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"So, Blondie, I hear we are bowling tonight." I glance at her in the seat next to me.
She claps her hands together. "Yes, I'm so excited. Louisa tells me Wells isn't happy."
"That's because Wells is a horrible bowler. An eight-year-old could beat him." I chuckle. I'm pretty sure an eight-year-old did beat him last time we played.
"Well, I'm just happy to mark one more thing off my list." She digs around her bag for a tiny leather journal. It's the size of her smartphone. She flips it open and finds the page she is looking for and crosses out a line with a purple pen.
I peek over at her list and can't help smiling. I bought her the journal for Christmas, and she's been filling it up with all the things she wants to do and experience. The list has grown so much over the past months. It's almost a game to see how many items we can cross off each week. Some weeks nothing is crossed off, other weeks, two or three. I've even added a few items.
"Got anything new on your list? Chopping your hair off was a pretty big one, only seems fitting to have a new one," I added something just last night, I'm not sure she's seen it yet. I smirk to myself.
She thumbs through the pages until she stops and lifts the journal up closer to her face to read what's written on the page. A tiny gasp escapes, and I bite back a laugh.
I pull my eyes from the road briefly, finding her cheeks pink with a blush. "Ryker," she whispers.
"Blondie," I return.
"I'm not sure I'd be any good at that." She snaps the book shut and shoves it in her bag. She doesn't say anything for a few moments.
My smile is huge. I can't keep it from my fucking face. "You're thinking about it now, aren't you?"
She looks out her window, evading my words.
"You're picturing how we'd line it up, aren't you?" she squeaks. "You dirty bird, you. I love it." I laugh, and she turns and smacks me in the arm.
"Ryker Stone, you're going to be the end of me someday." She can't fight it anymore; she's all smiles and giggles.
"You love it." I laugh.
"I love you." She smiles softly.
I grab her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. I bring our hands to my lips and kiss the back of hers. "And I love you too, Blondie."
The End