Page 67 of A Fine Line
Because from here on out, I wanted no chances of there being a reason for either of us to doubt. And we had that now.
A single mom and her fourteen year old daughter in matching baby blue t-shirts with waffle son them, ugly crying and snot dripping, ran to the front to claim their prize. I’d seen them setting up before, seen the way they smiled at each other. And if we weren’t going to win, I was entirely grateful that they were.
“Sorry guys.” Nathan slapped Crew on the back. “To be fair, I think it was rigged.”
“Yeah, I mean anyone whose tried either of your foods knows that you guys are the best.” Rachel added on top.
And, despite all of their sympathetic frowns around us, I simply couldn’t stop smiling. We may have to work here for a few more months, save up some extra cash between us to pay of the apartment, but that just meant more time for us. We weren’t in a rush anymore. We had everything we needed. And when the time came for us to be ready, Willow Creek would still be there waiting for us.
“Actually,” Crew lifted my hands to his lips, pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. “I think we did win.”
Calla faked a gag and Nathan chuckled before elbowing his wife, I turned to Crew with a grin. “So, what now, Chef?”
He pulled me close, shaking his head and leaning down to kiss along my jaw. “Let’s go grab my cowboy hat. We got horses to save.”
I laughed. “I really regret telling you that I found it cute.”
“I know you do, honey,” He teased back, giving my hand a squeeze. And with that, we walked off, together, into whatever was coming next.
Ihad work to do. But I also had my Winnie in cut off Levi’s leaning forward out of my trucks window, taking our twentieth order for the day.
We got a late start to this morning, lazily getting ready, even more lazily lounging around our new sectional that so conveniently fit us just right when she was pulled tight against me.
Win and I both stayed up too late last night, stringing Christmas lights up on the back porch of the cottage. It still needed a ton of work, considering we only closed on it a month ago, but it was ours. A light blue cottage just five minutes down from Willow Creek farms. Not much land with it, but it was sitting right between downtown and her family. And it was entirely new to both of us.
We’d considered taking up Lottie’s offer of the sister half of her duplex, but we agreed we needed a fresh start.
Right after the competition ended, I was already emailing her landlord, sorting a deal to pay off the remaining balance left in her lease. Thankfully, since I was paying in cash, he cut me a deal.
When Christmas rolled around, it was the perfect gift. She refused at least a hundred times, but it was already done. All she had to do was sign, pack up her very limited amount of things, and move right in with me.
In exchange for the apartment and her moving in, I promised her that as soon as we moved down south, I would tell my family about my diagnosis and my sensory issues and go to therapy. Real therapy. Not what I’d been half-assing before. I’d had four sessions since we unpacked and each one was easier than the last. We’d adjusted my medication to a stronger, but less antsy, dosage and between the two I was slowly starting to feel focus sliding back to me. And when I did tell my siblings about the diagnosis and everything, they all gave me the same look that Winnie did. I supposed it was more noticeable than I had thought.
But fact of the matter was, each of them acknowledged that I was different. But that it was okay. Different didn’t mean broken. I had to tell myself that daily, and the more I said it, the more I started to believe it.
I didn’t think I’d ever fully feel a hundred percent normal, but then again, I didn’t know if I even wanted to. But I was functioning better than I had been in years. And it was all thanks to the beautiful woman in front of me.
“What are you staring at me for?”
I blinked, looking back to see Winnie’s hip cocked, her plain pink tee tucked into her denim shorts, auburn hair glowing with the sun right behind her.
“Have I told you I loved you today?”
“Only fifteen times.” she smiled.
“Let’s make it sixteen” I winked, about to stop her from starting the order when my phone buzzed.
I didn’t have questions for who it was though.
“Again?” She snorted.
I unlocked my phone to check and confirmed her suspicions. “Again.”
As soon as we left Philly to move here, Dallas and Miles both got cell phones. They were both about to turn thirteen now, so it made sense, but I believe they milked my leaving as a more reasonable excuse.
Dallas: Can I have your old PlayStation? It’s still at Nan’s house. Don’t let Miles get it.
Miles: You realize I’m in this group chat, right?