Chapter 90


    Chapter 90: Theo


    I had borrowed a pair of cks and a button-up shirt from Dad’s closet. It was probably the longest I


    had spent in front of the mirror in a long time. I wanted everything to go perfectly but would settle for


    just making A happy. I prayed A wouldn’t see how nervous I was. I took a few deep breaths


    before knocking on the guest house door. When it opened, my jaw dropped.


    A looked incredible.


    She smiled, straightening her dress timidly. “Is it okay?”


    There was no controlling it. I closed the distance and kissed her deeply, her scent hitting me like a drug


    I was quickly bing addicted to.


    “You’re perfect,” I said. Grabbing A’s hands, I stepped back and looked her up and down again. “As


    sta*****ngly se*y as they are, you may want to ditch the heels.”


    She looked at me suspiciously.


    “Just trust me?” I requested.


    She rolled her eyes with a half-grin and slid out of the shoes, kicking them off to the side. Still holding


    her hands, I pulled her down the porch. I pulled a length of cloth out of my pocket.


    “May I?” I indicated using it as a blindfold.


    “Do you blind all your dates?” she teased as she turned for me to secure the fabric.


    Vouchers


    “Nope,” I said. “Only the most important.


    Taking her hands, I began to lead her across the yard. We traversed the soft grass until we came to the


    wooden path leading down to theke. I guided her every step of the way, letting her know when to


    step down.


    “It would probably be more of a mystery if I didn’t already know this path,” she chuckled.


    “The where isn’t the surprise,” I stated.


    It was nearly dark. Only thest dim rays of light could be seen along the h****on. The dock was in the


    shade of the trees, making the effects of the setting as nice as I had hoped. I added some poles alongMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    the edge and strung lights along them. I brought down the iron table and chairs that used to be on the


    patio until my parents got arger set. It was set with candles and flowers. There wererger flower


    arrangements set around the dock as well. All made up of A’s favorite flowers.


    I stopped her before the dock. I grabbed a single dahlia I had pulled from a vase and moved behind


    her.


    “Are you ready?” I whispered in her ear.


    “That depends,” she replied softly, “are you about to push me into theke?”


    I chuckled. “I think this will be better.” I tugged the blindfold loose.


    A gasped as she opened her eyes, taking in the romantic setting.


    “Theo… It’s beautiful.”


    I turned a small stereo on with a remote and presented her with the fiery dahlia I had selected.


    “How did you know?” she asked.


    288 Vouchers


    “Lucky guess?” I tried as I guided her to the table. She didn’t buy it. “Or I may have called Mina.”


    I pulled her chair out for her and let her settle. There was a tray table next to ours that held our dinner.


    Also A’s favorites. It was lucky that not only did Mom have the ingredients on hand but also that I


    could make a meansagne.


    “How in the world did you do all this in four hours?” A asked as I poured her a ss of champagne.


    “Determination,” I replied, giving her a wink. And I had Briggs bring the flowers and help set everything


    up. I made him park down the road so she didn’t hear his truck. But I would keep that information to


    myself if I could.


    “Determination does get things done,” she conceded.


    After filling our tes, I settled in across from my mate. Praying to the moon goddess that I didn’t screw


    this up again.


    “So, you got to learn a lot about me today,” I noted, starting the conversation. “But I haven’t had the


    opportunity to learn more about you.”


    “Our surroundings say otherwise,” she chided with a bright smile that had my heart racing.


    “This stuff is easy to find out,” I replied.


    “Okay, what do you want to know?” She took her first bite and almost melted in her chair. “This is


    fantastic. Did you actually make this?”


    Iughed. “Is that so surprising?”


    “Knowing your mother, not really,” she said.


    “Yes, she thought it was important I learn every life skill. I even do my ownundry,” I stated. “What


    about you? I recall you’re a pretty good cook yourself. I’m assuming you were the one who actually


    cooked that day we met.”


    “I did,” she said. “Ma taught me some, actually. She was pretty involved with us before Dad died. She


    helped teach me to enjoy the task. But I guess I honed my skills out of necessity.”


    “What about writing?” I asked. “Who taught you to love that?”


    “Loss,” she stated. “Well, loss and my high school principal. He’s the one who suggested journalling as


    an outlet. It helped a lot those first couple years.”


    “Speaking of high school, graduating as young as you did is quite impressive,” Imented. “I know


    you did it so you could work more, but why didn’t you go to college once you got financially settled?”


    “I didn’t start getting stable royalties until after my second book was published,” A exined. “By


    then, Kylee was about to graduate and start college herself, and someone needed to take care of Ma. It


    just never felt like something I could make work.”


    “What if you could?” I asked. She tried to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal, but I could see it was. I


    doubted she would ever admit it, but she felt like she missed out. “You don’t have to care for Kylee and


    Marie anymore, A. Why not go now?”


    She shrugged. “I don’t even know what I would study at this point.”


    “You had to have something in mind before life got in the way,” I pointed out.


    She smiled. “My dad studied sociology. I always thought I follow in his footsteps. Be a social


    worker. Or maybe psychology. Maybe


    Chapter Theo


    288 vouchers


    both.”


    “You should consider it,” I said. “You won’t have any problems getting


    epted anywhere you want.”


    “I just might,” A replied.