Page 61 of If This Was a Movie

Her eyes warm, and I realize I said the right thing when she moves to her tiptoes and presses her lips softly to mine just as the sun sets.

That’s when it happens: the town lights up. A short, stilted gasp leaves Jules’s lips, and I take the opportunity to resume my lips to hers, a perfect fit as always.

It’s a moment out of the movies, and in it, I realize I’ll do whatever it takes to make her entire life like this: a series of movie-worthy events to take her breath away.

I convince Jules to let me drive her to her car. She’s parked at the community center, a good half mile from where I parked outside the coffee shop, and even though it’s a short walk, I’m desperate for more time with her.

“So how else do the women get wooed in your movies?” I ask, turning onto Maple Road. I’m taking the long way to my house, trying to squeeze any extra moments I can with her. I know once she gets space between us, she’s going to start overthinking again, putting what’s left of her wall back up. I know it’s starting to weaken, that I’m finding cracks in it to show her I wanther, want this, and I’m safe, but she’s still hesitant to give in completely.

“What?”

“During the courting process. What’s on your list of what happens in the movies?”

“Are you asking for courting tips, Nate?”

“Absolutely. I’m man enough to admit I want to make sure I don’t fuck this up with you. If this was a movie, what would be the next step?”

She bites her lip, thinking before shrugging. “I don’t know. Sometimes they call.”

“They call?

“Yeah. You know, they call and then they flirt all night. She twines the phone wire around her finger and lays on her back, staring at the ceiling while he whispers sweet nothings to her, wooing her.”

“That’s what I want to do, you know,” I say, parking next to her car.

“Twine the phone cord around your finger?” she asks, confused, and I laugh. It might not be smart, but I lean in, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to her lips before pulling back, smiling at her dazed face.

I fucking love that, how the smaller kisses put that look in her eyes. “No, I want to do the whole nine of movie-worthy wooing. Sunset kisses and buying you flowers and phone calls that keep you up late at night. I want to win you.”

“What if…what if I’m not ready to be won?” she asks, biting her lip. I know this is her thing, her being too scared to give into this, afraid it’s going to fall away again, but I’ll wait for as long as I have to.

“Then I’m going to be doing a shit ton of wooing,” I say simply, then step out of the car, moving to her side. I fight a laugh as I watch her head follow me, mouth slightly open likeshe’s in shock. When I open the door, she looks up to me, speaking.

“Nate, I—” she starts, but I cut her off, grabbing her hand and tugging her from the car before speaking.

“I’m taking your lead. I want more—so much more—but I’m not going there until you’re sure. I get that you’re scared, and that means I’ll stand here every day until that fear goes away. I’ll wait for you to be as sure as I am. I’m in this for the long run. I know what a year without you felt like after I found you the first time and I didn’t like it. I’m not making the same mistake twice.”

She stands there, stunned, mouth open, before she starts to make noise.

“I—I…” she stutters, a mix of panic and relief rolling over her face, telling me I’m making the right choice. “I don’t?—”

I shake my head.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just want to be as clear as I can about what this is between us. It’s more, Jules, and you know it. I’m not going to fuck it up by rushing it when I can just have you for a lifetime if I wait.”

“Nate, we can’t?—”

“We can, and we have been, and we will. If we need to dance around it for a few weeks, months, fuck, years, I’ll be here, waiting.” Then I lean down, pressing my lips to hers gently before moving to press my lips to her forehead and step away.

“Now get in your car,” I say, tipping my chin toward her car. Dazedly, she turns, digging in her bag and unlocking it before moving to sit inside. I grab the door before she can close it. “I’ll call you tonight, Jules,” I say before closing the door.

And as I walk back toward my truck, I can’t help but smile to myself when I hear a girlish squeal from her car.

TWENTY-FOUR

JULES

I’m in my pajamas in bed when my phone rings. My entire body jolts when I see Nate’s name on the screen. I got ready quicker than ever before, brushing my teeth and washing my face at record speed. Then, I impatiently waited for him to call me like I was fifteen and waiting for my first boyfriend to call.

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