Page 12

12

More than Enough

Caspian

“Well, well, well. Look who woke up on the right side of the bed today. Or should I say the right side of the hallway ?”

I peer up to find Aunt Pen smiling through the mirror’s reflection, proud of her well-timed joke. The corner of my mouth curves with a smirk as I pull a hoodie over my head, adjusting it over the waistband of my joggers.

“Good morning to you, too, Aunt Pen.”

She daintily lowers into the armchair across the room, and I practically feel her wheels turning from here. If I had to guess, she’s anxious to hear how last night went.

“Oh, for the love of the gods, Caspian, put me out of my misery already, would you?”

Her exasperated tone draws a laugh from me. “I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean.”

She rolls her eyes, and I see it through the mirror. “You cheeky little asshole. You’re actually enjoying this!” she hisses. “Did you go to Annalise last night or didn’t you?”

To annoy her further, I give a casual shrug. “If you’re asking whether that manipulative little stunt you pulled on the way to the ceremony was all for nought, the answer is… no, it wasn’t.”

Her face lights up. “Tell me everything. Unless, of course, the evening concluded in your bed. Those particular details would be best kept to yourself,” she adds, cringing a little.

“Well, there isn’t a lot to tell, actually, but what little progress I did manage to make… it was enough.”

My voice trails off, and my thoughts are on the letter I found placed neatly on a pillow when I returned to sleep outside Annalise’s door. It was short and simple, but it meant the world to me, and all it said was ‘My answer is yes.’

I don’t realize I’m smiling at the recent memory until I glance toward Aunt Pen, realizing that she’s smiling, too.

“That girl truly does have a hold on your heart, doesn’t she?”

I don’t even bother denying it or trying to save face, so I just admit what we both already know. “She does. Completely.”

A triumphant laugh bursts from Aunt Pen’s mouth as she slaps her knee. “Fantastic! I knew my prying ways would pay off one of these days.”

“Congratulations.”

She stands and takes a deep, dramatic bow. “Thank you very much.”

Shaking my head at her antics, I lace my sneakers, then grab my gym bag from the floor. Aunt Pen’s steps are in sync with mine when I start toward the door, and I get the feeling her line of questioning isn’t quite complete.

“So, what’s next? Have you planned a special date? Picked out a sensible piece of jewelry? Annalise doesn’t strike me as the type who’d appreciate anything too flashy.”

I’m impressed my aunt has already picked up on that.

“Actually, I’m meeting Annalise for our first date now.”

The moment we cross the threshold, I have Aunt Pen’s full attention. First, she scans my extremely casual attire, then her stare settles on me.

“You put in a lot of work to win her heart,” she says. “Shouldn’t you, I don’t know… put the same effort into your appearance?”

A laugh leaves me when her attempt at constructive criticism borders more on insulting.

“I’ll have you know these clothes are perfect for what I have planned. As you’ve noticed, Annalise isn’t like other women. For starters, she’s simple, and all things considered, I believe she’d appreciate a gesture that shows her I’m in tune with who she is.”

What I don’t say out loud is that I hope this outing will offset Annalise’s sense of myself, or anyone, attempting to change her, pushing her to conform to life within the estate. She deserves to know that I only see her as perfect, and that I intend to embrace her exactly as she is.

Aunt Pen shrugs, and I can tell she still isn’t convinced as she scans me with a slow, sweeping look.

“I suppose you know best,” is the conclusion she reaches as we part ways. She’s headed toward the dining room, likely enticed by the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, while I continue my course to the foyer.

Annalise agreed to meet me here at eight o’clock sharp, and in my excitement, I’ve arrived fifteen minutes early, replaying how this date came to be. It began when I awoke this morning to the sound of her stirring on the other side of the door. So, I took a chance and knocked. She answered and, to my relief, I didn’t get the sense that she’d changed her mind about giving me a chance overnight. There was this sweet, bewildered look in her eyes, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous about speaking to a woman in my life. She has this powerful effect on me. So intense that, as I spoke, asking her to meet me in this very spot, I shoved my hands inside my pockets to keep from fidgeting. While I know a date so early in the morning is unorthodox, unorthodox seems rather fitting for us.

Movement in my peripheral vision has me turning toward the stairs just as Annalise begins to descend them. Per my request, she’s dressed in athletic clothing—a tank top and sweats—and I’m now convinced she’s absolutely stunning no matter what she wears.

The soles of her sneakers squeak as she steps down onto the marble tile, and then approaches. There’s a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. When she crosses one arm over her torso, hugging herself a little, her awkwardness makes it apparent we’ve taken so many steps backward. But she’s here, and considering that I wasn’t sure this moment was even possible a few days ago, I’m not discouraged.

“Shall we?”

Her eyes flit toward my hand when I reach out, then half a second later, her palm warms against mine. We exit through the front door, and I’m fighting the urge to get ahead of myself, resisting the allure of letting my emotions run wild. But that’s easier said than done when everything about this feels right. I’m aware of having a long way to go before we’re sailing in calm waters, but I can see it. Our future and all it has the potential to be.

The rumble of an engine draws my attention to the left as the valet pulls around on my bike—a matte black beauty. It’s a recent purchase, so I’ve only ridden it twice, but I requested to have it freshly washed and gassed up for this very special occasion. The valet steps off, and I grab the two helmets off the back, smiling at the confused look on Annalise’s face before I place one over her head.

“Where are we going?” she asks, watching as I shift my duffle bag crosswise over my chest, then pull on my own helmet.

“It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll enjoy it. Just… trust me.”

She breathes deeply when those words leave my mouth, and I imagine she didn’t think trust was something that would ever exist between us again. But as I climb onto the bike, and she tosses her leg over the seat behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, it’s safe to say she’s at least willing to try.

And while I’d love to fast track our progress, having her willingly take this step with me is enough.

No… it’s more than enough.