Page 55 of Loving Decker

“What?”

“Are we really going to talk about it?”

“Why not? I’ve never been kissed like that. I’ve never felt anything like that. You are something.”

“Oh stop.”

He laughed. “Tell me it wasn’t the most amazing kiss of your life.”

And here, she debated. What did she want to admit to him? But looking into his large and hopeful eyes, she knew she wanted to tell him all, give him all. “That was the only kiss of my life.”

His mouth dropped. And then his grin grew with some huge goofy satisfaction. And she remembered she was dealing with Decker, twelve-year-old, fourteen-year-old, eighteen-year-old, Decker; and all of those versions were coming into play.

“You feeling overly pleased by that?”

“Well sure. And impressed. You certainly know how to bring a man to his knees.”

She sure hoped so. But she didn’t say that. “Well, I think it helps that I’ve been waiting for that moment since the day I knew what a kiss was.”

“And that, Faithy Haws, is something I don’t take lightly, at all.” The respect that shone out of his eyes filled her with a light, a happiness, that she’d wait for him.

“I guess I was already best friends with the very best man I would ever meet.”

“Do you ever wonder how we got so lucky?” He reached for her hand and caressed the back with his thumb. “This is an incredible dream right now. I look at you. I see you right there. I will never, ever forget that kiss, but did it really happen?”

“Ah, there you go, wondering if it was a dream.”

“Too true.”

They ate their chips, laughing about old memories, and when it finally grew too late to hang around any longer, they went for a drive in his truck. “The stars are cool tonight.” He peered up through his windshield. “Let’s go take a look.”

She nodded. Snuggling into his side while he drove them around Willow Creek might be her most favorite activity of them all. “I’m just happy right here.”

“And that’s where I want you to stay. We’re going to have a very simple life, either dancing or driving in my truck.”

The silence that followed that statement was thick, and Faith wasn’t sure whether to take his comment at face value, or to read into it a life of happiness with Deck.

But he kissed the top of her head. “I meant that, Faith. I see your mind spinning. I want this to progress to forever. I think I’ve found my other half, and I’m ready to tell you that right now. But I’m a patient man. I’ll wait forever if I need to.”

She pulled his arm around her tighter. “I’ve been waiting for those words for a long time.”

Nothing else was said, but a calm assurance filled the truck. Faith wanted to live in that warm and cozy bubble of peace forever.His Hand is stretched out still.

Chapter Twenty-One

As soon as Faith picked up the phone and said hello in his ear, Decker smiled. “Hey, beautiful.”

“It’s so good to hear your voice.”

“Mm. You too. But, hey, Mom has a favor to ask us.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“You might want to hear it first.”

“Okay, do you want to do it?”

“Uh.” Suddenly he really didn’t want to say what his mom had asked him to do. He wrinkled up his face.

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