Page 59 of Devoted Enough

“I’m still here, just trying to figure out what to ask next. I guess the main one is…why are you at Haven’s apartment?”

I quickly paused to hear the shower still going and put more bacon on. “I stayed here last night.”

Josh choked on something. “As in, youstayed…stayed?”

“I don’t know what that means, Josh.”

I heard a door softly shut. “It means, did you finally come to your senses?”

Smiling, I replied, “I did.”

Josh let out a whistle. “So? Did you guys…you know?”

“Jesus, Josh, we’re not eight. Yes, we made love. Twice, and my fucking mind is blown. I’m not sure how I’m feeling right now.”

Josh let out a roar of laughter. “You can just take my thousand dollars and donate it to the dog park if you please.”

I rolled my eyes once again. “Funny. Josh, I’m being serious. What I experienced with Haven…I’ve never felt that way before, and I’m not going to lie…I’m freaking out a bit.”

“Take a deep breath, Nate. What are you doing now?”

Looking at the open bacon, I pulled some of it out and placed it in the pan. “Making her breakfast.”

“Uncle Tanner would be so proud of you.”

Sighing, I said, “Josh, stop dicking around. I’m being serious. What do I do now?”

Hearing a chair slide against the floor, I imagined Josh was taking a seat. “What does your heart tell you to do, Nate?”

I pulled the phone out, stared at it, then put it back against my ear. “My heart? What the fuck kind of question is that, Josh? Do I come to work? Do I ask if she wants to have dinner tonight? Should I spend the day with her? I have never done this before.”

“First of all, you’re overthinking all of this, Nate. Calm the hell down. Ask yourself one question. Do you want to leave, or do you want to spend the day with her?”

“I have to come to work, and she’s got to do her dog walking thing today. She doesn’t normally do Sunday, but since it’s a holiday week, she offered her clients Sunday morning.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “You don’t have to come to work; it’s Sunday. If it were me, I’d spend the day with her. See what she does and why she is so passionate about it.”

“Go dog walking with her?”

“That’s just a small part of her day. Listen, you have the luxury of taking a day off, so do it. Spend it with her.”

I used the tongs to flip the bacon.

“Do you think she’ll want me to spend the day with her?”

“Yes, I do, Nate. And I’m glad you stayed this morning and didn’t bolt.”

“I wasn’t going to bolt.”

He didn’t say anything for a second, but I could silently hear him asking me if I was being truthful.

“I truly wasn’t going to leave, Josh. I’ve never felt like this before, and if I’m being honest, I don’t want this day to end.”

He chuckled. “Then enjoy the day with her. We don’t need you here today. As a matter of fact, I think we’re all going to be heading home.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “You’re right. Good advice. Thanks, Josh.”

“No problem, and, Nate?”

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