Chasing Forever

20. Realizations

     As we walked inside and I flicked on the light right inside the door, I heard Tanner let out a weird little huff. I turned, confused, and he gave me an embarrassed smile. 

     "Sorry, I was just lost in my thoughts. It's cute. It's just really not what I was expecting."

     It didn't sound like an insult, but I didn't quite understand what he meant by that. 

     "What do you mean it's not what you expected?" 

     "I don't know, it just seems pretty bland for you. It doesn't quite seem like your style. I expected all blues, whites, and blacks. That tan couch was the biggest shocker." 

     My eyes followed his finger to where he gestured to my couch, and I couldn't hold in my laugh. 

     "Okay, that's actually a super valid point. It isn't really my style at all but this is the furniture they staged the apartment with. It came with it when my dad bought me the place. There's no point in getting more new furniture to fit my style right now. I'll have to messy babies around here soon." 

     "I heard you say babies earlier, but I didn't realize you really meant two. Are you nervous about having twins?" 

     I nodded my head, being honest. 

     "I don't know if I can really be much  more nervous than with one baby, though. The only thing that makes two scarier than one is that I'm outnumbered. Other than that, I'm just terrified that I'll be an awful mom in general." 

     I had never really put that concern out there flat like that before now. Voicing that I was worried about being a bad mom lifted a bit of weight. I liked not burying it inside. 

     "I know I just met you, but I think you'll be a great mom. You seem so mature and smart for your age, and you have kind eyes. Good moms always have kind eyes, it's a fact." 

     "I don't think I've heard that fact before. Thank you, though, I appreciate it. Do you have any requests for dinner? I have a lot of food here, so whatever you name I can probably make." 

     "Well, that's a lot of choices, then. I haven't started my new job yet and you saved me from needing to go out to eat all by myself, so why don't you let me cook for you? You did work today, after all." 

     I knew that it was possible for guys and girls to be friends, my absolute best friend was Mason, for goodness sake's. Letting this guy cook for me felt like it would mean more than friendship, though. He was looking at me like he had more in mind than just friendship, at least.

      "I might be pregnant, but I can still go to work and cook dinner in the evening. Tell me what you like." 

     "I've never met a girl who didn't swoon at the idea of a man cooking for them. I've never offered to do it before or anything, but you seemed like the type of girl who deserved to be cooked for. I didn't mean to offend you, though. I'm not a picky eater so you can cook whatever you like." 

     I thought really hard about it, and finally just shrugged.

     "Right now I'm in the mood for movie theater popcorn. My dad is bringing some by later, he had to make a special trip to get it. It just tastes better from a theater. I don't even know why, to be honest. We even got a popcorn machine to try to make it ourselves and it wasn't even close to being the same."

     "I would be down to eat that for a meal if you want me to stick around to meet your dad?" 

     "You're more than welcome to meet my dad. He'll probably try to recruit you onto his little Team Ever. The first one he swooped on was my best friend. Mason lives two hours away now that I live in the city and they started scheduling days to pick me up and get me out of the house. He tried to get my boss at the library in on it, too...don't get me wrong, it's sweet. I'm pregnant and tired and don't need him making plans for me, though."