I opened it up and before I could read what he wrote, a gift card dropped into my lap. I put it on the table and was shocked at what it was. “A two hundred dollar gift card to Staples?” I asked, looking over at Devin.
“You won our bet, remember? Besides you didn’t specify it had to be cash.” He smiled.
“You’re just lucky I love Staples.”
“You could probably use it to help buy yourself a new computer.”
“You could have bought her a computer. What an unromantic gift,” Larissa said.
I laughed at her comment. “Staples actually is my favorite place to shop,” I said and suddenly it was like a light bulb went off. I turned to Devin. “You knew!”
“Knew what?”
“Don’t play games with me, Devin Malone. I’m asking you straight out. Did you know the answer when I asked you the other day about my favorite place to shop?”
Devin remained silent a few more seconds then finally spoke up, “Yes. I also know your favorite chocolate is Ghirardelli’s peppermint bark, but it only comes out around the holidays. So you buy all that you can find and try and make it last as long as possible.”
My mouth was open in shock, and I was unable to say anything. He knew. He knew everything. My heart was flipping in my chest as I stared at the one guy who knew me better than anyone.
“Now that is super cute.” Larissa’s voice penetrated my thoughts.
“I guess I owe you a thirty-minute massage now,” I said.
He smiled. “No, still only twenty. I answered them wrong.”
“On purpose,” I told him.
“It still counts.”
I shook my head and took a bite of the dessert I had ordered.
We talked some more, Larissa asking questions mostly and Devin answering a majority of them. It was late when we finally finished.
“I should get you home. You have work and school tomorrow,” Devin said.
We thanked Larissa and Zach and headed out to the car. “Thanks, Dev, for the gift.”
“You’re welcome, but that’s not your real gift. That’s just something I owe you. I still owe you dinner wherever you want, though.”
“Maybe Wednesday after my appointment.”
“It’s a date.”
“So what’s my real gift?” I asked as we made our way out of the parking lot.
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
He dropped me off in front of the house, kissing me simply on the lips.
Chapter Thirteen
It was strange to wake up alone, let alone walk downstairs and have to make my own coffee. I missed the routine Devin and I had naturally fallen into over the past week. Devin always had my coffee ready for me and my cereal out on the table.
It was weird to walk into the kitchen and be greeted by my brother reading the paper, my sister eating her cardboard, and Megan huddled over what looked like work files. Devin wasn’t there smiling at me as he handed me my cup of coffee, he wasn’t there to kiss me goodbye either. To make things even more disturbing, I hardly received a response when I announced I was leaving. I mean, come on, people! We haven’t seen each other for a week. Granted, we probably needed that time away from each other, but still.
It was like they didn’t even notice me. I almost blurted out that Devin always paid attention to me in the mornings when I was leaving, but I managed to keep my mouth shut.
I decided to text Devin on the way to work and let him know my feelings, shocker since I hardly ever spoke about my feelings to friends or family, let alone my own psychologist.
It was strange without you this morning.
Hey Beautiful.
I was just thinking about you.
I missed you too.
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Sent from the iPhone of Devin Malone
Who else you talking to? Oh, and I didn’t say
I missed you, just that it was strange without you.
But I suppose I missed you.
I had no pre-made cup of coffee.
I didn’t realize all I was good for was a cup of coffee.
—————————————————-
Sent from your personal coffee maker
Yes! That means you have to come over every morning.
You would have to wake up even earlier.
Or we could just sleep in the same place.
You would get your coffee maker and
I would get you.
PS. I’m talking to your brother.
—————————————————-
Sent from the iPhone of Devin Malone
You really make an effort to change your signature then.
I think I would just have a different one occasionally.