Pop walks up onto the porch just as I finish replacing the locks on the front door. “I’m all done with the ones that lead to the patio.”
I try to force a smile on my face. “Thanks.”
“You done?”
Giving the new locks one last test with their keys, I nod. “Looks that way.”
“I meant with Ollie, Runt.”
My entire demeanor shifts.
She hasn’t answered a call or a text. I wanted to race over there last night, explain everything, but Mama, Sienna, and Dawn all urged me to wait. They all had different opinions on why, which only confused the shit out of me. Since the collective opinion was to wait, I impatiently did so. Texting got so out of control, Blake took my phone and used it as a hide and seek toy for our nephews. The rest of the day was shit. Everything about it. The weather was shit. Dinner was shit. Even my beer tasted like shit. My beer! I fucking make it! I know how it has an excellent taste!
“That a yes, Runt?”
I slump over and down onto the porch swing. “I don’t want it to be, Pop.”
“Then what’s stoppin’ ya?”
“She’s not answering my calls. Or my texts.”
“So?”
“So she clearly doesn’t want anything to do with me right now.”
“Or…maybe she doesn’t want some bullshit technology apology.”
His words furrow my brow.
“You know you and your brothers amaze me with how stupid you are with all the so called ‘smart’ technology there is in the world. Sometimes, more often than not, Runt, women want a good old face to face, I’m sorry I did something that made you mad.” Pop leans against the pillar. “They don’t need memoirs in a text or for you to sing on their goddamn voicemail. They just want you to look them in the eyes, admit you are wrong, and that you wanna fight for what you have. While women are extremely complicated, Runt, their desire for basic apologies is not.”
I silently tap my thumbs together in thought.
He’s right. I should go over there. We should talk. We should figure out how the hell we get past this and we will get past this. Like I’ve said for quite some time now, giving Ollie up, just isn’t an option for me. Guess it’s time I do more than think. She needs me to prove it, and I’ll be damned if I don’t.
After leaving my house, I make one small pit stop, and head to our apartment.
It will be our apartment. I’m not going to let Carol Ann destroy my future the way she helped destroy my past. I know it wasn’t all her fault. I stuck by her when she cheated. I forgave her. I never made the effort to do more or want more. For a while I hated myself for it. Now? Now I’m relieved I waited for the right woman to show her beautiful face in my life.
I give the closed door to our apartment a good solid knock.
Nothing.
I fight the urge to be discouraged and repeat the action a little harder.
Still nothing.
She’s in there. I know she’s in there. We both took the day off from work because we were going to spend last night at the house and then come back to town to start moving the last of my stuff from my old apartment over here.
Just as I lift my fist to knock again, Ollie swings the door open; sleep deprived face less than pleased to see me.
I take a moment and drink in her messy curls as well as my sweatshirt swallowing her. Seeing her like this first thing in the morning is something I don’t take for granted. I hated not seeing this sight right after a round of good morning sex. I hated this isn’t what I was staring at while having yogurt or bagels or waffles. I hated missing her. I don’t ever wanna miss her like that again. I only wanna be with her.
“Do you have any goddamn idea how early it is?”
“It’s a little after nine.”
“In the morning, Ford.”
I shake my head and adjust the box I have tucked under my arm. “Please don’t call me that.”
“What?”
“You call me Farm Boy.”
She helplessly sweetens her stare.
“I love that you call me that. I love that you gave me a nickname. I love that I meant enough to you that you continued calling me that.” With a deep sigh, I implore, “Can I please come in so we can talk?”
Ollie lets her bottom lip hide between her teeth.
“I don’t want a custody schedule for Princess Pinky…”
My comment tempts a smirk to grace her lips.
“I wanna be proud hog parents together.”
She keeps her vow of silence she’s apparently taken yet widens the door to allow me to come in. However, once I’m inside, she braces her back against it, maintaining her distance.
