Page 68 of A Curvy Girl’s Hurricane Survival Guide

This night is magic. The magnificence of the scenery and the gorgeous man who made it all happen feels like a dream.

The desert night is chilly, but I feel warm, enveloped in the evening’s glow and company.

I’ve seen The Princess Bride a million times, but never like this; never with someone to whisper lines as if they are being written for me.

“This is true love,” Sonny parrots during the fire swamp scene. “You think this happens every day?”

“Death cannot stop true love. It can only delay it a bit.” I whisper to him.

And of course, “As you wish,” which we say in unison.

We also laugh and call out together with Inigo, “You see, I am not left-handed!”

A little later we exclaim, “Goodbye! Have fun storming the castle!”

We keep trying to outdo each other with our knowledge of the movie. I’ve never dared to be this goofy with a guy, especially on a first date. I’m sure I would never see them again if I were. Sonny, however, seems impressed, like he’s found his counterpart in me. In fact, we’ve found it in each other.

I try not to read too much into the romantic lines he is repeating to me. I know I have a penchant for dramatizing the ordinary; I don’t want to delude myself into thinking this is more than it is.

The movie finishes, and a second starts. “It’s a short documentary on Andre the Giant,” Sonny explains. I lay back, happy to stay here a little longer.

“I know I’ve said it a lot,” I whisper, “but thank you. This was the perfect ending to what could’ve been a terrible day.”

“Why terrible?’ he asks, an edge to his voice.

“Oh, nothing with you or today. Just… life stuff. Work is letting me go, the apartment lease needs to be renewed at a premium, and Trevor is being difficult. But honestly? I’m weirdly ok with all of it. Basically, since the hurricane, I’ve had a strange feeling that things are going to work out.”

Sonny pulls me closer, his arms strong and steady. After a quiet moment, he speaks softly into my hair.

“Stay with me.”

I’m not sure I hear him right. “What?” I turn to look at him.

“Stay with me, Cai. In my house, or we can get a new one if you don’t like it. You can take the job at the company or not, but either way… stay with me.”

I want to scream a resounding yes, but I feel like this is insanity! We’ve known each other for only a week! How can this be this serious this fast?

“I… It’s too fast, right?” I say.

Sonny nods and says earnestly, “It is. I know that this is fast. Christ, if anyone ever told me they were moving in with someone after only a few days, I’d call the loony bin myself. But this just feels different. I’ve basically been writing and creating fake worlds my whole life. And nothing feels as real to me as this feels to me.” He is shaking his head, looking for the words. “I know I’m not perfect, but I’m perfect for you. And you are perfect for me.”

I smile through sudden tears. “That’s from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, isn’t it?”

He wobbles his hand. “Eh… kinda.”

I laugh, then grow serious. Looking into his eyes under the starlit sky, with the desert stretching out around us, it doesn’t feel crazy. It feels right. Whether it’s the setting or I’m just getting wrapped up in the moment, I really feel okay with this.

“Okay,” I say.

Sonny’s face lights up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I lean in and kiss him, pouring everything I feel into it.

When we finally pull apart, he rests his forehead against mine. “Maybe,” I add only half-kidding. “We can get a dog!”

“You’re here,” he says softly, echoing the line from the movie. “If you want, I could fly.”

SONNY