Page 59 of Paradigm

Eline saw Marti smile and asked with a chuckle, “You liked that, huh?”

“You know how long I’ve wanted her to call me that?” Marti leaned into Marissa and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s body from the side. “So, yeah, pretty happy.”

Marissa kissed her head and wrapped her arm around Marti’s shoulders.

“I’m very slow, I guess. I should’ve figured this out a while ago.”

“I feel the same about Arlowe,” Eline revealed. “Like, I shouldn’t have given up on us because it was always supposed to be us.”

“Weren’t you kids?” Marti asked.

“Last year in college,” she replied.

“Cut yourself some slack. A lot of people think they find love in college, but then it doesn’t work out. You probably just thought the same,” Marissa reasoned. “Also, we do have dinner reservation, Marti, so we should help and head out, or we’ll miss it.”

“You made a reservation?” Marti asked, seemingly surprised.

“I wanted to do something special for tonight.”

Marissa widened her eyes at Marti, who was looking up at her. Then, Marti’s eyes widened, too, and Eline wondered what was going on until it hit her a second later – she had managed to interrupt the night that Marissa had planned to be with Marti for the first time since they’d gotten back together. She didn’t think she should say anything out loud, but she felt bad about ruining their night with her own ridiculousness.

“I’m sorry, guys. I don’t want to make you late for your reservation,” she said. “I can handle this. I’ll just put on any dress and call it a night.”

“No, it’s fine,” Marti replied and patted Marissa on the collarbone. “Five minutes, okay? Let me help her figure out what to wear, and I’m all yours.”

“Okay,” Marissa said and kissed Marti on the lips.

“Want to come back with us?” Eline asked.

“No, I’ll just wait here, if that’s okay,” Marissa said.

“Of course. Make yourself at home.”

Eline then walked Marti back to her room, where Marti closed the door and whispered, “We’re going to have sex tonight.”

“I think so,” Eline replied with a little laugh.

“She didn’t tell me that. She told me she wanted slow, so I’ve been going slow. And I knew she wanted to go to dinner tonight, but she didn’t tell me it was a reservation thing. I didn’t even shave my legs, Eline.”

Eline walked over to her closet and asked, “Do you honestly think she cares about that?”

“No,” Marti said and sat on the side of Eline’s bed.

“Then, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“God, it’s happening, isn’t it? I finally get to be with the woman I love.”

“I think so,” Eline repeated.

“And you do, too. That’s amazing. I’ll have to figure out how to stall her later so that I can at least change my underwear before she sees me in what I have on now. Anyway, I’m here to help. What can I do?”

“I don’t know where we’re going, but she said just a regular restaurant in her text. I want to look nice for her, though. I’m usually a sweater and nice jeans on a date kind of woman, but I want to wear a dress for her tonight.”

“What are your options?” Marti asked.

“I was thinking about this one.” Eline pulled out a black dress with a flowy skirt and tighter bodice. “Or this one.”

She pulled out a blue dress that was a little more on the business side of things and was sleeveless with a longer pencil skirt.