8 Weeks (Time for Love 1)

Chapter 25 – Cal

I’d been planning this night since before our anniversary. It was the gift I was going to give Shelly, but hadn’t had the chance to. I bought floor seats to the Hunter Hayes concert. She was going to freak out. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face. The look I should have seen on our anniversary, before I’d ruined everything.

I’d been thinking about our last date every night since. I couldn’t get Shelly out of my mind. Now that I’d had a taste of her again, I was more determined than ever to convince her that we had to be together.

When I pulled up to her place, I thought back to what TJ said yesterday afternoon at work.

“You guys love each other, bro. I’ve never seen a couple that belongs together the way that you do, you just have to keep doing what you’re doing, and have faith … I do.”

I ignored the nerves that were pounding through me and walked to the door.

When Shelly answered my knock, I was rendered momentarily speechless.

Her hair was fluffed out in a way that made it frame her face perfectly. Her eyes were smoky, her lips red, and the diamond stud flashed in the light. I let my eyes travel down, taking in her tight jeans, cowboy boots, and black halter top.

“Wow!” I said when I finally regained the ability to speak. I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, inhaling the exquisite scent of her perfume, my body instantly turning rock hard.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile and flush of pleasure.

“You ready?” I asked, offering her my arm.

Shelly locked up, then linked her arm in mine. “Yup. Where are we going?”

“A concert,” I answered with a grin.

“Really?” she asked, excitement filling her voice. My girl loved concerts.

“Wait … Hunter Hayes is in town,” she squealed. “Is that where we’re going?”

I nodded with a grin, pleasure filling me when she jumped up and down on the sidewalk.

Nothing made me feel as good as seeing Shelly totally excited. It didn’t take concerts and trips, either; little things gave her pleasure. It was one of the things I loved best about her.

Shelly chattered excitedly all the way to the stadium. I listened to her with a smile, happy that I was able to take her mind off of everything she’d been dealing with, that we both had been dealing with, and give her a night to let her hair down and do something she loves.

We grabbed a couple beers and made our way down to our seats.

“Wow,” Shelly exclaimed when we found them. “These are great seats. They must have cost you a pretty penny.”

Her face looked worried at that, but I squeezed her hand and leaned in to say, “Don’t worry about it, Shel. Just enjoy the concert.”

She nodded and looked into my eyes, her mouth forming a big grin. “Okay.”

Shelly leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips before pulling back and saying, “Thank you.”

I didn’t say anything, but turned and faced the stage as my heart pounded painfully in my chest. I was suddenly overtaken by fear. Terrified that I was only going to get four more weeks with Shelly until she was no longer mine to touch, hold, or kiss.

Music began to play and I tried to shake the bad feelings off, and although I was able to enjoy the show, I couldn’t completely shake those traces of fear.

When Hunter Hayes came out to do his encore, I turned to watch Shelly, as I had throughout the show. She was on her feet, singing along, and smiling broadly. When Hunter sang about wanting crazy love, Shelly turned and her eyes caught mine. She kept her eyes on mine, and I saw them begin to fill with tears, so I got to my feet and took her in my arms. She held on as though her life depended on it, and we rocked together slowly to the music.

When the song ended, I pulled back enough to wipe the tears off her face. We didn’t say anything. I moved my hand down to take her hand in mine, and led her out of the stadium.

When we were in the car, waiting in line for the traffic to exit the stadium, I asked, “Did you have fun?”

“Yes,” Shelly said, a smile once more on her face. I wanted to keep it there. “He’s so good live. Thanks again.”

“No problem,” I answered.