Page 103 of The Very First Night

“The new garage door looks great.”

“Should’ve told my dad that—would have been a riot,” Tanner laughs.

I hunch in my seat with my hands wedged between my thighs, desperately trying to warm up my frosty fingers as my body adjusts to the warmth of the car.

Tanner glances over, sees me shivering, and, without a word, takes both my hands in his warm right palm. His piercing green eyes meet mine and he gives me a small smile before returning his attention to the road in front of us.

“Did you have a good time?” he asks.

“Yeah, it was great seeing everyone.”

“I’m glad. They were all insanely excited to see you again.”

Heat blooms in my cheeks, but I fight the natural instinct to scoff at his words. “Good.”

Our car ride doesn’t last very long and soon we’re pulling onto the street of my childhood home and the small, weathered house comes into view, its faded blue paint peeling off in some spots. It is a far cry from Tanner’s luxurious family home with its perfectly manicured lawn and grand entrance. Our driveway is cracked and uneven, barely fitting one car, while Tanner’s could fit three comfortably.

Tanner pulls into the driveway and turns off the ignition. He reaches over to unbuckle his seatbelt, then hesitates. We have already discussed our plan for the weekend: he will walk me inside and then spend the rest of the holiday weekend with his family, including an early-morning Black Friday shopping trip with his mom.

But as our eyes lock, I can’t stop myself from blurting out, “Why don’t you stay the night?” My heart hammers in my chest at the thought of him leaving.

I wait for Tanner’s response, feeling as though time is moving at a snail’s pace. A knot forms in my stomach as I worry he will think I am the most selfish person alive. I know that family responsibilities should always come before relationships, so why did I even suggest otherwise? The weight of guilt settles heavily on my shoulders, and I feel like I am drowning in regret.

“Okay,” he says.

“I…I’m sorry I asked,” I stammer. “I know you have plans with your mom early—that was a dumb question. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Kat…I said yes. I want to stay the night.”

“Yeah, but your mo?—”

“My mom will understand. Besides, Theo was planning on going with her too. We can meet them for breakfast once the chaos winds down.”

He’s reassuring me, but I can’t shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach that says this could be a turning point for us.

“Sweetheart?” Tanner prompts.

“Hm?”

“I love you. My mom loves you. I want nothing more than to stay with you tonight. I can see those cogs turning in that pretty little head of yours and I need you to know none of it is true. This isn’t a big deal and I genuinely hate that you’ve been conditioned to think that it is. It isn’t selfish to ask your partner for what you need. I never want you to stop expressing that, okay?”

My voice cracks when I reply, “Okay.”

“Okay.” Tanner smiles and squeezes my hand. “Now, let’s get inside. I might want to spend the night, but I don’t want to spend it in my car.”

As soon as we step inside, I make a beeline for the thermostat on the far wall. My fingers twist the knob to the right, pushing the temperature higher and higher until it clicks at just the right spot. This old house is tricky when it comes to heat, and I know from experience that a little boost to start will make all the difference.

I kick off my sneakers and slip into my cozy, bright orange slippers.

In the kitchen, Tanner rummages through the freezer, standing with his back to me, searching for something sweet. “Do you have any ice cream?”

“You just ate like half a cheesecake.”

“Correct.”

“Shouldn’t you be all dessert-ed out?”

His eyebrows furrow in confusion as he stares at me, his mouth slightly agape. “I had cheesecake…ice cream is different.”

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