Page 53 of The Bridesmaid (Brides of Beaufort 3)

“Well, anyway, I’ll be glad for the girl time to get me through it as much as we can fit it in. Thankfully, I still have a thriving wedding business to run, so I’m sure that’ll help.”

I waved at a math teacher who’d just walked in, resumed my seat on the couch, and spoke lower now that I wasn’t alone. “I’ve heard distraction is the best tool for getting through a deployment. I’m sure you won’t have any problems staying busy.”

“Busy is my middle name.”

“It sure is. Okay, well, I’ll let you go if you’re okay, but like I told Shelby, I’ll call you tomorrow after they leave to check on you. Until then, enjoy your last night with your new hubby.”

“Thank you, I will.”

We got off the phone, and I dropped back onto the couch, busting into my Snickers and taking a huge bite. Yeah, this was good. Those commercials were accurate about Snickers fixing everything, it seemed.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I jumped, hoping it was a text from Zac. Relief coursed through me when I read the screen. It must have been a quick and uneventful call for him to be done already, and those were my favorite kind.

Zac: Back at the office doing my reports. Nothing exciting happened.

Me: Good.

Zac: Hey, exciting can be fun. Makes the day go by quicker. Beats doing paperwork, that’s for sure.

Me: I’d rather you be bored. Bored = safe.

Zac: If you say so. Hey, I was thinking we could go out on a real date this week. What night works for you?

Since I got up at four-thirty to get some me time, prep for the day, get ready, and arrive at school an hour early, I usually went to bed around eight. Unless it was summer or another break, I was a bit of a party pooper on weeknights. But with Zac’s rotating schedule, our version of a weeknight wasn’t always the same. I bit my lip, hoping it’d work out this time.

Me: Friday or Saturday?

Zac: Friday, it is.

Me: Great. :)

There was a long pause, and for a second, I wondered if he’d gotten called away again. I ate my Snickers, eyes on the screen, waiting to see if the little dots would appear to signal that he was typing again.

They did, and I held my breath.

Zac: Question.

Me: Answer.

Zac: I know where we stand with most of this starting over stuff, but what about saying I love you? Are we allowed to do that? Or are we pretending we don’t, and we’re starting over with that, too?

Air burst through my nostrils, and I shook my head. He was too much.

Me: Well, since honesty is a big part of trust, I guess we want to be honest. We’re taking it slow and being careful with Grayson, but we can still have real feelings.

Zac: Okay, good.

Me: Good.

Zac: Layla?

I smiled, looking down as I chewed my bite of Snickers so the math teacher didn’t see me over here swooning for this man.

Me: Yes?

Zac: I love you.

Me: I love you too.