She laughed. “There’s no way you could do something like that. I had a lot of fun today.”
“You did?”
“Yes. Couldn’t you tell?”
“I don’t know. You’ve wanted to leave and you looked like you wanted to kill me.”
“We’re still new at this.”
“We’ve been dating for months and we spend a great deal of time either making out or fighting.”
She stepped up to him. “I don’t want to fight tonight.”
“I don’t want to fight either.” He never did but they were always pushed into the tight corner and he was getting ever increasingly tired of it.
“Drake, I know we don’t make the best of our situation sometimes, but our relationship is different than others.”
“How is it different?”
“For one, how many people do you think enter a relationship knowing it wasn’t going to last? We’ve done that.”
He stared at her hands, knowing deep down he didn’t want to lose her. Not even for a second. They were not, nor would they ever be coming to an end.
“It’s why I can’t walk away. Even when we both say mean things to each other. I don’t mean half of them. We’ve spent so much of our time hating each other, I truly believe we don’t know how else to be.”
He stood up and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “You’re amazing. You know that, right?”
“Not really.” She tilted her head up to smile at him. “I just know we’re doing the best with what we know, and what we know isn’t a whole lot.”
He chuckled, stroking her cheek. “I got you a present.” He’d put it on the bed so he could hold her.
“You really didn’t need to buy me anything. I’ve had so much today already. You, the beach house. Falling asleep with you. I don’t need anything more.”
“And I get to spoil you this one day of the year. You can say a relative bought it for you.” He held out the box. “Please, take it.”
“It’s expensive, isn’t it?” She looked nervous.
“I took my time and the moment I saw it, I thought of you.”
She opened the wrapping and he saw her hands shake a little. “When it’s your birthday, I won’t be able to get you something like this, Drake.”
“I didn’t buy this for you to buy me something. Let me have some credit.”
“It’s not that, I want to be able to get you nice things as well.” She’d stopped unwrapping to kiss him. He loved her kisses, but he wanted to put his present on her.
“You give me more than enough nice things. You don’t have to ever worry about that. Besides, you may hate what I got you.” He kissed her again.
Taking her hand, he made her sit beside him. He was a little nervous, but he wanted her to like it. This was one of the many reasons he never picked out gifts. Not that it mattered to anyone else. Their feelings meant nothing to him. Pru, she wasn’t just anyone, at least, not anymore. She was someone.
She glanced at him. The velvet box wasn’t a wedding ring size or anything. He’d seen a couple of engagement rings and they’d taunted him. He wasn’t going to marry Pru, not yet, at least.
Opening the box, she let out a little gasp. “Drake, it’s beautiful. It looks like a teardrop.”
“I know. It’s what I thought when I saw it. I … I didn’t want you to cry any more tears. It’s a symbol. This is my way of telling you I’ll never be the cause of any more of them. I stopped hurting you and I started loving you.”
She looked up at him and much to his surprise, she had tears in her eyes.
“You shouldn’t be crying. This isn’t what it’s about. I don’t want you to be sad. Shit.” He got to his feet, rushing to the bathroom to grab some tissues. Why couldn’t he have gotten this right?
Returning to the room, he quickly pressed the tissue to her eyes, trying to capture them.
“They are not bad or sad tears, Drake.”
“They’re not?”
“No. I’m happy.”
“You’re crying but happy?”
She nodded.
“That makes no fucking sense.” He had bought her the necklace because it felt to him like it had so much more meaning.
“I don’t care. I’m telling you the truth. You’ve made me so happy.” She pulled him close and he felt her soft body against his.
Since the summer, he hadn’t been with anyone else. There had been so many offers and he’d turned them all down. The only person he wanted was right here, next to him. The girl he really shouldn’t have but one he couldn’t walk away from.
Pushing some of her hair off her shoulder, he stroked her cheek. She smiled up at him. The tears had faded and she had this amazing smile.
“Let me put this on you.” He took the necklace from the box and put it around her neck. His fingers were shaking a little as he fixed the clasp.