I'm Over It (14 page)

I think about what he’s saying.

I wonder if Brian was my first love. I did love him, but was I
in love
with him?

If things had turned out differently, would I have eventually married him? I guess I will never know. But I think it was a definite possibility. I loved his family. I still miss them. Hell, I miss Brian. I hate that I still miss him.

“Falling in love with you would be very easy,” I tell Ty.

It’s the truth. I’m pretty sure I’ve already fallen, but I’m not telling him that. Not until I’m one hundred percent certain that it’s true. I don’t want to lead him on. I’ve moved too fast with all my relationships in the past and I’m not doing that again. Not this time.

“I’ve spent the last year wanting to hear you say the words ‘
I love you
’ to me,” Ty says. “I can wait a little longer. When I hear it, I believe it will be the best moment of my life. I’ve not had anybody tell me that they love me, aside from my mother. And you, the first time we dated.”

And I broke his heart.

Well, I only broke up with him because he cheated on me.

I’m still glad we broke up. I needed that time to grow up. Now I know more of what I want from a guy and a relationship. As long as Ty doesn’t cheat on me again, he’s exactly what I want.

“I wish I could’ve met your mom,” I say.

“Me, too. She was awesome.”

“I can’t imagine my mom being murdered,” I say. “But I know that I miss my mom a lot. I wish she were still around. I think she’d like you.”

“She’d probably hate me,” Ty says. “I cheated on you.”

“I know. It took me a long time to get over that. I think the only reason I’m over it is because you’ve proven to me that you’re not that guy,” I say. “I know you won’t cheat on me.”

“No, definitely not,” he agrees. “I’ve fought too hard to win you over just to lose you all over again.”

That’s what I’m banking on.

“You have fought pretty hard,” I say.

“Do you think your dad will ever like me?” he asks.

“My dad already likes you.”

“I know he likes me, but do you ever think he’ll think I’m good enough for you,” he clarifies.

“I’m pretty sure my dad already knows how I feel about you,” I tell him. “I can’t hide anything from him. He would say something if he didn’t approve. He has never said anything against you, but he didn’t want me dating Gabe.”

“Is it weird that my mom and your dad had sex?” Ty asks.

I shrug. “I don’t ever really think about it. It’s not like they got married or anything, so why would it be weird?”

“I’m really glad you’re not my stepsister.”

“Me, too,” I say.

“I’m pretty sure Toby was upset in the beginning, when he saw how hot you were,” Ty says.

“He was just joking then... when he’d hit on me,” I say.

“I don’t think he was joking. I think he really thought you were hot.”

“Ew,” I say.

“If I were your stepbrother I would’ve been pretty pissed,” he says. “I’d probably still try to date you.”

I laugh. “I’m really glad you’re not my stepbrother. Because it would be weird if I was this attracted to Toby. I guess I never found Toby attractive like this because in my head he’s always been my brother.”

“I’m trying to imagine you and Toby dating,” Ty says. “Even if you weren’t related, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t date.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t have even noticed him at school,” I say. “He always hung out with the stoners. I don’t think I ever would’ve noticed Gabe if he wasn’t Jack Johnson’s kid. Kind of hard to ignore somebody who’s always there.”

“Girls like his blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“I like green eyes better,” I say, without thinking.

Ty smiles. “I have green eyes.”

“I know. I love your eyes,” I say. “They’re the first thing that I noticed about you.”

“It was love at first sight when I saw you.”

I shake my head. “No it wasn’t.”

“You’re right,” he says. “It was lust at first sight. Love came later.”

“How do you know that it’s love? What is love?” I ask.

“I guess I always thought love was a feeling, and it is, but it’s more than that,” he answers. “It’s an action. I want to show you how much I love you, and not just with sex. I want to romance you and make you fall so in love with me that you won’t even want to look at another guy.”

“You think jealousy is a part of being in love?”

“A little,” he says. “I get jealous when you spend time with Micah. I think a little bit is okay.”

“How did you
know
?” I ask.

“When I lost you, I just felt empty,” he says. “I don’t know how to describe it, but I know I don’t ever want to feel like that again.”

