Chapter 22-Casual Confessions(2)
Slipping out of my jeans and jacket I left them on the floor, not bothering with cleaning up the place. Crawling into bed in my undies and tees I drifted away the minute my head hit the pillow. I was so tired I didn’t even hear it when Evan moved around the apartment, cleaning up after me. When I woke up the next day I noticed though and it embarrassed me, but at the same time made me feel really lucky. I was dating a guy who cared, a lot.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
“Evan?!” I called, unsure if he was still around.
“In the kitchen.” He called back, “You getting ready to have some lunch? You missed three meals.”
That I did and thinking about food made my stomach purr to life, letting me know that I indeed needed to eat something right now.
“I’ll get ready!” I called back and slipped out of bed.
Brushing my teeth and grabbing a quick shower I slipped into a pair of tight jeans and shrugged on a hoodie. Pulling my hair up in a bun I made my way over to the kitchen, ready to greet the man who organized my life. Made me rest while he took care of everything. I couldn’t help but love him for it. It was too soon feeling that way, but I couldn’t stop my heart from reaching out to him. Just thinking about him heated my face, making my heart race. I wanted to see his grin and hearing his laughter. Quickening my pace I entered the kitchen and was met with his back. He was pouring coffee into a mug while he talked to Nick on the phone. I knew it was his other half since the way he was messing around. Those two couldn’t live without each other. It was cute, really.
“Gotta go, I’m having lunch with Zoey.” He told Nick and then turned to look at me, “I’ll be taking some time off to take care of some things with her. When things are settled I’ll focus on Emily. I hate that she is feeling this way.”
Something was wrong with Emily, I wanted to ask him about it, but he was focused on Nick. Evan nodded his head, making me smile. Nick couldn’t see that Evan was agreeing with everything he was saying. Yet he probably thought his friend had magic powers and knew about it somehow. Taking a seat at the bar I reached for the cup Evan showed toward me and sipped it. It was perfect. It had the right amount of milk and sugar. He knew how I took my coffee, he didn’t forget. Another thing I loved about him. I watched him move around, feeling quite at home while he finished his call.
“Call me if you need anything.” Evan told his friend, “I don’t care about the time or place, just call.”
Another plus in my book. When Evan cared, he cared.
“Okay, now I really gotta go. I need to get some food in Zoey.” He chuckled when I raised an eyebrow at him, “Bye.”
“Emily okay?” I asked once Evan put his phone down and handed me a plate.
He took a seat beside me and sipped his coffee as well, “The pregnancy is getting uncomfortable. She isn’t feeling well lately.”
“Do you want to pay them a visit after lunch?”
Evan shook his head, “I want to focus on us first.” He told me, “How about you give your parents a call after lunch, ask them when we can pay them a visit.”
My heart raced, but not for the right reasons. I felt anxious, the tight feeling in my stomach making me lose my appetite. Evan and I were in a good place right now, but they’d ruin that. My father in particular. He wanted me to follow the path he designed for me. Taking a job at his partner’s firm, living close to the family house. Marrying a man of his choosing. My father was cold and he didn’t care much for living life only to enjoy it. He’d dislike Evan the minute he laid his eyes upon him.
“Tell me why you look like I just told you your pet died.”
I turned to look at my boyfriend, “My family will make you run.” I told him, reaching for his hand and holding it tightly in mine, afraid he’d disappear from my sight, “I can’t, I can’t go through that. I love you, I don’t want them to ruin us.”
Evan squeezed my hand in his, a smile spreading across his face. It wasn’t the time for him to be joking around. He released my hand and cupped my face when he noticed my confusion.
“I love you too, Zo.”
My eyes widened, realizing what I said to him without thinking. The words just left my lips because of the fear I felt. It wasn’t a lie though, it was how I felt about him. I just didn’t want to tell him too soon. Now, however, there was no turning back. He knew and he wasn’t running away, thinking I lost my mind.
“Okay, that’s good, but meeting my family might make you hate me and I don’t want to risk that.” He laughed which made me frown, I was being serious here, yet he was only joking around. At least it felt that way to me because I was mentally freaking out, “Could you stop laughing at me. I’m being serious.”
“I know you are being serious.” He leaned in and kissed me, taking away some of the tension I was feeling, “That’s why it’s hilarious how you’re handling the situation. You’re confessing to me like it’s no big deal whatsoever then you brush it off when I tell you I feel the same way. Only wanting to get your worries off your chest.” He smiled at me, “It’s hilarious listening to you.”
“Evan!”
He pulled away from me, “Don’t worry about that, okay? I’m not going anywhere. No matter what your parents will say or do, they won’t make me love you less. I want them to know I’m serious about their daughter. If things work out, they work out. If they don’t, then no hard feelings right? We’ll both go our separate ways.”
I nodded, agreeing with everything he was saying, “Yes.”
“Okay, then go grab your phone and make the call.”
Slipping away to grab my phone I turned it on while heading back to the kitchen. Evan was quietly eating his lunch, his eyes meeting mine when I took a seat beside him again. He placed his free hand upon my thigh and nodded encouragingly at me. With a deep breath, I dialed my dad’s number and waited patiently till he answered.
“Hey, dad, it’s me.”