“And why is that?”
“Because I’m here,” Patti said as she descended the stairs.
I huffed as she made her way down and looked at Payton with my mouth wide-open.
“You can’t get mad,” Payton said. “I’m completely innocent.”
I quirked my eyebrow, and then looked at Patti. “And what’s your excuse?”
“I just found out about our parents,” she said.
“Oh, yeah? So did I.” I looked down at my feet, and then back up toward my boyfriend and his ex. “So what do you think?”
Patti shook her head. “Well, I’m pissed. Of all the people in this town to hook up with and he picks your mother?”
I wanted to slug Patti in the face even though I was thinking the exact same thing about her dad. “Watch it.”
“Don’t act like you weren’t thinking the same,” she said, and then looked at Payton. “Anyway, I didn’t come to this stupid fort looking for him, I came here looking for you.”
“Oh, really?” I asked. This ought to be good.
“Yeah. I’m tired of all of the dirty looks and I’m tired of feeling guilty. I’m sorry, okay?”
I couldn’t have been more shocked if I tried. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to be mad anymore, and I certainly don’t want this hanging over our heads.”
“I guess I’m confused. Why?”
Patti’s ears reddened.
“What’s going on?”
Payton looked up in exasperation. “You’ll never believe who Patti has a crush on.”
I looked at Patti, and then toward the house. “Please tell me you don’t like one of my brothers.”
Patti made a face and then shook her head. “Hell no. I’m kind of nuts over Mitch.”
I started laughing at the moment, and realized that nothing else could have possibly ruined Payton and I’s relationship. All the worries that I’d had, had finally left. Patti didn’t love him, and he obviously didn’t love her, and he was coming with me. We were finally going to be together like it was meant to be.
I nodded. “I’m happy for you, Patti.”
Payton looked relieved that I wasn’t mad at him. Patti smiled. “Thanks. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll be sisters?”
***
Payton
Two nights after Patti’s visit and Keri finding out the whole bombshell about her mom and Patti’s dad, we were finally able to finish the last part of the fort. I stopped at the store on the way home from work, and picked up some steaks to grill and begged Mitch to hook us up with a bottle of celebratory wine.
When we both finished with what we had to do, and the steaks were cooking on Keri’s mom’s grill, we sat at the picnic table on the back deck of Keri’s house and waited for the food to finish cooking. Tonight was the night.
The fort was finally done.
Keri looked pretty in a cute floral sundress with her hair hanging down over her shoulders. Her skin was sun-kissed, and she wore those cute Chuck Taylors that she’d always worn when we were in high school. I was still wearing my dress pants from work, but went home and changed into a more casual shirt and put on some cologne.
“You look nice,” Keri said, grinning at me. “And you smell good, too.” She leaned in and kissed my neck. I closed my eyes and then I turned my head so my mouth could meet up with hers.
Kissing Keri was better than anything that I’d ever experienced.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I said, and then touched the side of her head and then moved down to her cheek. “You’re always so damn beautiful.”
Keri smiled and we both just sat there, staring at each other.
My heart started thudding hard, and I knew that I couldn’t wait any longer. I stood up, and took her hand in mine. I looked past the picnic table where we were sitting and saw Keri’s mom watching us with a smile on her face. I nodded toward the grill, and she knew what I was asking her to do.
“Where are we going?” Keri asked, confused.
“To the fort for a second.”
“But the food,” Keri said, and then looked back at the grill.
“Your mom’s going to take care of it for us.”
She scrunched her nose, and looked at me oddly. “What’s going on?”
“Just come with me. I want to show you something.”
We walked over to the steps and I went first, taking her hand in mine and leading her up until we were both inside. It was finished, and it looked just like the old place, and nothing like it all the same. It felt different—more adult.
“We’re done,” I said, and looked at Keri. She looked confused for a moment, and then smiled at the place around her.
“Yeah, and it looks great.”
I nodded. “I don’t want to wait any longer without knowing.”
