“They will. But I’m at a point where I am comfortable with them knowing about this, us. Think about it, sunshine. No pressure. If you want to come, then you can, but if not, then we will find another time.”
“Is that what we are? An us?” Fallon asks, her voice tentative.
I let her words sink in. In the last few weeks, things have changed for me. I want her, and I don’t want to hold myself back anymore. It’s going to be a transition, but I’m ready for this, ready to at least try, and face the potential consequences. “As scared as I am, for the same reasons you are, I also don’t want to fight this anymore.”
“So we are giving it a try?” she asks.
“If you’re in, I’m all in,” I respond, taking her hand and squeezing. “I should really take you on a real date.”
She waves me off. “You don’t have todo that.”
“Yes, I do.”
Fallon smiles softly and reaches on her toes to give me another swift kiss. “I’ll text you.”
I watch her leave, giving her a wave when she turns to look at me one more time before latching the door behind her. I have no idea how I lasted this long without falling for her, but now that I’m allowing myself these emotions, I’m done for.
34
FALLON
After Jason not so sneakily snuck out of my house, I asked Presley if she would want to go over to Lennie’s grandparents’ house tomorrow. Of course, she said yes, which is why I am now standing in front of my house with a plate of cookies Presley and I spent yesterday baking and decorating.
Jason insisted I didn’t need to bring anything, but it felt wrong to show up to a brunch with nothing to offer. If anything, it’s something for me to do with my hands, at least for a little bit. It saves me from the panic of whether I should hold Jason’s hand when we walk in, or if I should hold Presley’s, or shake his mom’s hand, even though I know her quite well.
Ugh. You’re a mess, Fallon. Get it together.
Jason pulls up right as my spiral goes downhill even further, and he climbs out of his car, greeting me with a panty-melting smile. Dammit. Why must he do these things to me? He kisses me on the cheek before picking Presley up and giving her a hug and spin. “Ready to go?” he asks.
He takes the plate of cookies from me and puts them inthe backseat between the girls, helping Presley get buckled while I shift anxiously in front of the car. I wait until he closes Presley’s door, and then I burst with questions.
“How are we doing this?” I ask, my mind whirling. “Are we announcing we’re dating? Is that what we’re doing?Arewe officially dating? I don’t want to take any of Marley’s thunder. Remember that episode ofFriendswhen Monica and Chandler get engaged and Rachel kisses Ross and Monica says she stole her thunder? I don’t want to do that. They’re going to ask questions. What are we telling the girls? They’re going to think we’re getting married.”
“Breathe.” Jason cups my face in his large hands. “We can tell them whatever you want, or nothing at all. This is our relationship, so it’s none of their business. As for the thunder thing, Marley won’t give a shit about that. She won’t think you’re taking her thunder. She will be happy for us, no matter what. But as far as I’m concerned, yes, we are dating. We’re in a relationship, and seeing where that takes us.”
“Right,” I murmur. “So what about the girls? We can’t not tell them anything.”
“I’ll think of something,” he says, kissing my forehead. “Now, are you ready?”
“I think so.” I take a deep breath, and Jason opens my door for me. I climb in and buckle up while Jason gets in on his side.
He pulls out of the driveway and shifts his right hand, placing it on my thigh. I wore another sundress today, so he shifts the skirt, resting his hand directly on my skin. He rubs his thumb over it, back and forth in a soothing motion.
The simple touch from him helps soothe my nerves. The girls are in their own world in the backseat, talking about who knows what. When we pull up to Jason’s childhoodhome, that's when the panic really kicks in. Of course, gentleman that he is, Jason takes the plate of cookies, leaving me defenseless and with nothing to do with my hands.
Jason leads us into the house, and Lennie kicks her shoes off, telling Presley to do the same, before taking her hand and running through the house, announcing our arrival.
Jason directs me through the house, and I desperately want to snatch the cookies from his hands so I have the distraction, but when I try, he simply says, “I’ve got them, sunshine.”
In the bustling kitchen, Jane, Marley’s mom, and Nikki, Jason’s mom, are standing side by side at the stove, preparing the meal. Marley is sitting at the table, with her nursing cover over her front, and one of the babies underneath it. Beau holds the other baby in his arms, giving them a bottle. Josie and Andrew sit beside them, and Josie is crooning over the baby, playing with the soft tufts of dark hair. No one seems to have noticed our arrival quite yet until Thomas comes in the sliding door from the deck.
“Hey guys,” he says, a huge grin on his face. He has a little gap in his front two teeth I’ve never seemed to notice before, and a set of dimples on his cheeks. “Fallon, it’s good to see you.”
“You too,” I say, waving awkwardly. Josie sees me now, and gives me a knowing smile. I shrug, and Jason rests his hand at the small of my back, leading me into the kitchen.
“Ma,” he greets, kissing his mother’s cheek, and doing the same to Jane’s. “I brought Fallon and her daughter with us, hope that’s okay.”
Nikki turns to greet me with a smile. “Absolutely, we’re so happy to have you here.” She pulls me into a hug,meanwhile, I’m still a little shocked over the fact that Jason didn’t tell anyone we were coming.
