With a Twist (Last Call #4)(80)

"Keep your eyes on your food," he teases, and I glance up to see him smirking at me.

I smile, duck my face, and take another bite of lasagna. I'm so freaking happy he's here, but I'm a little nervous about how he'll react to my idea. Even though we've both been very clear in our feelings so far, which I think are parallel to each other, there is still some doubt in my mind that Wyatt wants the same things I do for the long haul. It's not a subject we've discussed because the physical distance between us presents quite the wall of opposition.



       
         
       
        

"When do you think you'll hear from the BRIU about the position?" Wyatt asks.

Distractedly, I look over at him. "What? Oh …  they made me an offer a few days ago."

Wyatt's body stills, the fork in his hand stopping in mid-scoop. He blinks once at me, and then removes his feet from my coffee table. Leaning forward, he sets his plate down, then leans over and takes mine from my hand, also setting it on the coffee table.

"They offered you a position?" he asks quietly.

"Uh-huh," I say with a sheepish smile on my face.

Wyatt lunges at me, wraps his arms around my waist, and hauls me off the couch. Spinning me around, he yells, "That's fucking amazing, Andrea. Fuck …  I'm so happy for you."

My hands come up to grip his shoulders and after two complete circles that make me kind of dizzy, I try to take a moment to appreciate his joy for me. Giving him a sweet smile, I lean in and kiss him. "Thanks. It was a bit of a surprise."

Sitting down on the couch, Wyatt tucks me onto his lap and looks at me with excited eyes. "So …  when do you start? Shit …  there's so much to do. Get your house on the market, get you packed up, and find a new house. Or maybe it's an apartment you'll need in Quantico? Regardless, I'll take some time off work and help get you moved. And what the fuck …  how come you didn't tell me? Were you trying to surprise me?"

I stare at Wyatt, completely amazed over his utter abandon. The simple, yet deep happiness he has for me …  that I've accomplished a major goal in my life. I'm not sure anyone in my life has ever felt this type of happiness or pride for me before, and it's humbling.

Before I can even answer those questions, he keeps right on going. "Okay, so this is the perfect time I guess to tell you what I've been thinking about. I hadn't really factored the Quantico job into my thoughts, but that actually works out better."

"Better?" I ask with confusion.

Wyatt takes a deep breath, leans in, and kisses me. "You know I'm crazy about you, right?"

"Yeah," I say hesitantly. Even more confused.

"I mean …  you really know that about me? That I'm crazy about you and that I miss you terribly when we're apart?"

"Yes," I say emphatically. Because I do know that.

Wyatt takes my hands in his. "What you probably don't know, though, is that I love you. Have for a while."

"You love me?"

"I do," he says simply. "And I can't stand this long-distance shit. It's eating at me, and I fucking hate it."

I'm still reeling from the fact he told me he loved me, but he doesn't seem to notice. Nor has he given me an opportunity to respond. He just keeps on talking. 

"So, I was going to talk to you about me moving here to Pittsburgh …  to be closer to you. My plan was to maybe try to get on the police force here, or at the very least, I'm sure I could do some type of private investigative work. Not sure how you feel about moving in together …  that would be my preference, of course, but I'd respect you if you wanted to take it a little slower. I wouldn't be able to come right away. I'd need to give some good notice to Nags Head, and then find a job, but I'd bet within a few months, I could make the move. And now …  now you tell me about Quantico, and that's even better because it's a lot closer to the Outer Banks, so I could get back frequently to visit."

At this point, I'm staring at Wyatt with my jaw hanging open, a deluge of emotions filtering through me. He'd be willing to move here …  or to Quantico to be with me? He'd give up his career, his family, his home and his friends …  to be with me?

"I'm sensing this might not have been the best idea I've ever had," Wyatt says quietly, and I can see disappointment on his face.

"Wyatt," I say softly, squeezing his hands. "I wasn't going to take the job at the BRIU. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."