Page 78 of Husband to Go

I stop.

“Should I be?”

Andrea’s getting me worried all of a sudden. I was super excited for tonight, but maybe I should be thinking about what could go wrong.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that stuff up,” she apologizes immediately.

“No, you’re always truthful with me. I want to know what you think.”

“Well,” Andi starts, “this is the first time you guys will be doing something pretty normal for a couple. The circumstances have changed, and I think that this is the test to show how compatible you guys are. A final test of sorts.”

I hadn’t thought about it like that. Tanner and I have been going about this whole thing in a weird way, obviously, but now, we’ve finally reached the point where it’s more normal. Could the spark between us disappear because of that? It’s too soon for that right? That only happens to couples who have been together for years.

Andrea sees my stricken look and speaks quickly.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry I ruined your happy mood. I should have kept my mouth shut and said nothing. I’m sorry Kylie.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you told me,” I say in quiet voice. I really am because she’s given me a lot to think about. With my mom, I’ve been ignoring a lot of the bad parts of our relationship, but with Tanner, I want to keep my eyes open. That way we can always be totally true and honest with one other. It’s the only way to make love work.

“Are you busy today?” I ask.

“Nope,” she shakes her head cheerily. “Exams are over.”

I take a deep breath.

“Great, then you want to help me get ready for tonight?”

She bolts up.

“Oh my god, yes!” Andi downs the rest of her wine, and plants her glass on the table. “Where do we start?”

“Well, I should probably take a shower,” is my wry reply.

“I can’t help you with that, sweetheart,” she says. “Into the shower you go, and I’ll get some stuff ready out here.”

I down my wine and then head to my room to get some clothes. I go into the bathroom and turn on the spout. Undressing, I think about last night. Everything about it was perfect, and then this morning, it was so sweet of Tanner to make us breakfast. I can’t wait to try out that steak he was bragging about.

However, what Andrea said is now rattling around in my mind. Before I left, Tanner and I said we’d be asking one another questions tonight. It felt more like a teasing thing before, but now, it sounds serious and potentially ominous. Thereisa lot we don’t know about one another, and maybe he’s still trying to suss out whether we’re a fit.

Oh god, no. I thought we’d settled everything but evidently not. My heart’s racing and my throat chokes up because when I think about it, I don’t know him, not really. I don’t know his family. I don’t know a lot about what he does for a living. Aunt Jane said he worked in finance once, but that was in passing. Emotionally, I feel so connected to him, but could that be from the adrenaline that’s been rushing through my veins?

I step into the shower and wash away last night. Even if everything ends, I’ll always have the memories. Even if Tanner and I end up not working out, this whole experience with him has turned out better than I could have imagined.

I finish my shower and get dressed. When I go back to the living room, I don’t see Andrea anywhere. She’s not in the kitchen area either.

“Andi?” I call.

“I’m in the bedroom,” comes her distracted voice.

I go to my room and find Andrea has taken out a lot of my makeup.

“Okay, so I’m going to do your makeup and hair, and we can gab at the same time. This is going to be a really nice girls’ day. I’ll order us some eats too. It’ll be epic.”

Immediately, my blood pressure goes down and I smile.

“I’d like that. You can also tell me what’s going on with you. I’ve been so caught up in my problems that have no idea what’s going on in your life. I feel bad that I haven’t been the supportive friend.”

But Andrea merely giggles.