The box drops onto the kitchen counter at the same time I declare, “This is home, Ollie. You. Princess Pinky. The microwave with the popcorn button that doesn’t work. The shower nozzle with a mind of its own. That God forsaken couch-”
“You wanted to get rid of the couch.”
“We can keep it,” I quickly surrender and step towards her. “We can keep anything you want or get rid of everything as long as the important things remain. You. Me. And Princess Pinky.”
Her eyes fill with what appears to be relief, but it’s short lived. “About Carol Ann-”
“There’s nothing there.”
“Clearly there’s something there, Ford. She was at your house.”
“Maybe there was something there for her, but there damn sure wasn’t shit for me.” Now standing directly in front of her, I firmly state, “Things between Carol Ann and I ended long before she left me for Daryl. I used to think I was just too stubborn to move on, but then I realized it was more than that. I didn’t move on because the perfect woman for me hadn’t entered my life yet. She hadn’t shown me how incredible things could be. Hadn’t reminded me how incredible I could be.”
A faint redness graces her cheeks.
“I was wrong for not getting the key back. I was wrong for not changing those locks. I was wrong at the very least for not telling you I hadn’t before bringing you there.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ollie pushes.
“Truth is…I think I wanted Carol Ann to show up.”
She tenses.
“I wanted her to see how happy I was. How I had moved forward. How…this time my entire life wasn’t on hold for her.”
My confession seems to take her off guard.
“It was dumb, but I honestly think I needed her to see that so she understood how our chapter in life is permanently closed. Hell, to give me some additional closure. My life is with you now, baby. Only you.” Ollie starts to grin and I’m reluctant to take it away. “But you owe me an apology.”
Her eyebrows lift in befuddlement.
“You accused me of cheating on you. And what hurt more, Ollie, was you questioned my love for you. I won’t stand for that.” I lift my frame a little higher. “I’m not gonna stand here and pretend I’m perfect, but I’ve never once gave you reason to doubt I didn’t mean it when I said I loved you. Every day we have spent together I make sure you know that. Hearing you ask, even as hot as you were over the situation, broke my heart Darlin’.”
She slowly removes the gap between us. “I’m sorry, Farm Boy. You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No. You shouldn’t have.”
“But I was just so mad-”
“I don’t give a shit how angry I ever make you, Ollie. Never question my love for you again.” An argument appears in her eyes and I kill it before it can come to fruition. “I am in love with you, Ollie. And I don’t mean some bullshit, childhood relationship gone on way too long, kinda love. This is it for me. You. Us. I want to actually marry you someday. See you in the white dress. Kiss you in the chapel. Have kids. Have grandkids. Watch your fingers shake as you try to survive virtual reality alongside them. I love you more than I love my goddamn self. I wanna take care of you now. I wanna take care of you when you’re sick. I want you to let me do those things because you love and trust me the same way I do you. So I am going to say this one more time, Ollie Steele. Never question my love again.”
Her body shoots to the tips of her toes, her arms throw themselves heedlessly around my neck and her mouth covers mine. The surprise is short and instantly embraced. Our lips roughly part. Our tongues tumble tenderly. Our bodies press together and everything in life seems to line back up in the perfect order.
She pulls away and softly claims, “Never again.”
“Good.” I tuck a loose curl behind her ear. “Now….the brand new keys to our house are in the box along with my western collection.”
Ollie dramatically groans and tosses her head back. “I haven’t had enough sleep for that.”
“Then make up sex first, sleep next, cowboys and burgers afterwards.”
Her grin appears in all its glory tempting my knees to buckle from the weight of my gratitude from seeing it again. “This sounds an awful lot like how all this began…”
“And look how amazing it’s been.”
And how amazing it will continue to be. Sure, neither of us expected this to happen when she opened the door, but we’ve never regretted it. I can’t speak for her, but I know I never will. No matter what life throws at us or where it goes, landing on her door step, fighting over a hog, and giving the unexpected a shot will always be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.