“And you never wavered on your feelings for me?”

“I don’t think so, no,” he answers. “I mean, I got mad at you for a while because you hooked up with my best friend. I deserved it though. I tried to fill the emptiness I felt from losing you with sex, but nothing was satisfying. I talked to Toby and he told me if I ever wanted to win you back, I’d have to stop being a man whore. So I did that. And I was really patient. It sucked seeing you with Gabe all summer, but it was worth the wait. I don’t have any doubts that you and I will end up together.”

Ty is really sweet.

I wish I could be as certain as he is.

5 p.m.

So bossy.

We arrive in Malibu later that day, and memories flood back to me... memories of everything that went down with Mike Newman. What happened to me here was scary, and I am not sure that’s something I’ll ever get over.

“I let Angela have his house here,” Ty says, as if reading my mind. “I didn’t want to go back there. Too many bad memories.”

“We have some good memories there, too,” I say. “The first time we stayed the night together.

Ty grins. “Slept, but didn’t have sex.”

“Was it worth the wait?”

“Definitely,” Ty says. “And it will be worth the wait again.”

Ty pulls the car off an exit.

“So, we’re staying in Malibu?” I ask.

“Yep,” he answers.

“Is that all I’m getting?”

“For now,” he says.

We don’t drive too long before Ty pulls the car into a hotel parking lot. We check in and then head to our room. True to his word, there are two beds.

“I didn’t think you’d actually get two beds,” I tell him.

He laughs. “I was tempted not to.”

“So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing?” I ask.

“We are going on a date,” he answers. “The best date you’ve ever been on.”

“The only dates I’ve ever been on have been with you,” I say. “Technically, all your dates are the best.”

There is a knock on the door.

“Right on time,” Ty says, then opens the door.

“Delivery for Ty Newman,” I hear somebody say.

“That’s me,” he says.

He reaches over to sign something, and then grabs a package from the guy. He shuts the door, then sets the large, rectangular box on the bed.

“That’s for you,” he says.

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah, open it.”

I take the lid off it, and inside is a dress. It’s white with black polka dots. And I love it. It’s definitely something that I would have picked out for myself. I pull the dress out and underneath is a pair of black Converse shoes.

“You’re not a high heel kind of girl,” Ty says.

I grin, remembering our first anniversary from the first time we dated. He bought me a dress and a pair of four-inch heels. I hated the shoes. And the dress was beautiful, but it wasn’t really
me
. He had my friends pick it out, and they didn’t know my style at all.

“Who picked this out?” I ask.

“I did,” he answers. “I think I know you pretty well now.”

“You do,” I say. “I love this, Ty. Thank you.”

I set the dress back down and wrap my arms around Ty, giving him a hug.

Ty Newman is pretty much the sweetest guy,
ever
.

“Everything is perfect,” I tell him.

He smiles at me. “I’m glad you think so. Now, go put that dress on. We have reservations and we need to leave in an hour.”

“So bossy,” I say, joking.

“You like it and you know it.”

When it comes to Ty, I do like it.

I grab my bag, dress, and shoes and head towards the bathroom. When I walk past Ty, he smacks me on the butt. He’s the only person I’d let get away with that.

6 p.m.

Something serious.

When I come out of the bathroom, Ty is waiting there with a bouquet of roses. They’re pink. Purple is my favorite color, but ever since I got purple roses from my stalker, I don’t like getting purple roses anymore. Somehow, he knows that. I love that he does.

“You look beautiful,” he says.

“So do you,” I say, meaning it. He’s got on a black suit, and he looks hot. “You’re going through a lot of trouble for me.”

“You’re worth it,” he says. “This and so much more.”

Ty Newman is going to ruin me for ever dating anybody else. Because, seriously, how is any guy going to compete with this? Surprise trips to Malibu, dresses, shoes and flowers—it doesn’t get any better than this.

I try to imagine Gabe doing something like this, but I can’t. Pretty much all we did was watch Netflix, and he considered that a
date
.

