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Ryan laughed and pulled me into her arms.

“I promise you, I’m not good at everything.”

I wanted to argue with her, but she was warm and I needed snuggles.

“Are you going to bake again tomorrow?” I asked.

“I might. I was also thinking of spending it at the beach. I’d like to get in a good long swim and then maybe sleep. I can’t remember the last time I just sat on the sand for a while. I’m usually in and out and I come home and shower. Going to try something different tomorrow,” she said.

“You should look for a wishing rock,” I said. Ryan’s fingers stroked up and down my spine.

“What’s a wishing rock?” she asked, and I told her.

“I’ll find one,” she said.

“You’ll probably find dozens of them. You’re bound to be good at finding wishing rocks.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said. “I’ll make sure I find a good one for you.”

“No,” I said, “the point of a wishing rock is to find one for your own wish.”

“I’ll have to figure out what to wish for,” she murmured, and I could tell she was close to sleep, even though it was still early.

“That’s up to you. It doesn’t have to be a big wish. Sometimes even small wishes can change our lives.”

She kissed forehead and I could tell she was smiling. “I don’t have to wish for anything right now.”

“Nothing? I could go for another cupcake that I don’t have to get out of bed to get. That would be pretty great.”

Ryan laughed. “I’ll go get you one in a minute. How’s that?”

I closed my eyes and sighed. “Works for me.”

“I’ve got to say, I really enjoy getting ready here,” I said the next morning as I sat at the vanity and did my hair for the day. Ryan had gotten up before me and had already squeezed in a workout while I continued to sleep in her huge bed.

She grinned at me as she brushed her teeth.

I also loved making breakfast with her. At home, I usually ate whatever Mama made, but Ryan let me chop and fry things and even flip the pancakes. When I’d lived alone I’d eaten a lot of chicken strips and frozen waffles because cooking was so exhausting after dealing with my anxiety all day. I’d also ordered a fuckton of pizza.

“Lemon is a fruit, so really, this is fruit salad,” I said when Ryan gave me a look for putting a cupcake on my plate.

“Uh uh,” she said, picking up a slice of bacon.

We sipped our coffee and ate, and I absolutely did not want to go to work. So much had changed in such a short period of time.

“Have fun at the beach,” I said, leaning over to give her a kiss as I got up from the table to put my dishes in the dishwasher.

“I’ll try. Have a good day at work. There’s a cupcake all packed up for you on the counter so you can take it with you,” she said.

“Thanks,” I said, taking the container and shoving it in my bag. “See you later, Ryan.

“Bye, cupcake,” she said, smiling at me from across the room.

“Okay, what is going on?” Sydney said when I got to work a few minutes early.

“What?” I asked, putting my bag in the back and shoving my lunch in the fridge. I’d made a sandwich at Ryan’s and stole a bunch of snacks too, not to mention the cupcake I got to look forward to.

“Something is up with you. Something good. And I might think that you got a new moisturizer or something, but I’m guessing it has to do with a hot lady.”