Page 60 of Cups of You

Warmth enveloped Amber's chest as she smiled down at her phone. Benjamin had a way of getting under her defenses that was quickly becoming addictive. Even Josiah had taken more time to warm up too though given the circumstances, it might have been her inner voice telling her that he was not the one. Her smile fell momentarily as she looked around.

The bedroom was a mess of clothes and half empty boxes. Amber had been so sure she and Tasha could handle things but with the crush of boxes trapping her in the room she was beginning to regret not allowing Benjamin to accompany her up here. Extra hands would have come in handy.

“Hey, what should we do with the kitchen?” Tasha's voice piped up unexpectedly behind her.

“Jesus woman,” Amber exclaimed turning around. “You scared the shit out of me.” Tasha cocked an eyebrow. Her gaze fell to Amber's hand.

“Well, maybe if you weren't on that damn phone every five minutes you would have heard me calling your name.”

Amber's cheeks warmed and she shoved her phone in her pocket. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Uh huh.”

Amber looked away and sighed. “There's so much stuff here. I don't even think I want most of it.”

Tasha walked into the room and looked around. “I see what you mean.” She picked up a sweater from the bed. “Does your new place even have room for all of this?”

“I'll be staying with my aunt for the time being so no not really.” Her phone chimed again, and Amber reached for her back pocket before pausing and looking at Tasha.

Tasha grinned. “Go ahead.”

“It's fine. It can wait.” It could, sure, but Amber didn't actually want to wait to answer the message she was sure was from Benjamin. Tasha seemed to have the same idea.

“Girl if you don't go on and answer that man. You and I both know it’s him. There's no point in being squirrely about it.”

Amber rolled her eyes but pulled the phone out of her pocket and swiped her finger across the screen.

‘I have a lot on my mind too. Like if I'm way out of line for hoping I'm on your mind as well.’

“Oh,” she breathed out. Things were starting to come to a head between them even as Amber wondered if they were moving into things too quickly. There was just something intoxicating about being pursued so earnestly. Before Amber could talk herself out of it, she answered honestly.

‘Not out of line.’

‘I have been thinking about you.’

‘I’ve been thinking about you too.’

“So, when's the wedding?”

“What wedding?” Amber asked while her fingers hovered over the phone screen. She was contemplating saying more but didn't want to go overboard with her response.

“Yours.”

“What?” Tasha’s words finally penetrated amber's thoughts leaving her confused. “I'm not getting married.”

Tasha snorted. “The way you're smiling and giggling at your phone tells a different story then. This guy, Benjamin, has got you giddier than I have ever seen you be with Josiah.”

“Tasha.”

“Do you have a picture at least so I can see what he’s working with?”

Amber rolled her eyes but flipped to a picture she had taken a couple weeks ago when they were at a crafts fair. It was one she couldn’t stop looking at most days. The weather had been perfect, and they had spent the whole afternoon laughing and eating too much fried food.

She hadn’t thought twice before pulling Benjamin closer to her and snapping a selfie of them together. His smile had been as wide as ever and Amber had to admit that even her smile had looked open and unburdened in a way it hadn’t in a long time.

“Here.” She held out the phone to Tasha who took it. She looked down at it before whistling.

“Oh yes girl. He is farm fresh and fine.”

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