Ty holds my hand as we walk out of the room, down the elevator and out of the lobby.

When we get outside, there is a limo waiting for us.

“Mr. Newman, Miss Evers,” the limo driver says, opening the door.

Wow. A limo.

“You seriously didn’t have to do all this,” I tell Ty, as the driver shuts the door. “It’s too much for a date.”

“It’s not enough,” Ty says. “This is just the beginning, Kihanna. I want to show you how much you mean to you. I want to spoil you.”

“You already have,” I admit.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” he says. “I don’t want any guy to ever be able to compare or measure up.”

“Mission accomplished.”

Because, seriously.

“I know you don’t like champagne, so I got sparkling water instead,” Ty says, opening a mini fridge.

I melt. Literally.

“You’re amazing,” I tell him as he pours the sparkling water into the flutes. He passes me a glass and fills up one for him.

He holds out his glass. “Here is to us, and the amazing future that I hope we share.”

I tap my glass against his and take a drink.

“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing yet?” I ask.

“I can tell you that we are going to eat,” he answers. “But I have something awesome planned for
after
we eat. You will have to wait until we get there, though. But I will give you a hint.”

“Okay,” I say.

“It’s something we’ve done before,” he says.

“That could be anything,” I say. “I need a better hint.”

“That is all you’re getting,” he says.

“I guess that will have to do.”

He grins. “I have something serious to talk to you about.”

“Okay,” I say.

“You and me... I want us to be official,” he says. “I want you to be mine, and I want the world to know it.”

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”

He nods. “Yes, I am.”

My heart races, but not in a nervous kind of way. In an excited kind of way. And I realize that I don’t have to think about my answer. I know it. Deep down, I know that this is right. That this is what I’ve been waiting for.

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll be your girlfriend.”

Ty looks at me, his eyes wide in surprise.

Maybe he expected me to say no.

“Are you seriously saying yes?” he asks.

“Yes. I’m
really
saying yes,” I say again.

I guess I have told him ‘no’ a lot over the past year. But it’s never been right before. Now, it’s finally right.

“Just clarifying, you, Kihanna Evers, are in an exclusive, committed relationship with me, Ty Newman,” he says. “The whole shebang. No dating other guys, just me. And us going out on dates and putting your
Staying Connected
relationship status as ‘in a relationship’. Maybe even a couple t-shirt.”

I laugh. “Maybe not the couple t-shirt. But, yes. All that.”

“I’ll talk you into the couple t-shirt,” he says.

“Yeah, probably not.”

Ty grins uncontrollably. “So this is real, right? I’m not just dreaming?”

“You’re not dreaming. It’s real.”

“I’ve been waiting for this moment since I fucked everything up last time,” he says.

“Well, don’t mess it up this time,” I say, knowing that he won’t. I trust Ty. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be with him right now. It’s been slow coming... the trust. Even just a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get over what he did. But I am over it. He deserves a second chance. I deserve this second chance.

“I won’t,” he says, then kissed my hand.

“I know.”

He pulls out his phone. “Can I update our relationship status?”

“Sure,” I say, pulling out my own phone.

He pauses for a moment. “Do you think this will hurt Gabe’s feelings?”

“Maybe,” I answer, loving that he cares enough to ask. “But Gabe and I have been broken up for a long time now. It’s been plenty of time to move on.”

“Do you think we should wait to do this?” he asks.

I shake my head. “I want the world to know.”

He smiles at my response, and then clicks something on his phone. A few seconds later, mine vibrates. I hit accept, and then it’s
Staying Connected
official.

Ty Newman and Kihanna Evers are in a relationship.

Before I exit the app, we are already getting likes and comments.

And I don’t feel even a little bit of doubt. This is the right thing for me right now.

10 p.m.

The best part.

After eating dinner, Ty is being all mysterious. We pull up to a small concert arena that is packed, and I’m wondering what is going on.

“Are we watching a concert?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer. He just gets out of the limo and holds out his hand to help me out.

Once I’m out, Ty doesn’t let go of my hand.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asks.

“Once or twice,” I say. “But feel free to say it again.”