I shush him but flash a grin as I lift a brow. “I’d be up for that.”
He taps the side of his head. “I’m putting that one in the vault. But until then, I can think of ways to improvise.” And that’s exactly what we do.
* * *
Another weekend with Brou has come and gone. Now, it’s back to the waiting game. Again.
I’m so glad he was with me last night when Christie went nuts. Despite being thirty-one, I feel more like the broken, vulnerable child whenever Christie is near. When she went nuts last night, I felt rattled. However, it was undeniable how much calmer I felt having Brou there. And he wasn’t just physically with me. He was there for me emotionally as well. He’s becoming everything to me. My world.
My days apart from Brou are mostly filled with work. When I’m not at the shop, I busy myself at the animal shelter or work on giving life to reclaimed furniture. It isn’t work to me. I enjoy the process. It’s therapeutic to take something abused and make it new again. Sort of like me.
I rarely spend evenings alone. I always have dinner with my parents or Ivy and Kelsey. My free time is filled with friends and family. But I feel empty without Brou. I said I didn’t need a man to make me whole. And that’s still true. But I’ll be damned if I don’t feel like he takes a piece of me every time he goes.
I lean against my front door and cry. Brou is on the other side, maybe still standing in the hallway waiting for the elevator. I didn’t walk with him to wait as I usually do; I felt the tears coming. I didn’t want him to see me cry. Saying goodbye is getting harder each time.
I can’t stand it. Tears or not, I need one moment more with him.
I open the door and dash down the hallway to catch him for one last embrace before he enters the elevator. “One more kiss.”
He drops his bag on the floor and reaches for me, grasping my face in his hands as his mouth lands on mine. He pushes me against the wall and imprisons me in his embrace, as his lips own mine. “I hate leaving you.”
“I didn’t know it was going to get harder every time.” I’m learning that’s how it goes when you’re in love.
His lips are still touching mine. “I left something on the bed for you.”
A big smiles spreads on my face. “What is it?”
He leans away and wipes the tears that have fallen from my eyes. “You’ll see.”
He places one last kiss against my lips. “I will see you in eleven days. Be thinking if you want to do Birmingham or meet somewhere in between. Maybe Macon or Atlanta. We can do a concert or show of some sort.”
“Okay.”
I blow a kiss to him as the elevator doors close and then dash to my bedroom to see what awaits me. A folded piece of paper.
Wren,
I will miss you more this time than ever before. I’m falling hard for you. I hope you’re feeling the same.
Brou
I read the two handwritten sentences over and over, smiling a little bigger each time. I don’t feel the same because I’m not just falling for him. I’m falling completely in love with him.
I go to my desk and find my stationery so I may write my first ever love note.
Brou,
I love you.
Wren
Three simple words.
That’s all I need to say.
* * *
“Sorry I’m late, guys.” I hate being late but it was with good reason. I had a rough time parting ways with Brou.
“It’s okay. Your twenty-minute tardiness overshadows my ten-minute tardiness.” Ivy ain’t lying. I’m usually the one sitting at lunch waiting on her and Kelsey.
I see they’ve gone with tea but I’m in the mood for something else. I think a Prosecco will do nicely. It’s my go-to for celebrating.
Kelsey lifts her brows when I place my order. “Alcohol at noon? Someone either has really good or really bad news to tell us. But since you went with Prosecco I’m guessing it’s good.”
“It’s really good.” Or at least I think it is.
“I’m guessing it has something to do with a hot Cajun.” Indeed.
“He left a note for me to find after he was gone.” Thinking about it gives me butterflies.
“A love note,” Ivy squeals. “And it says?”
I take the folded paper from my bag and hold it out for them. Kelsey snatches it first and sticks her tongue out at Ivy. “Wren, I will miss you more this time than ever before. I’m falling hard for you. I hope you’re feeling the same. Brou.” Kelsey looks up. “At least that’s what I think it says. His handwriting is shit.”
Ivy’s mouth drops. “Lawry. That’s as good as saying he loves you.”
I think so too but I’m afraid of jumping the gun. “Are you sure?”
“Com-fucking-pletely. You haven’t seen the way he looks at Lawry. It’s so . . . intense.”
Ivy shakes her head. “I miss every damn thing because of my job.”
“You love your nursing job.” Helping deliver babies must be so rewarding. I think I’d love that.
“I love patient care. It’s all the other bullshit going along with it that I hate. And always missing out on stuff. You’ve been with Lucas for a while, and I still haven’t met him. You’re one of my best friends. We should have been introduced by now.”
“Well, I’ve met him. And he’s hotter than a damn firecracker lit on both ends.”
“Shut up.” Ivy gives Kelsey the finger. “Lawry, you just moved up from being one of my best friends to my only best friend since she’s being a dingleberry.”
Ivy snatches the note from Kelsey’s hand. “Damn, she’s right. His penmanship looks horrible but these words are full of some serious sweetness.”
“I wrote him back.” I take the sealed notecard from my bag and hold it up. “I was thinking I wouldn’t mention anything about his note and maybe drop this in the mail today so it’d be a surprise when it arrives.”
“What does it say?”
“Three words.”
“More oral please?” Kelsey grins as though she’s so proud of her wittiness.
Ivy punches Kelsey in the arm. “Stop being such a twat. This is important to Lawry.”
Kelsey punches Ivy in return. They’re acting like three-year-olds. “I’m kidding. Lawry knows that. You do know that, right?”
“Yeah, but I need advice. Do I send this or not?” I love you. You don’t trifle with words like those.
“I say you do.” I knew Ivy would say yes. She lives for the white knight. The fairy tale. The happily ever after.
Kelsey not so much.
“You wrote those three words to him, which I assume are I love you, because you love him?”
“I do.”
“I see it like this. Love is like a wall you can’t climb or penetrate. The only way in is a swinging door. Sometimes you’re lucky enough it opens to let you in. But if you wait too long, it
’s going to slam like a motherfucker in your face. You wouldn’t look great with a flat face so I say go for it.”
“That was almost beautiful.”
Kelsey bows her head and holds her hands out, palm side up. She calls it her sitting curtsy. “I do my best.”
Kelsey’s words may not be scholarly but she makes a good point. “I’m going for it.”
’Cause sometimes being strong is about following your heart. Taking chances. Stepping forward when the door swings open, before it slams and flattens your face. Because that would suck.
Lucas Broussard
It’s been two days since I left Wren. And the note on her bed. She hasn’t mentioned a single word about it. I must admit I expected some kind of prompt response—and a happy one. Hell, I thought I’d get a call before I made it out of Savannah. Guess I misjudged the fuck out of where we are in our relationship.
It was way too soon for talk of love. I shouldn’t have brought up falling for her. She wasn’t ready. And now I’m afraid I’ve ruined everything with her.
“You have mail, boss. And it smells like a woman,” Molly says as she tosses an envelope on my desk.
My heart pounds when I see the return address. My sweet Wren. I don’t know if I should be happy or scared shitless.
“Only one way to find out.” I slide my envelope opener through the fold and sniff the inside before removing the note. Lavender and vanilla. Smells just like my Wren.
My heart pounds as I slide the piece of paper out and unfold it to read her words.
I love you.
There it is in black and white. Those three simple little words I was desperate to hear. Or in this case, see.
Lawrence Thorn loves me. And it scares the hell out me. But makes me the happiest man in the world.
I close my office door and dial her number. “Hello, Brou. To what do I owe this call in the middle of the day?”
“I wanted to tell you I just got your note.”
“And?”
“I love you, Wren.” There. I’ve said it. And it’s a fucking relief. I like the way it sounds so much I think I’ll say it again. “I. Love. You.”