Planning on Forever (19 page)

– COLLIN –

Standing
here, watching Alexa with Nolan, I can see it; I can see the pure and honest
love that they share. Yeah, it hurts knowing that I’ve never seen those
beautiful green eyes look at me the way they look at him, but it’s okay. I’m
okay with it. All I’ve ever wanted is for Alexa to be happy. Of course, I’ve
always hoped it would be me making her happy for years to come, but things
change, people change. We meet new people who affect us like we never thought
someone else could.

I
have a new someone. Someone who makes my heart skip a beat when she enters a
room; someone who makes me enjoy the simple things in life. Someone who takes
my breath away, and has filled the hole in my heart that Alexa once occupied.

Summer
is my somebody. She fills my heart with love again. She is who makes me happy.
She’s who I now want to make happy for years to come.

Feeling
like I’m floating after coming to my realization, I walk over to Alexa and
Nolan. “Ahem.” I interrupt, pretending to clear my throat.

They
both look at me with a look of apology, like they have completely forgotten I’m
standing here.

“Thank
you for being here for her, I know how important you are to her, and I’m glad
she had you tonight,” Nolan says, reaching to shake my hand.

“She’s
a very special girl, take care of her,” I respond, returning his shake. He nods
in agreement. I have no doubt he knows how special she is.

“I
will.”

I
turn my head to Alexa.

“Goodbye,
Alexa.”

There
is more meaning behind this goodbye, than the official meaning of departure the
word holds.

“Goodbye,
Collin.”

Not
wasting another minute, I run towards my car, needing to get back to the bar
before it closes. Although it has been a night full of crazy, it’s been a night
full of what I needed. Tonight gave me the closure I’ve been searching for with
Alexa, and it made me realize just how much I actually care for Summer.

Pulling
into the parking lot, I barely get the car in park before bolting for the
entrance. Matt quickly stands, seeing me running towards him. “Hey, bro,” is
all I say as I fly by him. Pushing through the crowd, my focus is on one
person, Summer. Like before, I don’t bother waiting at the end of the bar, I
rush right to her, pulling her away from the customer she is currently taking
care of. Startled by my return, and my apparent sense of urgency, she looks at
me in panic.

“What’s
wrong? Is everything okay?”

“Will
you be my girlfriend?” I ask.

No
one ever said that I’m a smooth talker. I’m corny, and possibly in love. Asking
her to be my girlfriend was the first thing that came to mind.

After
exhaling an obvious sigh of relief, she throws her head back and lets out the
cutest, loudest laugh that I’ve ever heard.

“I
check yes,” she answers, with a huge smile spread across her face.

Elated
with her answer, I pick her up and swing her around, kissing her like I’ve been
wanting to do for so long. We laugh at the full bar of drunk people cheering
and shouting at our new relationship status.

After
setting her back down, I tap her butt, and tell her to get back to work.

– SUMMER –

I
didn't really know what to expect when Collin told me he had to leave to help
his ex-girlfriend. Her name has only come up in discussion a hand full of
times. I know they had a rough breakup and that he still cares about her.

So,
of course, when he tells me that she’s a mess outside my bar, and needs him, my
stomach drops not knowing what it all meant, and what was going to happen from
here on out. Was she coming to confess her love to him? Would he get back
together with her? The wheels in my head were turning faster than I could keep
up.

After
the wonderful week we shared together, I cross my fingers that nothing is going
to happen between them. He is going to help her get home safely, and that will
be the end of it. My main rule of thumb with people is always trust unless
given a reason not to. My dad raised me to always give people the benefit of
the doubt so that’s what I am going to do.

The
night we met was my best friend’s bachelorette party. Being the plain jane that
I am, they insisted on doing my hair and makeup, to get me all sexified, as
they put it. I had nothing to do with the way I ended up looking. With that
said, I was nervous when I saw Collin a couple of nights later in the bar,
assuming he would like the girl he saw the night of the bachelorette party, but
not the one tending bar.

I
was thrilled when Troy told me that Collin had asked for my number. Although it
was weird when Collin all of a sudden disappeared the first night, something
about him intrigued me, so I gave my number to Troy, not having anything to
lose.

