Page 47 of Unforgettable

“Is there a different answer for both? Is one good and one just okay? Don’t break my heart before the movie even starts, babe.”

She threw her head back and laughed toward the ceiling before she straightened and tugged me closer for a quick peck.

“Sogood. It’s so good, I almost peed my pants!”

“Umm… what are you—what?” I stuttered, completely thrown by her admission. For a second, as her grin widened, I contemplated showing her where the bathroom was located or calling it a win because she at least said it was good.

The look on my face must have been priceless because her smile turned into another laugh. “It’s a line fromPretty Woman, Josh. When they go to the opera? Don’t look so terrified.”

I couldn’t admit to her that although it was one of her favorites, I had actually only seen the movie once or maybe twice. Both times were with girlfriends of mine in high school and then in college. And there wasn’t a whole lot ofwatching the moviegoing on.

With Amanda, though, I knew we would definitely bewatchingthe movie. There wasn’t a chance she would let me go far during two of her favorites. If Amanda was serious about anything, it was enjoying a movie.

“On that note,” I said. “I figured I’d leave it up to you what we do. We can either watch the movies from inside the truck and in the warmth, or we can sit in the bed of the truck. I brought blankets and pillows and a bunch of other shit from the apartment if that’s what you want to do. It’s just going to be cold.”

With a quick glance out the back of the truck and toward the blank white screen, Amanda seemed to ponder the decision only for a moment before she said, “Bed of the truck.”

With a nod, I hopped from the truck and instructed that she could stay in the warmth while I set everything up. The first show started just after sunset, which was less than thirty minutes away. I opened the back door and fished out the thick blankets and all of the pillows I could find in our place.

Reed was going to be furious when he went to bed tonight, only to realize he didn’t have a single fancy pillow left.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The moment I fished the cooler out of the back seat along with the insulated bag of food, the lights around the screen dimmed, signaling the movie was about to begin.

I jogged around to the passenger side of the truck and retrieved Amanda who was nearly bouncing in her seat.

With her hand tucked protectively in mine, I led her around the truck and waved a hand at the bed, which I’d expertly lined with an array of cozy and colorful pillows and blankets.

I gave her a moment to take it all in and hopefully appreciate the work I’d put into the spread, but I couldn’t give her too long because the movie was beginning behind us. In one swift motion, I gripped her under the arms and hoisted her onto the truck.

She let out a surprised gasp but quickly righted herself and toed off her shoes, leaving her in fuzzy blue socks.

“This is absolutely amazing. I’m honestly in shock,” she said as she scooted back into the pillows, her eyes darting back and forth around us, taking it all in.

“Why is it shocking? Didn’t think I could pull this off?”

She rolled her eyes and grabbed a thick blanket that she tucked under her chin. The content smile on her face was one I always wanted to see there.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just didn’t realize that…” She trailed off, staring at the screen but not paying attention to the trailer of a new action movie. Behind the screen, the sun was nearly below the horizon and painted the sky in muted pink and red hues that bathed everything in a warm glow. It was like one last work of art before the night rolled in.

“What didn’t you realize?” I asked as I grabbed the cooler and bag of food.

She sighed, and it sounded sad, but when I looked up at her, positioning the things in front of us, she was smiling softly. “I didn’t realize that it was going to be like this—that you both cared enough to plan these perfect dates.”

My excitement waned as I caught on to her meaning. “I can promise you that this”—I waved my hands around, motioning to everything that went into getting us there—“will be the norm when we’re together. Weekly, biweekly, whatever you want, I will make it happen because you’re important and so is your happiness. And as much asIwant you, and as much as I want you to pick me at the end of this, I know the same goes for Reed. He cares just as much as I do. We’re fucking crazy for you.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. I held her stare and let the gravity and seriousness of my words wash over her. Much to my surprise, she didn’t look away from me either, like she was silently communicating with me that she understood.

As much as I needed her to choose me, and as fucking devastated as I knew I would be if she didn’t, I also had to admit that both of us would treat her right. No matter who she chose, whether we would treat her right didn’t need to be part of the decision because it was an even tie.

The moment the subtle orchestral music erupted from the truck speakers and from the cars surrounding us, Amanda pulled her eyes from mine and glanced at the cooler and bag in front of me.

“What’s in there?” she asked, the soft smile returning to her lips.

I positioned the bag in front of her as I took up a seat beside her and peeled it open first. The mouthwatering aroma of Italian food wafted toward us both.

“Oh my gosh,” she gasped. “You’re not playing fair.”

I laughed and pulled out to-go containers of every type of pasta we would ever want. “How does the saying go? ‘All is fair in love and war,’ I think I heard that somewhere.”

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