Page 46 of A Simple Love

“Hell yes! I’ve been here all week anyway, so I guess it’s time,” I tease, as he kisses me once more and then plants me back down on the ground.

“Good. We’ll get the rest of your stuff this weekend then. I’ve already told your parents, so they're expecting us tomorrow morning.”

“Isn’t that a little presumptuous of you?”

“I just like to be prepared,” he fires back.

Once we compose ourselves, convinced we don’t have enough time to attack each other and then get ready again before we have to meet our friends, we make our way to Mike’s truck and drive into town, arriving at BJ’s right on time.

“Hey, you two lovebirds!” Hayley shouts across the bar as soon as we walk through the door.

“We could say the same about you,” I mock her as she pulls me in for a hug. “Look at you all tanned. I take it Hawaii was nice then?”

Hayley makes googly eyes over at Tyler before she turns back to me. “It was amazing and so romantic! I didn’t want to leave!”

“I bet.”

“Hey, babe? What do you want to drink?” Mike interrupts our reunion, his hand coming around my waist to get my attention.

“Rum and coke, babe. Thanks.” I seal our embrace with a kiss before he walks away to the bar with Tyler.

“Ok, spill! I want all the details and leave nothing out.” Hayley sits down next to me at our usual table as I divulge as much information to her as possible before the boys return.

“So, you’re in love and not a virgin anymore?”

“Is that your summary of everything I just told you?”

She shrugs. “Those are the most important details, as far as I’m concerned.”

I look across the bar as Mike is smiling and conversing with Tyler, his drink in his hand. He’s so handsome and all mine. I sigh as I realize how utterly happy I am right now.

“You’re right. The rest doesn’t matter. He actually asked me to move in with him right before we left his house to drive here.”

“Oh my God! Vic! That’s so perfect! Ugh, I’m so freaking happy you two have finally stopped with the mind games and made it official. It’s about damn time.”

Her outbursts always make me laugh, her honesty so blunt. I feel like she’s channeling Pauline right now.

“Me too, Hayley. Have you guys seen Pauline and Dean yet since you got home?”

“We actually stopped by earlier today. Axel is giving me baby fever bad, Vic. But Tyler and I talked in Hawaii and decided to wait at least a year before we try for a baby. He wants us to have some time together before we throw a kid in the mix. I understand, but my ovaries are barking at me.”

I giggle. “Well, my vagina was just recently introduced to the world of sex, so I just want to enjoy that before there’s any talk about babies.”

She smiles coyly over at me. “Well practicing is half the fun.”

“So, everything is perfect then with you and Mike?”

“Scarily, yes. I get what you meant now when you said that being so deliriously happy is terrifying. But I know the fear is worth it.” I think back to what Hayley mentioned at Thanksgiving last year. She was recently engaged and living with Tyler. But her words ring truer now to me than they did back then because now I understand how overwhelming true love can feel.

“What about Ben?”

I turn back to face her. “What do you mean? What about Ben?”

“Well, aren’t you mad about what he said about you?”

“Yeah, I guess. I haven’t given it much thought since I broke things off with him though. I was just so anxious to move on with Mike. I kinda forgot about him….”

“I would definitely want some sort of revenge. He was such a dick once you dumped him, and he acted nice to your face and then talked shit about you behind your back. I mean, Mike obviously got his rebuttal in, but you haven’t been able to give him a piece of your mind yet.”

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