I
was shocked when I saw Collin later that night. He was sitting at the end of
the bar, and I could see him checking me out, out of the corner of my eye. He
had a pleased look on his face, making me smile knowing that he liked what he
saw, the normal Summer. Purposely taking a few orders before making my way down
to him–I didn’t want it to seem too obvious that I was excited to see him, I
nonchalantly took his order, and made sure I slipped him my number on a napkin.
It seemed kind of whorish doing it, I
never
give anyone that comes into
the bar my number, but Collin seemed different. He seemed like someone I could
trust.

When
Collin described to me what Alexa was like, I had assured myself that he must
only see me as a friend–one of the guys. He described Alexa as being the
stereotypical cheerleader– blonde hair, light eyes, beautiful, and perfect.
Everything that I am not; except for the blonde hair, of course.

Let’s
just say when I see Collin rush behind the bar again after being with Alexa, I
just about throw up in nervousness. He has this look of urgency on his face and
I have no clue what direction it is going. So when he asks me to be his
girlfriend, (how cute is that, by the way?) I almost did back flips across the
bar. I don’t need to know what happened or where Alexa is, I am just beyond
happy that he has come back to me, and that he cares about me the same way I
care about him.

Although
we’ve kept our relationship as friends up until now, I’ve always had feelings
for him. He is unlike any crush I’ve ever had. He makes my heart feel things
that I’ve never felt before. He is someone very special to me and I’m over the
moon, thrilled that the feeling is mutual.

– ALEXA –

Nolan
and I stand there at the coffee shop for what feels like hours just holding each
other and professing our love for one another. He tells me more about Layla,
and how all he did tonight was tell her how amazing I am and how much he is
falling in love with me. Nothing like making me feel more awful than I already
do; I immediately thought the worst of the situation before even discussing it
with him. How can I not, though? Collin’s cheating on me is still fresh in my
head, so when I see Nolan with another woman, my mind is going to go down the
cheating route. Being the wonderful man Nolan is, he completely understands,
and doesn’t hold it against me. He just feels bad that he hurt me, even though
it wasn’t intentional, and completely my own fault.

Not
convinced that I have sobered out, Nolan demands that I drink another bottled
water, and eat a bagel so I don’t get sick. I really don’t know how I could
possibly be still drunk after the dramatic night we had, but having had enough
drama for one night, I agree, and scarf down everything he has placed in front
of me.

“Let’s
get you home, doll,” he says, pulling me to his side and kissing my temple.

“My
parents aren’t expecting me to come home tonight,” I tell him, wrapping my arms
around his waist.

“Really?”
he says in his low, sexy voice.

When
we finally get to his apartment, I’m in desperate need of a shower. I reek of
alcohol, smoke, and a god-awful night. Before entering the bathroom, Nolan
hands me a towel, and one of his t-shirts to wear to bed. Standing under the
warm shower I melt, letting the events of the evening wash off my skin. The
only good that came out of tonight, is that Nolan and I finally admitted our
love for one another, and confirmed our relationship status, forever and
always.

After
standing there for what feels like minutes, I hear the shower curtain slide
open, and an amazingly hot, naked body enter behind me.

“Care
if I join you?” Nolan asks, coming up behind me, and kissing the fold of my
neck.

“Not
at all,” I answer, loving the way his warm breath and mouth feel on my skin.

Feeling
a chill run through my body, I notice that the heat that was once radiating
from his body to mine, has left. Wondering what he is doing behind me, I turn
around to investigate. The fire within me ignites seeing the perfection of his
body. Seeing the water slide down each rippled and defined muscle on his body,
just may be the sexiest thing I have ever seen. He’s slightly bent over,
squeezing body wash into a loofa, allowing me to exam his naked body thoroughly
from head to toe. For the first time, I notice the tattoo on his back. It’s two
hands pressed together with rosary beads draped around them. Stunning. He
obviously has lost someone special. Without thinking, I run my fingers gently
over it, feeling the pain he once endured. I can feel his body tense underneath
me, knowing that I see it.