Page 60 of Something Blue

“You remembered?”

“Of course, I remembered.” He says, knotting his brows too, confused why I thought, for even a moment that he wouldn’t remember.

I turn back to the boots, but my mind is muddled. Why is he so sweet and tender? How is it he listens and knows things about me that my family didn’t bother to know?

“What color do you want?” Celso asks, pointing out the black, caramel and dark chocolate options.

“Um, what do you think?” I ask, unsure, still taken by surprise.

“It’s hard to choose, but I can picture you in these and some cute little shorts, or a summer dress. Us on a road trip, your feet up on the dash board - maybe we need to get two. I’d say black and caramel?”

I nod, picturing us on that road trip and thinking it is the most perfect thing he could have said. An image of freedom, the wind in my hair as we drive through a desert somewhere - lost together.

Celso buys two pairs of those boots for me and carries the paper shopping bag, filling it up with other things he buys me, as we roam the rest of the market. We get home-made custard pies and coffee, and Chinese noodles for lunch when we feel like taking a break, and we sit on the grass, letting the sun warm our faces. Celso pulls me close him to that I can lean my back against his chest while we watch other people walking past.

It’s late when we return to the hotel and pack up our things to go home.

And I’m happy.

I haven’t been happy in so long it’s a weird thing for me to accept. Especially that I am happy with a man like Celso. With the man who I was terrifiedof. He is warm, generous, buying everything that makes me smile - he is attentive and affectionate.

He whispers in my ear that he thinks I am beautiful. He kisses my face and plays with my hair.

How can I not fall for him?

Over the next week things only seem to get better and it takes everything in me to stay cautiously aware that at any moment he might get bored with me and drop me like a stone into a deep, deep lake.

“I ordered Chinese.” He calls upstairs. I’m climbing out of the shower, a thick fluffy towel wrapped around me and a smaller one wrapped around my hair. “I’ll be down in a second.” I call back, but he walks into the room and wraps me in his arms. “Hi gorgeous, I missed you.” He grins, and presses his lips against mine.

“You were only gone for a few hours.” I giggle as he scatters kisses across the rest of my face.

“Mm. A few hours too long. But I saw something, and it instantly made me think of you.”

“What was it?” I ask, curious.

“Come down stairs and find out. I’ll get the plates out for dinner. Wear something cozy. We can watch a movie after dinner and snuggle on the sofa.” He kisses me again, steps back, admiring me for a moment before he grins and leaves the room.

Even these small interactions make my heart flutter and widen the smile on my lips. He keeps me curious and his affection keeps me wanting more.

I get dressed in a hurry, wanting to know what he saw.

Wearing my comfy sweatpants and a little crop top I skip down the stairs like a child on Christmas morning.

When I walk into the living room where he has spread assorted Chinese take outs on the coffee table - I pack up laughing.

There is a life-sized llama teddy bear standing next to the sofa.

I can’t stop laughing at the randomness of it.

“A llama?” I ask through my giggles.

“Not any llama.” He grins, walking over to it with his hands behind his back.

He sets a tiny sombrero on its head. “It’s a Mexican llama.”

I shake my head and scrunch my nose. “Why is there a Mexican llama in our living room?” I ask, walking towards it and running my fingers through its fluffy teddy bear coating.

He wraps his arm around my waist and holds me against his body, whispering in my ear.

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