Page 25 of Years in the Making

“I thought you really liked him. Why wouldn’t you want him to?”

“That’s way too much commitment, Nell. This thing is still new.”

“Six months is still new?” My god, Teddy and I are in the embryonic stage if six months is considered new.

“Yes. We just had the ‘Are we exclusive’ talk.”

“And are you?”

“Are we what?”

“Exclusive.”

“Ish.” He tips his hand back and forth.

“Ish?”

“Yeah, ish. We are exclusive-ish.”

“How the hell can you be exclusive-ish? It’s not an ish word. Either you are or you’re not.”

“It is what it is. Did you come clean to the Fletcher kid?”

I can feel the blush coming and quickly look down, trapping my lips between my teeth.

“Oh,” John hoots. “I’m guessing it went well then?” All I can do is nod. “How well are we talking?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it beyond me wanting to take it slow.”

“Well that’s no surprise, you’ve always been a slow and steady type of girl.”

Ish.I think. With Teddy, I want to savor every kiss, every look, every single smile. He feels like…it. But I refuse to say it out loud. This thing with Teddy is too new, too fragile to put that much pressure on.

“I like to weigh all the facts and possibilities. You know how I feel about wasting time.”

“That I do. So, what are your first impressions on that front, then?”

“Right now it feels like the best use of time.”

“And do you think he feels the same way?”

I remember his hands in my hair and the way he kissed me like he’d never get enough, and nod because I’m too busy biting my lip to keep myself from giggling hysterically.

“I look forward to meeting him one day,” John says, pulling me in for a side hug before walking over to his car. “I’m leaving on Tuesday. Do you have any free time to hang out on Sunday evening or Monday?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll do my best to fit you in.”

He lays his hand over his heart. “I am honored to fit into your busy social calendar.”

“You should be,” I say with the straightest face I can manage.

TEN

TEDDY

Nellie and Zoe are sitting together in the stands at my game. Unfortunately, my parents are nowhere to be seen. I knew my dad would opt to stay home, but I still felt a surge of disappointment when I didn’t see them.

Over the years, their friends have drifted away, and my dad hadn’t done much to stop it from happening. He insists that he isn’t embarrassed, but it was either that or he’s too worried that something else would happen to Mom. I flip-flop on how I feel about it. Zoe is adamant that he’s just worried, and right now, I’m choosing that line of thinking. There is also a part of me that’s happy my parents didn’t come. I’m not sure I am ready to introduce Nellie to everyone. Zoe was enough for now, on several different levels.

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