“After we’re married,” I said, grinning.
I held the ringing phone up to my ear as Drew smiled and walked back to his office. I turned around in my chair and stared out the window, closing my eyes as I heard the phone pick up on her end. Her voice floated into my ear lightly, like a small breeze kicking up a wave in the middle of the ocean. It was peaceful. Inviting.
I seriously considered canceling with my parents instead of with her.
“I was just about to call you,” she said.
“Oh, really? Everything all right?” I asked.
“I sort of have to cancel tonight.”
“Funny, I was just calling to do the same thing. What’s your excuse?” I asked.
“Sister’s flying in early. She’s currently at the airport. What’s your excuse?”
“Dinner with the parents. Another rousing evening of ‘how do you like the dinner? Isn’t it exquisite?’.”
“At least you won’t be eating takeout Chinese,” she said.
“I’d taking eating takeout with you any day over dinner with my parents.”
“That bad, huh?” she asked.
“Oh, you have no idea,” I said. “Why’s your sister coming in early? Is she okay?”
“No. She’s really not. She won’t ever let it on or talk about it, but work’s really getting to her. I’m trying so hard to get her to take singing lessons again. She doesn’t even have to drop her career and do what I did. Just indulge in something that makes her feel like her.”
“Well, if there’s anyone who can convince her, it’s you,” I said, smiling.
“You really think so?”
“Hey. You inspired me to start drawing again. Maybe spending some physical time around you will rub off on her.”
“She’s probably going to come to the jobsite and start ordering you guys around.”
“Did I mention we needed to take a break from the project?” I asked.
Her laughter flooded through the phone as I smiled at her reaction. I drank all of her in. Every ounce she could give me. I hated that I wouldn’t get any sort of alone time with her anytime soon, but I also understood how important family was. My family was fucked up in every single way anyone could possibly imagine, but they were still my family, and I was still going to try and be there for them.
I admired the relationship she had with her sister despite what happened between her and her parents.
“Well, if things get too rough at your parents’ house, and you don’t mind meeting my sister, you can always come here and crash our party,” she said. “Our first night together is usually mindless gossiping over food and wine anyway.”
“Sounds like a party. I’ll keep it in mind. But, I’m not going anywhere if I can’t get my work finished up.”
“Are you telling me to get off the phone or talk longer?” she asked.
“I hear your grin vibrating through the phone.”
“I can’t wait to see you again, Bryan.”
I paused, breathing in deeply through my nose as I bathed in her words. She missed me like I missed her, even though we’d just seen each other a day and a half ago. It lit something in my gut. Something that hadn’t been ignited for a very long time.
I enjoyed the way I felt around her, even though I still couldn’t figure out why she entranced me as much as she did.
“I can’t wait, either. Good luck with your sister.”
“And good luck with dinner. Let me know how it goes,” she said.