Perfect for You(57)

“I’m fine. Ash…why are you here?”

“Last weekend you were honest with me. Now, I want to be honest with you.”

I have no idea what he’s about to say. Just because he doesn’t want to be with Liz, doesn’t mean he wants to be with me.

“I didn’t cheat on you with Liz.”

“I know that now.”

“I’m not even sure why I dated her. I guess I thought it was the only way to get over losing you. It was stupid and not fair to her at all.”

“I was pretty stupid, too. I hurt Noah, and I didn’t mean to.”

“Meg…” He steps closer and I can tell he has something else he wants to say. “I still love you.”

My throat closes. Tears tumble from my eyes. Is this really happening? Am I getting Ash back the same day I won my state match?

“I love you, too.”

His lips are on mine the second I get the words out. The familiar scent and taste of spearmint fills my senses. God, how I missed it. How I missed Ash. I wrap my arms around him and deepen the kiss, not caring that there’s a match going on or that there are people staring, including my parents. All that matters is Ash still loves me. The rest of the world falls away. Just like it always does when he and I are together.

***

Ash pushes the picnic basket aside and scoots closer to me on the blanket. “That was the perfect lunch.”

“Thanks. I didn’t really make it though.” I didn’t have time to. After the match I ran home to shower and change. Mom packed the picnic basket for me. She saw Ash and I reunite at the match. She stayed off to the side, letting us have our time together. As much as she and Dad wanted to celebrate with me, they knew I needed this more.

“I was talking more about the company than the food.” He traces his finger along my cheek. His touch tickles in a heavenly way. “I missed you, Meg.”

“I missed you, too.” Neither one of us mentions Liz or Noah again. We don’t need to. Our break up isn’t something we want to relive. All that matters is we’re back together now.

I pull the second blanket up higher, cuddling under it and away from the wind. It’s really too chilly for a picnic, but this is our spot. Out on Horseshoe Lake. It will always be our spot. Ash cuddles next to me, wrapping his arms around me. I wouldn’t care if it were freezing right now. In Ash’s arms, I can endure pretty much anything.

“You want to go someplace else? Someplace warmer?”

I snuggle closer to him, wrapping my arms around him. “No place I’d rather be.”

He finds my lips with his, kissing me softly. “I have a present for you.”

I lean back, wrinkling my brow at him. “When did you have time to shop between the match and lunch?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “I kind of bought it before the match, hoping things would go the way they did.” He planned this. Coming to the match, making up, even a present.

“I feel funny not having something for you.”

“You’ve already given me everything I need.” He kisses my lips again. “Besides, when I showed up for your match and saw the necklace,” his fingers rise to touch the garnet and diamond necklace, “I knew I was doing the right thing.”

“It was all I had left of you.”

“You have me now. All of me, for as long as you want me.”

I tug him closer even though there’s no space between us as it is. “I hope you don’t have any plans for a really long time.”

“Only ones that involve you.” He leans down and kisses my neck. I get lost in the feeling, but when he pulls away, he’s holding a small wrapped box.

“Sneaky,” I say, my eyes lighting up. It’s the same wrapping paper he used for my necklace.

“Open it.”

I tear the paper off, revealing a little black velvet box. I remember how I thought my necklace was an engagement ring. If I had known back then everything that was going to happen between Ash and me, I might have felt differently about thinking Ash was going to propose. I lift the box. This time it is a ring. Not a diamond engagement ring, though. A garnet with two tiny diamonds, one on each side. It matches my necklace perfectly.

“I had it picked out to give to you before we went off to college, but I couldn’t wait.”

We haven’t talked about where we think we’ll end up yet. We’d always planned to go to college together though, and I have a feeling it will still end up that way.

“I love it.”

“I had it sized. It should be a perfect fit.”

I take it out and try to slip it on my middle finger. “It’s too small.” My voice is small, too. I don’t want to hurt his feelings when he went to so much trouble.

“No, it’s not.” He takes the ring and slips it on my left ring finger. My heart skips. “It’s not an engagement ring, so don’t worry. But it is a promise ring.”

“A promise ring?” Isn’t that something you give a person before an engagement ring?

“Yeah.” He laces his fingers through mine and kisses my fingertips. “I don’t want to be away from you again, Meg. I know we’re young, and I’m not proposing. This ring is about me letting you know I love you. Today, tomorrow, a year from now. I love you. I don’t see an end in sight.”