Page 154 of fiftysix

“You’re the best,” I told him, kissing him once again before he started chuckling at my clinginess.

“Keep that shit up and I will change my mind in seconds,” he muttered.

I rolled my eyes at his words.

“Those are just empty threats and you know it.”

He let out a laugh. “Try me.”

*

“When will you be home?” Della asked, her voice coming through my car’s speakers as I couldn’t hold my phone while driving.

“Tomorrow. I’m headed to Riggs’s. Didn’t Dad tell you I won’t be home for dinner tonight?”

“No, guess he forgot. Have fun then. And tell Riggs I said hi.”

“Will do. Bye, Della.”

We were back to our usual selves, talking daily and telling each other about this and that without holding back details.

Della opened up after that night of their anniversary, and I was happy she accepted my relationship with Riggs now.

It seemed more and more people started to show their support, but one who had always had my back was Kennedy, whose name lit up on the touchscreen right after Della hung up.

I pressed the green button, smiling and focusing on the street. “Hey, girl,” I greeted.

“Hi! Does tonight still stand? Mason’s excited, and I can’t wait either,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.

We decided to go out on a double date, and after many hours of trying to convince Riggs, he finally agreed.

“Of course it’s still on. Did you pick out your prettiest dress?” I asked.

“Sure did! I’m wearing it right now, and I can’t wait for you to see it. I think I’ll look better than you tonight, and that’s hard to beat even when you’re wearing sweatpants,” she joked.

I laughed and shook my head. “I know you’ll look incredible. I can’t wait. I’ll text you when we leave, and I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Sounds good. See you later!”

I arrived at Riggs’s house and quickly got out to walk to his front door, pushing it open without knocking as this place felt like home anyway.

“It’s me!” I called out, closing the door behind me before walking down the hall.

“Bathroom!” he replied, and when I entered his bedroom, I already saw him standing there with a towel wrapped around his hips, his hair damp, and a beard trimmer in his right hand while he leaned over the sink with his left hand pressed against the mirror.

“You’re not ready yet?” I asked, placing my clutch on his bed and walking over to the bathroom door to get a better look at him.

“I just got back from golfing with your father,” he stated, keeping his eyes on his beard as he trimmed it just a little.

“Well, we gotta hurry. The restaurant is thirty minutes away and I don’t wanna make Kennedy and Mason wait.”

“Why do we have to go that far out of town anyway?” he asked, now looking at me for the first time ever since I arrived.

His eyes wandered down my deep red, velvet dress which matched my lipstick. “You look beautiful, baby. As always.”

I smiled at him, then I turned back to the conversation we were having. “Kennedy wants to avoid people she might know. Her relationship with Mason isn’t public yet, and she’s still trying to figure out how to tell her parents about him.”

“Sounds a little like you when we first dated,” he said, smirking.

---