“What are you talking about?” Keri asked, and then she gasped as I got down on one knee.
She put her free hand up to her mouth.
“I’ve known you my entire life, Keri Anne, and I know that there’s no one in this world that I’d rather spend the rest of my days with. I don’t want to go to Ohio without knowing where we stand. I know what I want. I want you, and nothing else in this world matters.
“This past year was a nightmare, but it’s taught me a few things. You’ve taught me how to laugh, how to love, how to miss you, how to hate you, how to hate everything, but most of all, you taught me that it’s okay to make a mistake. You’ve taught me that it’s okay to cry, that it’s okay to want something more than anything. Keri, I want you all the time.”
Keri laughed softly just then, and she sniffled. “I want you all the time, too.”
I grinned. “Please, say yes.”
Keri’s lip trembled, and she nodded. I pulled out a small black box with a diamond solitaire ring inside. Keri’s eyes widened when she saw it.
“Oh, Payton.”
“You have to say it.”
“Yes. Infinity and to the moon, yes.”
“Can I get up now?” I asked, and Keri laughed. I placed the diamond on her finger and then she shook her head.
“Not if I have anything to do about it.”
Chapter Eleven
*Ohio State…*
Keri
I walked down the hallway in our small apartment building, and watched as the sun’s rays swept through the window and shined off my engagement ring. I smiled, and thought about our last night in the tree fort back home. I thought about making love to Payton, and to finally trusting in someone and something with all my heart.
I felt as if my heart would burst from being so happy.
“What are you smiling for?” Alexis asked as she caught up with me.
I held up my hand and then looked back at her. She held up hers, too.
“We’re a pair, aren’t we?” I asked.
Alexis nodded. “Yeah. Are you happy?”
“Undeniably so,” I admitted.
“Good, because I have a feeling that this semester is going to be a hard one.”
I laughed because there wasn’t anything in the world that I couldn’t have gone through now. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Have you been in Algebra yet?”
I shook my head. “Not yet, but you forget I have Payton. He’s a genius at math.”
“What about your job at the library?”
I blew out a breath. “One thing at a time, right? Payton’s going to come over with me tonight, and then I’m going to head down to the Student Union with him. He’s looking for a job, and then if you want, we can meet up for dinner?”
Alexis nodded and then looked back. “Here he comes now.”
“See ya,” I said, and then looked just as Payton nudged up beside me.
“I got a job,” he said, and then kissed me on the nose.
“Already?”
“Yep. I’ll be working at the Horseshoe Ranch. It’s not far from here. It’s the kind of job I’ve always wanted.” Payton looked happy, and I was ha
ppy for him.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” I said, and then pulled back. “What’s wrong?”
“Three years is a long time to wait,” Payton sighed.
I smiled, and thought we’d waited a long time to get together. Three years would fly right on by and be here before we knew it.
“But are you happy?” I asked.
Payton leaned in for a kiss, and grinned. “How could I not be? In a year’s time I went from being the boy next door, to the boy that you loved, to—”
“The man I’ll marry?” I interrupted, and Payton smiled.
“Yeah, that…”
“Yes, well,” I said, smiling, “there’s nothing wrong with that.”
-The End-
Did you think the whole thing was over?
Nope…
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About the Author Danielle Lee Zwissler is from a small town in Ohio, and enjoys reading about cowboys, writing about cowboys and looking at them. (Do you see a theme here?) She loves Harry Potter, Sam Smith’s music, and Caramel Macchiato creamer in her coffee. She has two wonderful children, a sexy husband, two guinea pigs—Pudding Cup and Flower, a turtle named Lilly and a minivan filled with books and kid stuff. She loves to hear from people that actually read her books, and she will be forever grateful if you mention her books to anyone…
If you’d like a signed copy of any of her books, please email her at: [email protected] or you can find her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/danielleleezwissler or on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/danielleleezwis She can also be found signing books around the US at several different comic cons. All author visits will be posted on her Amazon page or on her homepage at:www.shewritesromance.com
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