“YES! Oh, my gosh, yes. This is amazing. Seriously? Like, we can live here. With a pond?” My excitement is bubbling out of me.
“We sure can. We can get ducks today if you want to.”
My eyes grow even wider, and I pull my lips between my teeth. I nod my head.
“Alright. Let’s go, Titmouse.” He kisses my cheek, starts the four wheeler and takes us back to the house.
He takes me on a tour of the inside, and yes, while it is older and needs some major renovating, I love it. The old stone fireplace is amazing and with a little cleaning, it will be as good as new. It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a sitting room, living room, dining room, mud porch and a huge kitchen.
“What do you think?” he asks as we get into his truck.
“I think it’s perfect. It’s a lot of space, but we have so much to work with.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he says and puts his hand on my thigh.
“There’s still one thing though.” I say.
He looks at me, his brows pinched together. “What’s that?”
“I have to tell my parents and Chrissy. She’s going to freak out…not in a bad way because she loves me. But still.”
“Do you want to go home?”
“I think that’s best. I can tell everyone in person. I’ll need to give my two weeks at the library. I need to pack my apartment.”
“Do whatever you need to do. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll get started on your duck house.”
Twoweekslater,aftertelling my parents, who supported me one hundred percent and were very excited about the fresh change to my life, Chrissy and I are pulling a huge moving van into the driveway of my new home.
Chris did so much work to the place while I was away. The first thing he did was build a small house for ducks. Then he concentrated on the spaces around the house. The front looks ten times better than it did. No weeds or dead plants. It’s all green now and there is a new stone walkway leading up to the porch.
“This is huge!” Chrissy says.
“I know. Wait until you see the inside. It needs work, like I told ya, but it has so much potential.”
I see Chris step out onto the porch and the butterflies I felt the first time I saw him come rushing back. I haven’t seen him for two weeks, but it felt like a year. I hop out of the van and run to him. He catches me against his chest, my arms and legs wrap around him, and tears start spilling from my eyes. He pulls back to look at me.
“Hi, Titmouse.”
“Hi, handsome.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m just so glad to be back.”
“Agreed,” he says and kisses me.
I put my legs to the ground and turn to my best friend, who is directly behind me. No personal space.
“Chrissy, this is Chris.” I look at Chris. “Chris this is my best friend, Chrissy,” he puts his hand out, and Chrissy takes it.
“So, you’re the one stealing my friend and convincing her to move across the United States.”
I smack her shoulder, and she drops his hand.
“What?” she says and laughs.
“You’re such a bum.”