that again?”
“You’re making me feel embarrassed.”
I nudged her side and grinned. “Not that. The other thing.”
Her face flushed. “I’m in love with you. I know, it’s crazy… but I think I knew it from that first night. Can that even be possible?”
I couldn’t help but laugh—seeing her look so embarrassed was adorable.
She frowned. “Hey…”
I quieted her with a kiss. “I love you too,” I said.
Melany stayed over at the house that night. She went through my fridge and cooked up an amazing pasta dinner with the meager ingredients I had, while I serenaded her with jazzy drum solos. Afterwards, I brought out my laptop and played some of my favorite music for her while we lounged together on the couch.
“I had no idea you were such a good cook,” I told her. “How are you so perfect?”
She laughed. “You don’t make wealth by spending money. In college, I was a real cheap-ass. The only time I went out was if it had to do with business or, um…”
“Picking up girls,” I filled in. “It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me. I know that’s behind you.”
“Yeah. So, I taught myself out of necessity.”
“I mean, I learned some basic cooking too. But I was watching you. You looked like you were on a cooking show, or something.”
“I guess that’s just how I do things.”
“Never halfway, huh?”
She nodded. “But I think it’s the same with you. If you didn’t do things with everything you had, there’s no way you’d be as good a musician as you are.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I’m definitely not that way with everything. And even drums. I quit, after all.”
“You quit school, not drums. There is a difference.”