Page 120 of Faking Forever 1
“No picking up other women while I’m gone—promise?”
she holds her pinky out for mine, hinting that she wasn’t just kidding.
“I’m intoodeep for that now.” I link mine with hers, and we kiss our hands, “Try this.” I pick a piece of fried olive from its assigned bowl, sending it to her mouth.
Taking a bite, her dainty hand covers her lips so she can talk again.
“You made all this?” she says, eyebrows jumping to the top of her forehead.
“Yeah, but Beau helped. I told him I would say he did. Plus, his dad gave us some special wines, so…” I shrug.
She smiles, chews the rest of her food, and looks in the basket. The sunset is peaking right on time, turning into golden hour, and I’ll get to watch her bask in it.
“That was sweet of you two. I bet it was fun to make.” she smiles.
“Uh, yeah. I’d rather not talk about it. Or Beau.” I take an olive for myself, popping it in my mouth.
“Oh no, are you guys okay?” she furrows her brows.
“Everything is just fine. Both of us.” I flash a quick smile, lying through my teeth. She cared about Beau as much as I did.
He’s seen a lot with us. But burdening her on her birthday with the news that he had relapsed wasn’t something that needed to be done. We both have more olives, eating in silence for a few minutes.
290
PROMISES
“Josh,” she says, killing the silence, “Are we at the point where it isn’t t crazy to ask you to visit me?” She says, taking another olive out of the basket and checking it out, “Are we like—
y’know… a pair?”
I suck in what breath I can, then let it out, clasping my hands together.
“Paisley, I’m yours. I’ll be yoursforeverif you want me to.
I’m crazy about you.” I say, prying my lips from smiling so widely,” I’m so in love with you, it’s wrecking my brain cells.”
I finally let myself accept the goofy smile.
She shakes her head, disagreeing almost immediately with me, “Josh, don’t say that. You aren’t—”
“Iam. Pea, I don’t think you get it.” I rest my hands on the basket, picking it up to place it aside.
Having shut her up mid-sentence, she waits for me to finish.
“I only want you. Every single day, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing. I have loved you for an unbelievably long time.
Much longer than I’d like to admit.”
Casually, I drop a few fingers in my pocket, wiggling out the small velvet box. I didn’t want to see the look on her face out of fear that it wasn’t happy. Still, I took my chances, preparing to open it. It wasn’t pleasant, nor was it sad. Her face had frozen in time.
“I um—I picked this out. I had to explain how it wasn’t an engagement ring,” I bite my lip, considering Beau and my prior conversation, “It’s a promise ring. I thought we could make us official before you leave.”
I finally flip the top open with my thumb, moving closer to her.
“It’s beautiful…” she says faintly.
Her lack of excitement in her voice made me want to go back 291
