Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
“I feel like a princess tonight,” he said, the large plush blue bear tucked under his arm. He was being cheeky, but I could tell by his smile he was having a good time. “Need to get out and do more. Starting to get a headache.”
“You need us to stop and grab something?”
“Nah. I got some Tylenol in my pocket, and this princess already has a lot of water in her bladder, so…”
“Ew, gross, Tex.”
“Here, take my new boyfriend while I’m taking care of business.”
I took the bear as he headed off to the nearby facilities. It was packed, so I assumed I had a little free time. As much as I’d tried to convince myself to leave James to the movie night he’d arranged with some of his teacher friends, when I saw there was still an hour until his film started, I couldn’t resist calling.
The phone rang…and rang…and rang.
He was likely mid-dinner with his buddies, surely assuming that the man who was head over heels for him could have gotten by without him for a few hours.
That’s totally fine.
Even though I was spending the night at Tex’s, I’d see Teach tomorrow, which wasn’t a big deal.
But the pause in the ring, followed by his soft, “Hey there,” soothed me in a way that I knew I’d been lying to myself about being fine if he hadn’t picked up.
The fun rush I’d enjoyed from spending time with Tex transformed into a calm that moved right through me. Like suddenly I knew all was right in the world.
“Just a second…trying to get outside,” he said as I anxiously eyed the restroom.
“Wish you could be here,” I said once I saw the coast was clear.
“I wish that too, but look at how social we’re being! How’s Tex?”
“Same as when we talked this morning. It’s good. I’m getting to catch up on his active dating life. God, I didn’t realize he’d become some kind of Tinder slut.”
James laughed that sort of laugh that was a reward in and of itself. “Seems like you’ve both been getting plenty of action.”
“You’d think we’d have done enough that I wouldn’t be sitting here craving it at the fair.”
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
“Really? I was thinking it just pisses me the hell off.”
I wasn’t sure if the sound I heard on the other end was him grinning, but I could have sworn I knew exactly what his face looked like in that moment.
“We can make up for it with a Buffy season six marathon tomorrow night. How’s that?”
“I expect a little more than Buffy.”
“Oh, you know you’ll get some ass.”
“Hey, it’s not just that part you’ve got me craving anymore,” I assured him, biting down on my bottom lip, imagining how good it felt and the expression on his face when he came.
“Here I’m trying to be good with my fellow teachers,” he said, “and you’re making dirty jokes.”
“Nothing funny about that dick.”
He gave me that laugh again, but just as soon, I noticed Tex heading out of the restroom.
“Hey, Tex is coming back, so…”
“Oh, go ahead. I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I didn’t even try to soften my voice as Tex neared. It was something I told James whenever I had the chance. Now that I knew what the fuck love was, I wasn’t taking it for granted.
As I hung up, I couldn’t help thinking that it was shitty that, in another world where what we did wasn’t an issue, James would have been with Tex and me at the fair, and we would have been holding hands, and sharing cotton candy, and I would have won him his own stuffed bear, or watched him try to win one…or hell, maybe like so many other times in our relationship, he’d surprise me and win something.
Patience. We were nearing the finish line, and once we got there, we would have the whole world.
“Was that him?” Tex asked as he stepped up to me, a knowing grin on his face.
“Who?”
He shook his head. “Don’t tell me I’m gonna find out about this guy when I’m walking you down the aisle. I don’t know that that’s the best time.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Tex. I’d tell you at least so you can get a decent suit.”
As I handed him his bear, he said, “Well, now that you’re all grown up, making plans to go to South America, you’re gonna be ditching this old man sooner rather than later.”
“Tex, that would never happen,” I said, serious as ever.
His expression relaxed. “Oh, I was just kidding, buddy.”
“You were kind of kidding.”
His gaze shifted. “It did scare me when you mentioned it. All these secrets, and then this mysterious trip.”
“I don’t like keeping things from you.”
“Kylie, I know that. I haven’t pressed because I didn’t want to put that on you when I can tell, whatever it is, it’s making you the happiest kid alive and also one of the most stressed. I’d just like you to be able to keep the happy and lose the rest.”