12. Matt

12

MATT

I know I’m making the right decision. I put the plans into motion the third day after I met April. Some would say I’m crazy, but I don’t care. I have to follow my heart on this one. The only thing that’s freaking me out is what is April going to say? But I’ve made this decision, and even if she’s not happy with it, I’m not giving up.

She’s leaning against the brick wall of the bakery when I pull up. I jump out and run around to open the door for her. “Sorry I’m late.”

She walks toward me, smiling. “It’s okay. I should have driven. I’m sure you have a lot to do tonight.”

I kiss her and help her into the truck, ignoring her comment. There is a lot I still need to do, but it can wait.

I grunt instead of agreeing with her. Now that it’s here, I’m nervous. I go back to my side and climb in. “What do you want for dinner?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t care. I’m not really that hungry.”

I shift in my seat as I pull out of the parking lot. “I ate at Red’s and then had those cupcakes. But you need to eat something.”

She shrugs. “It’s fine. I can fix a sandwich at home.”

I drive us to her house, our hands on the console between us. Our fingers are threaded together. It takes mere minutes, but it seems longer since we’re both so quiet. She clears her throat as we pull in. “Uh, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

I squeeze her hand. “Me too. I mean, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“You first,” she says.

I take a deep breath. “Can we go in? Maybe sit on the couch and talk for a minute?”

She nods and lets go of my hand. I follow behind her with my hands shaking. I can do this. I have to do this.

We get inside, and she puts her purse down and goes to the couch. Her back is ramrod straight, and for the first time, I realize she’s on edge too. “You’re nervous.”

She lets out a breath and giggles softly. “Well, yeah, I guess I am.”

I take a deep breath and sit down next to her. I sit close so our legs are touching. I wrap my hands around both hers. She leans toward me, and I’m staring at her. Dare I say, she’s looking at me with hopefulness on her face. Fuck, I hope I’m right.

“I don’t know how to say it, so I’m just going to say it.”

She leans back a little, and I hold her hands tighter. “I’m not leaving.”

Her mouth falls open. “You’re not leaving? What does that mean, you’re not leaving? Like now, tomorrow? Are you leaving next week?”

Her questions are quickfire, but she’s still frowning at me. I scoot closer and clear my throat, searching her eyes, hoping to see some hint that she’s happy about this. “No, I’m not leaving at all. I’m moving to Whiskey Run. Josh found me an apartment in town. I’m signing the lease tomorrow, and then I’ll move out of my apartment in Jasper. I mean, I’ll be here until spring training starts. I’ll have to travel with the team for games and all that, but I’m making Whiskey Run my home base.”

She opens her mouth and then closes it. Then does the same thing again. I’m on the edge of my seat, grasping for something. “Say it. What are you thinking?”

She blinks. “Well, you must really like Whiskey Run to move here.”

I shake my head. She still doesn’t get it. “No. I mean I like Whiskey Run, but the correct way to say it is I must really love you to move here.”

She gasps. “You love me? But we just met...”

I shrug. That same thing has crossed my mind. “I told myself the same thing, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. I know how I feel, April, and I love you. I can’t leave you and go to Texas. Fuck, I hate being away from you during the day. I can’t imagine not seeing you.”

She’s speechless, and I try to keep myself calm. “I know it’s fast, and I know you may not be ready. There’s no pressure. I just want you to give us a chance.”

She moves quickly into my lap, and I hold on to her as she blurts out, “Move in here.”

Her arms are around my neck, and I have to lean back to see her face. “Move in here?”

She nods quickly. “You haven’t signed the lease yet... I mean you don’t have to... I just thought—”

I grip my hands on to her waist. “I didn’t want to pressure you... I want you to be sure.”

She takes a deep breath. “I’m sure. That’s the thing I was going to tell you... the thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“You were going to invite me to move in?”

She shakes her head. “No, I really didn’t get that far. I was going to tell you how I felt. I didn’t think I had the right to make you choose between me and being with your family.”

I nod even though I don’t agree with her logic. She has the right to everything as far as I’m concerned. “Okay, so tell me.”

Her eyes widen, and she starts to stutter. “I uh, I planned it all out but uh...”

I don’t want to make her nervous. “It’s okay, you don’t have—"

But she interrupts me. “I love you. I was going to tell you that, and then I was going to suggest we still see each other. I checked on times I could come to Texas, and I thought you could come visit too.”

I push the hair away from her face and hold the side of her head. “I like that first part. I love hearing you say the words. But not the second part. It’s not an option for me, April. I can’t be that far away from you.”

“So move in.”

“Are you sure?”

She doesn’t even hesitate. “Yes, I’m sure. I love you, Matt. I want us to be together.” She bites her lower lip. “But your family is going to hate me for taking you from them.”

I pull her to me and lie back on the couch, cradling her head on my chest. “They’re not going to hate you. They’re going to love you. They just want me happy, and you make me happy.”

She rests her chin on my chest and looks up at me. “You make me happy too.”

“Plus... eventually, when you’re ready for it, I want you to be my family too.”

Her eyes darken. “Yeah, I like that.”

I rub my hands up and down her back. “So we should probably celebrate, don’t you think?”

“Oh yeah? What are you thinking?” she asks.

Before she can even get it all out, I’m cupping her between the thighs. “You know what I want.”

Her hips jerk. “Me too.”

I pull her up the length of my body, and we’re molded together. None of the decisions I’ve made were made lightly. I truly believe that April’s the one. “I love you.”

She nods. “I know.” She pushes off me and stands up, holding her hand out. “Come on, big boy, I’m going to let you prove it to me.”

I jump up and chase her to the bedroom. I’m going to prove it to her. Over and over, until she feels so loved, so cherished there’s absolutely no doubt in her mind we belong together. I don’t care if it takes forever.