The Promises We Keep (Made for Love Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

’ ve dated even fewer.
    Correction . I ’ ve dated only one.
    Regardless of how it sounds, it doesn ’ t make it any less true. I remember the exact moment when I decided he was it for me. It wasn ’ t even special or romantic or anything, it was just an ordinary second — hardly distinguishable from the one that preceded it or the one that followed. We were out with friends. Bowling. And he laughed. I wasn ’ t in on the same conversation, so I don ’ t know what was funny, but, for just a second, I wondered what my world would be like without that laugh.
    I knew immediately that I never wanted to find out.
    That was four years ago. While we haven ’ t made it down the aisle yet, I know we will. So maybe it is crazy, or a little naive, to believe that we decided so young that life was, is, and will forever be better when we ’ re together — but we ’ ve gone against the grain of normal for this long, why not the rest of our lives? I ’ m ready to prove to the world that young love, stupid love, crazy love — it isn ’ t something to simply wax poetic about, it ’ s something to grab hold of, something to step into, something to wear ...like a ring.
    I ’ m still holding out for mine. I know a proposal is coming, I just have to find the patience to wait for it. It ’ s not as if I have a dress picked out, or anything. I don ’ t want to get too ahead of myself, but —
    “ Earth to Addie, ” says Avery, snapping her fingers in front of my face.
    “ Hmm? ” I murmur.
    “ We ’ re going downstairs to deliver pancakes to the love birds while the boys clean up. Claire just texted. Jack ’ s in the shower. Want to come? ”
    “ Oh. Yeah, sure. Let ’ s go. ” Any excuse to avoid dish duty is a good one, to me.
     

 
     
     

    Beckham offers to buy me lunch after church, the both of us wishing to avoid our textbooks for just another hour or so. He takes me to Old Town Fort Collins, just a few blocks away from our apartment and campus. He finds parking where he can and we casually stroll past boutiques, specialty stores, and restaurants, letting our stomachs guide us. We end up at a salad place, because it sounds good to me and he isn ’ t opposed, and we take our time eating and talking.
    Being with Beck is easy. I never have to worry about impressing him or trying to put my best foot forward — after five years of friendship coupled with romance, I feel free to be myself all the time. I know he feels the same way. While my Beckham isn ’ t perfect, his commitment to me and our relationship is pretty outstanding. He ’ s always willing to listen. I think that ’ s what makes him such a good guy. He ’ ll listen and absorb what I have to say and then respond accordingly; and if he doesn ’ t agree or he thinks what I have to say should be challenged, he ’ ll call me on it. He ’ s not an argumentative person, though … and he loves me, so he ’ s usually really gentle. We tell each other just about everything and I ’ m quite proud of our ability to communicate with one another — I think it ’ s one of our best qualities.
    I won ’ t say that our relationship hasn ’ t been work. Learning to be with another person, figuring out how to understand them and how best to treat them, in spite of your own feelings — that ’ s always work; but the reward far outweighs the demand. I love him so much. He ’ s my partner. In fact, he ’ s so much a part of me that I don ’ t even remember what life was like before him.
    “ What are you thinking? ” he asks, bringing my hand up to his lips.
    The weather is beautiful, in that way only a Colorado spring can be, so after we finish eating, we decide to walk around a bit more before heading back to the car. Being beside him, our fingers laced together, I know without a shadow of doubt that no matter where I am, he is and will always be my home.
    I inhale deeply and sigh happily before I answer. “ Just thinking about how much I love you.