Page 52 of Let Me

“See, that’s what’s wrong with the world.People can’t stand to see love.”

She stirs her food and takes a helping to her mouth.Meanwhile, I sit here and think about what I said.Did I just admit that I love her?

She takes a chicken leg from my plate, bites it, and says, “Oh my God.That’s freakin’ amazing.”

I do us a favor and swap plates.She eats my chicken – I eat her beef and rice.Afterward, we share a slice of strawberry cheesecake.She gets a piece on the fork and holds it in front of my mouth.I do the same for her.

We leave the restaurant good and full.I walk her to her car, thinking about asking her to stay with me again tonight, but I know she needs to get home and handle her chores and errands.Her life can’t be all wrapped up in me.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” I say.

“Why are you saying that like you’ll never see me again.Boy, stop playing.”She pulls me in for a hug, pressing her head against my chest.“I’m sure I’ll see you at some point in the next few days.”

“For sure.”

She tries to release me, but I won’t let her.I bathe in her warmth, let it consume me completely and then I release her just enough to meet her lips.She rises onto her tiptoes to meet mine.My arms rest around the curve of her back as I kiss her all I want – get all I need until we see each other again.And when we part, her eyes are still closed.She looks completely breathless.Smitten.Taken.She looks like she belongs to me.

Chapter 16

It’s been nothing but bliss.Weeks later and nothing has changed.I’m in awe of him, ofustogether.That’s basically what I’ve shared with Riley, but she ain’t trying to hear me.She wants to know what that has to do with her and our girl time together.

“Listen—when you find a man, you’ll be just as occupied as I am,” I inform her.

“Oh, so he done moved up toyour manstatus?”she says, taking an angry bite out of a hamburger.We’re sitting outside at a wrought iron table at Bob’s Burger Joint on Hendersonville Street, watching cars whiz by.

I say, “Riley, come on, now.You know I haven’t forgotten about you.It’s just…” I try to wipe the blush off my face, but there’s no use.Judah has me smiling from ear to ear.I continue, “Being with him just feels right.He’s everything I want in a man.Everything.”

“I get that, Autumn.I do.But I also warned you to be cautious, didn’t I?”

“You did, but I’m not overly worried about him friend-zoning me like he did the others.We’ve been tight for weeks.He actually likes me.I think he may evenloveme.”

“Love?You’ve only known him for like two seconds.”

“And?Don’t be all cautious now.You’re the one who pushed me to go say something to him, remember.So, one could say, if it wasn’t for you, Judah and I wouldn’t exist.”

“Yeah, but that was before I knew about his health situation.”

“Riley, the cancer has been in remission for years.I’ve researched it.Some types of cancer never come out of remission.I choose to think positively.It’s all I have at this point.”

“You know what…you’re right.“She dips some fries in ketchup and says, “I’m really happy for you.And listen, when y’all get married, I’ma need my shoutout because I put y’all together.”

“Oh, now you want to take the credit.”

She chuckles.“Yep.I surely am.Anyway, where we going after we leave here?”

“I’ma swing by some stores so I can get a cute outfit.I’m going hiking with Judah and the crew on Saturday.”

“Girl, bye!It’s finna be ninety-something degrees.”

“Yeah, that’s why we’re meeting at six in the morning before it gets too hot.We’ll only be out there for a couple of hours.”

“In this heat, that’s all it takes to pass out.”

“Well, it’s no different than how hot Judah makes me.”

“Ooo…okay, girl.I guess I just need to be quiet then.”

“Yeah, be quiet and hurry up and eat.I’m ready to go.”

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