Page 60 of The One
“No. He had a late meeting. I told him I was coming here anyway and he said to have fun and he’d talk to me later.”
Thinking back, it wasn’t even anything more than a passing conversation. She’d mentioned her mother wanted her over for dinner and he said to enjoy herself. He was working late anyway. She didn’t know his work schedule and never asked.
She figured if it was something she needed to know he’d tell her. She didn’t think they were anywhere near needing those kinds of details at this point in their relationship.
“And we are having fun,” Whitney said, reaching for another slice. “Right, Ben?”
“More pizza,” Ben said, his plate all but empty as he picked up the last two pieces in both hands and shoved them in his mouth with a grin.
“I think I’m going to be just like Ben and go for another slice too,” she said, reaching for it.
“You aren’t eating for two, are you?” her mother asked, grinning. Though she knew her mother might be serious. Gillian didn’t often eat two pieces of anything. Not because it was bad for her, but she never had that big of an appetite.
“Nope. But there is no reason we can’t all splurge.”
“It’s the happy endorphins,” Whitney said. “They make you want to eat all the time. That and sex.”
She started to laugh. “I think it’s the second one,” she said just to see what her mother would say.
Her mother only shook her head and reached for a second piece too. “Maybe you girls aren’t the only ones that are burning a lot of calories.”
Whitney laughed and Gillian blushed.
22
Getting Close
Two weeks later, Rick and Gillian showed up at Robin’s midafternoon. His sister was having a Christmas Eve get-together and his parents were coming for it too. It was just going to be his family and his sister and her family. Robin, Brian and his niece were going to Brian’s parents’ house for Christmas Day. That worked for him, as he’d go to Whitney Butler’s tomorrow to be with Gillian’s family.
It seemed odd to him, as he wasn’t one for making plans like this. More so for a holiday. But here they were the other day trying to figure out how it’d work.
He’d told her to do what she wanted to with her family. He was used to being alone for the holidays and as long as he got to see his family one of the two days he didn’t care when or for how long. It was more important for him to spend it with her.
They’d been dating now for over two months and getting close.
In his eyes this was the closest he’d gotten to any woman and he was starting to have visions of a future with Gillian.
Did it have to do with the fact that he was older and didn’t want to wait or was it just Gillian?
He wasn’t sure. The two of them had not talked about those things.
They talked about pretty much everything else though so this was a tad bit frustrating to him.
“I’m going to try not to be too much of a pig,” he said to Gillian when they got out of his SUV. She was carrying a tray of snacks, as today was more of a light meal buffet style of foods. He was getting George out of the back, the dog pulling to get in and see Luke and Leia.
“If you are, then you are,” she said.
“I’ve got my follow-up with the doctor in two weeks, so I’d rather not,” he said.
She bumped her hip next to him. “Don’t be one of those people who think if they starve themselves the week before blood work that it makes up for everything prior.”
He frowned. “When you put it that way I feel like a fool.”
“No reason to feel that way. Eat what you want today.”
“My sister will have healthy things out anyway. She always does. I’ll make sure I stick with those things,” he said.
Gillian had put together a plate of fruits and vegetables too. He’d just pick at them more than the pepperoni and cheese, but not limit himself, as she said. He wasn’t sure why he was so focused on that and he wondered if it had more to do with the fact that he wanted to be healthy for a wife and children someday.