California Dreamin'

She chuckles then. “You’re crazy. But okay. I will cease all blushing and excitement right this second.” When I clench my jaw, she caresses it with her soft hand. “But I only get excited because of how cool their love story is. Uncle Graham and Auntie Vi’s.”

I know about their love story too.

Not because I have any particular interest in it but because Fallon, back when she heard it and was in her Disney stage, would keep telling it to me.

It’s the coolest thing, Dean. So Auntie Vi and Uncle Graham are like star-crossed lovers. They loved each other for ages before the world tore them apart because he was her best friend’s dad and people thought that their age gap and stuff is gross. And then, Uncle Graham vanished. But Auntie Vi was like, no, I’m going to find him and she did. All the way in Colorado. Have you ever been to Colorado? It’s all woods and mountains and so pretty. And he was living in this remote cabin, all alone, sad and miserable without her and when she showed up, she brought him back to life. And guess what? He gives her roses all the time. It’s so beauty and the beast, right?

I don’t understand how it’s like beauty and the beast but whatever.

So I know about their love story and what they went through in more detail than I’d like to.

“Besides, what do you think gave me the idea to move all the way to stupid California?” she teases and I sober up.

“Listen, Fallon, if you don’t want to stay there, we can come back here. I know you don’t like it there. We can—”

She puts a finger on my lips. “I don’t. And that’s because you’ve never shown me around. Maybe if you do, I might start liking it.”

I kiss her finger. “I will. I will show you around. Take you anywhere you want.”

“Because I’m yours now.”

“Yeah, you are.”

I bend down to kiss her again.

And again, we get interrupted. This time by thumping footsteps and a voice, “Why don’t you two get a room or something?”

This is said by Brendan who passes us by – he was probably in the backyard somewhere helping with the party stuff – in a flash and almost collides with the glass back door in an attempt to get inside as soon as possible.

“What’s… with him?” I ask, as I watch him dash down the hallway to where all the guests are convened.

Fallon laughs. “A girl.”

“What?”

“Rosie.”

Rosie is Violet and Graham’s daughter and a couple of years younger than Brendan, I think. She’s standing off to the side, her hands fidgeting as the adults hug and greet each other. It’s obvious that she’s uncomfortable and shy.

“What about her?” I ask, watching Brendan walk on the scene.

“So my little brother has a huge crush on her. Like, huge.”

“What?”

“Yup. He’s going to talk to her, probably try to joke around and she’ll be all shy and sweet and his ears are going to get really red. Just observe.”

So I do.

I observe as Brendan tips his chin at Rosie, who bites her lip and waves at him hesitantly. Then Brendan begins talking, propped up against the wall, acting like a cool kid and Rosie nods and smiles. But she’s barely able to make eye contact with him.

And well, he does get red.

The area around his neck is flushed and so are his ears.

Poor kid.

Fallon laughs beside me. “Oh my God, my idiot brother. He’s got it bad for her.”

“No kidding.”

Rosie says something to him before walking away and Brendan simply stands there, watching her leave. When she’s out of sight, he kicks at the wall in disappointment.

“Gosh, I can’t even imagine how Uncle Graham would react if he ever found out that my crazy brother is literally crazy for Rosie. You thought my dad was bad, Uncle Graham will pick him up and throw him in the lake behind his cabin.”

I squeeze her waist as Brendan disappears from view as well. “I don’t know. I think the kid’s got a shot. He just needs to be persistent.”

And personally, I’d like to see Brendan take Graham down a couple of notches.

“Ooh, like you were?” Fallon asks, finally turning toward me.

“No, like you were.”

“That paid off, huh?”

“It did. I think love pays off.”

“It does.”

I look into her gorgeous gray eyes, forgetting about another potential love story in the making. “Can I finally fucking kiss you now?”

“Yes, please.”

And then, she reaches up to me with a smile and I finally get to fucking kiss her.

There are a few things my husband doesn’t like.

Crowds and therefore parties, much like the one we’re at.

Cities, even though we live in Denver. So every once in a while, we go away to his cabin in the woods where he feels most at peace. Where I feel most at peace too.