Houston is gone by the time I wake up Saturday morning. Our first Valentine’s Day together. Or not together, I guess. I forgot about Valentine’s Day while I was with Houston last night. I don’t know if that’s a testament to how much I love him or how good he is at making me forget that anything and anyone else exists.

I consider lying in bed and wallowing for the rest of the day, but I know I’ll start thinking about Hallie and I’ll be a crying mess before long. I should go back to Barnes & Noble and find a more uplifting book, but uplifting is not exactly better. I finally decide to just get up and go for a run.

By the time I have my running shoes and yellow fleece jacket on, Houston bursts through the front door soaked from head to toe and shivering.

“What happened to you?” I ask as I rush over to help him out of his UO hoodie. The rainwater soaking his clothes is so frigid, the cold penetrates through my fleece jacket. “You have to get out of those clothes. You’re freezing. What were you doing out there?”

He pushes my hands away to stop me from removing his hoodie. “Stop, stop. You need to come outside.”

“Are you crazy? You need to change your clothes.”

He smiles. “We can do that later. Right now, you need to come outside with me. But grab an umbrella.”

I shake my head as I grab an umbrella out of the stand next to the door. “You’re acting weird.”

He leads me through the courtyard and out to the parking lot. The freezing rain batters the top of my umbrella, but Houston doesn’t bother trying to take shelter with me. He doesn’t even flinch as the rain batters his hulking shoulders, as if he’s a god impervious to the elements.

Where Houston’s truck should be parked under the carport, I spot another car, a brand-new silver Prius tied with a soggy red bow. That’s why he was parked on the street last night?

“What the fuck is that?”

He laughs as he pulls me toward the car. “It’s yours. The ribbon got a little wet while I was tying it. Do you know how hard it is to tie a ribbon on a car in the middle of a rainstorm?”

“The ribbon got wet?” I reply, looking him up and down. “You’re insane.”

“I’m in love. It kinda goes with the territory. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

In love? Houston has never told me he loves me. This is the first time he’s hinted at it. Well, I guess buying me a car is also a pretty huge hint. I want to scream I love you! loud enough for it to echo in a neighboring galaxy, but I’m speechless.

The hand holding my umbrella falls to my side and raindrops fall steadily on my cheeks. I drop the umbrella and stand on my tiptoes so I can throw my arms around his neck. He squats down and wraps his arms around the tops of my thighs, then he lifts me up so I’m about six inches taller than him.

I cradle his beautiful face in my hands and kiss him with such ferocity our teeth clack against each other. We both chuckle, then I slow down a little so I can savor the sensation of his warm tongue brushing against mine. The rain taps the back of my head, slithering through my hair, then down our faces. I turn my head to catch my breath and Houston sets me down gently.

“You’re shaking. I’m taking you inside.” He grabs my hand and sets off toward the courtyard, but I dig my heels into the asphalt.

“Wait! I didn’t get you anything.”

He turns back to me, confused. “Yes, you did. You told me a story.”

“But… I’m sorry. I can’t accept the car. I don’t deserve it.” My protests are slightly garbled by the staticky sound of rain pouring all around us.

“What are you talking about? Of course you do. And, no offense, but your car is a piece of shit. You need this car.”

A green SUV pulls into the lot and Houston pulls me aside so we’re under the carport.

I wipe the rain from my face and eyelashes. “But what happens if we break up? I can’t afford to make a car payment with a part-time minimum-wage job. That’s why you took me in. I’m poor.”

“That’s not why I took you in.”

I flash him my best don’t-even-try-to-bullshit-me-right-now expression.

He laughs. “Okay, fine. That is partially why I took you in, but the important thing is that we’re not going to break up. The story never ends, remember?”

“Houston, that was a story. It’s not real life. In real life, shit happens.”

He lets out an impatient sigh. “Fine. If it makes you feel better, you can keep your old car in case we break up.”

“But where are we gonna keep it? Oh! I can keep it in the garage at home. Can you follow me home in your truck—or better yet, follow me in the new car so I can show my parents?”

He’s silent for a moment as he contemplates my request, then he smiles. “I can’t. I promised Troy we’d go to the game tomorrow. But I’ll buy you a train ticket for the ride back. Go visit your parents, on me.”

I consider whining to get my way, because I really want my parents to see my new car. And I really, really want them to see me with Houston, to see how happy we are together. So they can see there is still one bright spark of hope in my life. But he did just buy me a car. I can’t be too demanding right now.

I reach for him and he leans down so I can wrap my arms around his solid neck. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for taking me in. And for giving me a fucking car.”

He laughs as he tilts his head back so he can kiss the tip of my nose.

“But most of all,” I continue, “thanks for being my friend. I… I…”

He squeezes me harder, and for the first time since we left the apartment I feel warm. “I love you more,” he whispers in my ear. “But all I ask in return for this car is that you let me tie you up tonight.”

“I knew there was a catch.” I grin stupidly as the words I love you more repeat inside my mind like a beautifully broken record.

He slides his hand underneath my jacket and I flinch a little when his icy fingers whisper over the small of my back. “There’s always a catch.”