Page 93 of Truck Me
I’ll come over after work.
Charlotte
I can’t wait. {kissing face emoji}
Garret
Me either.
I slip my phone back into my pocket. All the anxiety I felt a few minutes ago is gone. Whatever Charlotte had with that asshole in Chicago is over. I have no reason to worry.
She may not be mine to keep forever, but she’s mine for now.
And that’s good enough.
* * *
I cut out of work a little earlier than I usually would. There was one more job I could’ve fit in, but I’m too eager to see Charlotte. It wasn’t an emergency, so I called and told them I’d be there first thing in the morning. They were fine with that.
I rush home, let Bullet out, and shower faster than I think I ever have before.
She didn’t say anything about dinner, but since she’s been baking all day, I grabbed a pizza from Frank’s in town after I finished installing the chair.
Now that I’m walking up the back steps to her parents’ house, I wonder if I should have told her I took care of dinner. I don’t even know what she likes on her pizza. I went with pepperoni and cheese, assuming that was a safe bet.
She opens the back door with a huge smile on her face, and I’m immediately put at ease. Without a word, I slide my arm around her waist, pull her body flush to mine, and kiss her. Her lips are soft, and she tastes like sugar and cinnamon.
“You’ve been sampling your cookies,” I say when I pull back. When I look down at her, she looks a little dazed. I smile, knowing I put that look on her face.
“Yeah,” she says, a little breathless. She shakes her head as if she’s just now realizing I’m here. Her eyes settle on mine. “Hi.”
“Hi.” My smile grows, and I kiss the tip of her nose. “I brought pizza. I hope you like pepperoni and cheese.”
Her hands clench around the edges of my coat. Seeing her eyes sparkle is a high I will never come down from. “It’s my favorite.”
“You’re not just saying that, are you?”
“No,” she playfully slaps at my chest. “I love pepperoni pizza. Frank’s pizza used to be my favorite. I haven’t had any since I moved home.”
“Good.” I press another kiss to her lips. “Glad I got it then. We’ll need to warm it first. Any chance there’s room in your oven?”
“We can put it in after I finish up with this batch of cookies.”
With her hands still clenched around my coat, she drags me into the house. I kick the door shut with my foot once I’m over the threshold.
My eyes fall closed, and a groan tumbles out of me when I get a whiff of the kitchen. “Princess, it smells so good in here. I’ve died, and this is heaven.”
Her laughter fills the air, and I realize I was wrong. The sound of her laughing is heaven.
I glance around the kitchen, looking for a place to set the pizza box, but every available surface is covered. There are more containers of cookies in this kitchen than I would find in a bakery.
“Damn, Princess. You’ve been busy.”
She shrugs. “Yeah, maybe I went overboard. Is this too much for the spring fundraiser?”
“Not even a little.”
Her smile broadens, but it’s the sparkle in her eyes that causes my heart to skip around in my chest. “I know you’re lying, but that’s okay. It’s been nice. I haven’t had this much to do since I left Chicago. I like being busy.”