Page 26 of Love and Pumpkins
“I know.” Well, I can’t expect him to just pick up and move home after two hugs and two kisses, can I? I look up at him. “We haven’t even been on a date yet; I wouldn’t expect you to move back.”
“Right. About that date. What are you doing Tuesday night? I’d love to take you to dinner.”
“I’m free.” I’ll have to skip book club, but the others will understand.
“Good. Now, let’s talk about the problem child.”
“Chloe? She’s not that bad.” I know he doesn’t mean Chloe. Could he mean the fact that I’ve been engaged twice? I had hoped that it wouldn’t come up tonight.
Hunter laughs, a deep, hearty laugh that shakes the couch. “No. I meant the repair bill.”
I groan. “Oh, that. Yes, it’s a problem. But that’s not a problem for you. I thought you meant the problem child was my history of broken engagements.”
“Engagements with an s? Tell me more.”
“You don’t know?”
“No. Not even about one. Sounds like we have a lot to talk about tonight.”
When is that pizza getting here? This is not a conversation to have on an empty stomach. “Let me grab some cheese and crackers,” I say as I stand up.
Hunter takes hold of my wrist before I can get past him. “Hey, food can wait. Let’s chat.”
“Are you sure? You know I get hangry.”
“I’m sure.”
He pulls me gently, and I slide back down, closer to him than before. He puts an arm around me, pulling me even closer. I sigh.
“You won’t want to date me after this,” I start off, preparing for Hunter to run from my apartment as soon as he hears.
“Don’t be so sure. Just the Cliff notes; I don’t need the gory details.”
“Okay.” Maybe if I hurry and get this over with, it’ll be the fastest breakup before someone has their official first date, ever. “First there was Colton. He was my college boyfriend, and we were serious. When we graduated, I moved to St. Louis to be close to him. He thought it would be more economical if we lived together. I didn’t want to do that before marriage, so he proposed. Seemed like a good idea until…” Was that a car on the street? Maybe that’s Jack with our pizza.
“Until?” Hunter prompts, squeezing my shoulders.
“Well, I wanted to tell my family in person, so that weekend I drove up and told my mom. She gave me a look, and I burst into tears. I realized I didn’t want to marry him. So, I got back in my car, drove back to St. Louis and broke up with him.”
“Ouch.” He shakes his head.
“Right. A couple of years later, I was dating a guy from Galesburg. His name was Pete. We dated for about eight months, and then he proposed. Again, I said yes, told mymom, she gave me the same look, and I knew in my heart that I didn’t want to marry him.”
I give a deep sigh. There it is. I’m a pushover who can’t make the right choice with one of the life’s most important decisions.
“See,” I say, bracing for his rejection. “You don’t want to date me now. I understand.”
“No,” he replies.
Ugh, I knew it.
“Wait!” he laughs. “I didn’t mean no to dating. I meant no, that won’t keep me from dating you. The only thing I take out of that bit of info is that if I decide to propose to you someday, I’m going to your mom first.”
I’m so relieved. He’s probably jinxed our relationship from ever getting that far, but at least he’s willing to give me a chance.
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Let’s go on that first date first.”
Hunter laughs. “Deal. Now, about those crackers.”
