Page 83 of One Day

“They’re cute,” she says, walking around the barrel display of flowers. Each a little more colorful than the last. “You look good happy, you know that?”

A smile grazes my lips at the thought of Sonya. The same Sonya who had been confident enough to be vulnerable with me this morning. To let her nerves melt out around me.

“She’s great, Flynn. Really, really great,” I tell her like the information isn’t something I have already expressed repeatedly. I've always thought Sonya is great. The way she’s woven through my life, leaving an imprint on every single inch of it.

“You know, I think I owe you an apology.” Her voice is soft as she runs her finger over the edge of the flower barrel next to us. “I was hard on you about being honest with your mom about wanting to stay here at the beginning of the semester. I thought I was helping, and I was wrong. Maybe you could have done it sooner, but I think you had it all figured out. You needed it to be on your own terms so you could be free to put down roots with Sonya, and you deserve that, Walk. You deserve to be happy and to be loved like this.”

“You don’t need to say that, Flynn. I needed the push,” I tell her, leaning forward to wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into my side. “God knows where we’d be now if you hadn't given me a bit of a shove.”

“So, what you’re saying is you have me to thank for all of this.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I say, turning my wrist to check the time on my watch. “I should probably get going. Sunny’s class should be finishing up here soon and I want to be waiting.”

“You’re adorable,” Flynn says.

“Yeah, yeah,” I say and hold the bouquet up again. “They’re good?”

“She’ll love them. It’s coming from you.” With a pat on my back, she takes a step towards the exit. “I’ll see you at home later?”

“Probably. We haven’t decided what we’re doing after grabbing dinner.”

“Playing it by ear, got it.” She waves on her way out, and I head for the check-out.

With the sunflowers in hand, I make my way across campus to the science building. I’ve only been here a few times, mostly to meet up with Sonya after class, and I reach her lecture hall just as people start trickling out.

When Sonya steps out with Dylan, Campbell, and Fitz following closely behind, our eyes meet, and a grin takes up her face as she excuses herself to head towards me. I can’t help but smile back when she throws her arms around me, leaning up on her toes.

“Hi, Cowboy,” she says, falling back on her heels. Her eyes drop to the flowers in my hand, and her smile takes up her whole face. “Are those for me, handsome?”

“They sure are,” I say, holding them up. “You like them?”

“I love them. Sunflowers happen to be my favorite flower,” she tells me, taking them from me and bringing them up to her nose.

She inhales slowly, her gaze flickers to me, and if I didn’t think it would ruin this moment, I would pull my phone out and capture a picture. Her eyes on me, her nose buried in the flowers I got for her. A look of sheer love is on her face, and my chest tightens, knowing that if I play my cards right, I might just be lucky enough to spend the rest of my life getting to look at her like this.

“How was your presentation? Did it go alright?” I ask when she hooks her arm through mine, letting me lead her down the large corridor to the big exit doors.

“It went well. At least, it feels like it did,” she shares, leaning her cheek against my bicep. “I’m really proud of the work I did. It felt important, and I impressed myself.”

“Good,” I say, pressing my lips to the top of her head. “I’m proud of all the work you did, Sunny. You worked your ass off, and I know you gave up this huge opportunity, but you followed your heart and did something that matters to you. That’s important.”

“Thank you, Cowboy,” she says, pressing her lips to my shoulder. Her delicate fingers curl into my arm. “Now, I believe I was promised pie.”

“Yes, you were.”

She tilts her chin up at me, a grin taking up her face and causing the dimples in her cheeks to appear. Dimples I spend my time dreaming about, both at night and during the day, and I find myself doing it all the way to Adam’s. It’s not until we’re seated in our usual booth, and Sonya’s nudging my leg with her foot when Laurel approaches our table that I finally let my cheeks have a break.

“If it isn’t my two favorite college students,” she smiles, tucking her order book into the front pocket of her apron. “Peach?”

Sonya nods her head and tucks her hands together under her chin, leaning forward on the table and biting down on her bottom lip. “And two coffees, please.”

“Coming right up,” Laurel says, turning to head towards the countertop.

“Can I ask something?” I question when her attention falls back to me.

“You can ask me anything, Cowboy.”

“Why are you suddenly ordering pie of your own? You always used to turn me down when I offered to get you a slice.”

---