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Her brows raise in surprise, as if she didn’t expect me to set my schedule around her or to want to be near her. Just like she looked surprised when I kissed her. I guess it is the first time that I’ve shown physical affection in public. But we just haven’t been out all week.

She didn’t tell me that she was interviewing someone for a job. She just vaguely said she was busy. It’s probably not a big deal. She didn’t want to talk about it through text messages; she was waiting to see me in person. But I’m always the one asking her to have dinner and spend the night, and tomorrow she’ll have Chase and we won’t see much of each other for a week.

I can feel her pulling away, and everything in me wants to pull her back.

Does she want space?

It’s hard not to panic.

I need to sit her down and make her talk to me.

I wait tables, watching Amelia from the corner of my eye as she toasts with Nina and laughs.

I catch Bryce standing by the cash register staring at them. And my belly turns. What is he looking at?

“What’s with you?” I ask, pushing him aside so I can type in what my table ordered.

“It’s her.” He doesn’t take his eyes off them as he answers.

“Her, what?”

“That’s the woman I’m going to marry.”

My anger flares then fizzles out as I realize he’s not staring at Amelia but at Nina.

I take a better look at the woman. She’s tall, taller than Bryce, and she’s got striking features. She’s the kind of woman who probably gets approached by men all the time.

I want to tell Bryce to forget about her. She’s out of his league.

But when I look at Amelia, I don’t feel like I measure up well either, and I have no intention of giving up. But with her, I at least know that I stand a chance. I’d hate for Bryce to get his hopes up only to get humiliated again.

“You just met her. You’ve barely said three words to each other.”

“I know.” He shakes his head and turns to look at the cash register instead. “It’s just a feeling in my gut. You know?”

Yeah. I do know.

I had that feeling once, and I not only ignored the feeling, I threw the girl away.

I slap him on the arm. “Good luck.”

Amelia and Nina have two drinks before they call it a night.

Amelia says she wants to walk Nina back to the hotel, so I tell her to meet me back upstairs.

It takes her twenty agonizingly long minutes to get back to my apartment.

She knocks tentatively. Why doesn’t she just walk in? Doesn’t she know that she’s always welcome?

I shove the door open, practically ripping it off its hinges, and pull her into a passionate kiss, lifting her up until her legs are around my waist.

I want to kiss the distance away.

“I missed you,” I whisper when her lips pull away.

She giggles. And I would make a fool of myself a hundred times over just to hear that sound again.

“We saw each other this morning.”