Meant for Me | ✔️

37) a first for everything

Saturday 14th October.

Z A C

Addie's little but practical home had these big gorgeous windows that were perfect for watching the outdoors. She told me all about how she'd sit in her kitchen nook, drinking her morning coffee while the leaves rained and the clouds moved across the sky. The windows were also perfect for watching from the outside in.

Which sounded super creepy but I had a totally valid reason for standing in her back garden while she moved through her kitchen, putting dishes away, smiling and talking to Willa, who occasionally looked into the dark and squinted, hoping to see me. She knew I was here and she knew why.

I checked over the arrangements one more time and then I walked through the gate and around to the front doorstep so I could ring the bell.

"Zac?" She looked me over when she opened the door, taking in the black dress shirt and pants I was wearing. "What are you doing here?"

"Taking you on our first date."

She recoiled and pointed over her shoulder. "I have the girls. I can't leave."

I held my hand out for her. "Trust me?"

"I trust that if you think I'm leaving the girls here alone, you're insane."

I smiled. "That right there, makes me even crazier about you."

She narrowed her stare. "Wha—"

"You have to go with him," Willa appeared in her little white night gown and started pushing Addie out the door.

"Excuse me," Addie gripped the door frame. "Even if I was neglectful enough to leave my children here alone, I'm not dressed for a date."

She was wearing a pair of fitted sweat pants that hugged her curves and a tank top. If Willa wasn't around, I'd have lifted Addie off the ground, wrapped her legs around my waist and thrown her against the wall. But those thoughts had to remain distant because we weren't alone.

I wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her into me, her breath hitching when her chest collided with mine. "You're dressed for a date with someone who finds you breathtaking in whatever you wear."

Or don't wear.

"I still can't jus—"

"Addie," I lifted my pinky finger and swiped the side of my nose. "Trust me?"

She stared up at me, conflicted and gorgeous. It was genuinely hard to believe that she was here, with me, just a short drive away so that I could see her as often as she'd allow.

Finally, she released a breath and nodded. "I'm going to trust that I'm not leaving the girls alone. There's a sitter here, right? Tyler and May? Are they here somewhere?"

"Have fun. I'll call if Maggie wakes up," Willa smiled and closed the door behind us.

Addie talked for the duration of our small walk to the back gate and I kept a tight hold on her hand. "Watch your step," I interrupted, knowing that the extension cords I'd laid down were running through the grass.

"Oh," she sounded relieved when I shut the gate behind her. "So we're not leaving the property."

"I can't believe you thought I'd leave the girls here alone," I teased as we walked through the pitch black.

"I didn—"

"Stand here," I said, kissing her forehead. "I'll be right back."

She nervously laughed. "Don't leave me alone out here. It's so dark."