"I want to give you all the love you deserve."
___
Hadley Carter has struggled with her sexuality ever since childhood. She keeps her feelings hidden out of fear of judgement and not being accepted by oth...
"You're cute," I retort, taking Devon's hand in mine and tugging her into the next room.
I begin the introductions once my girlfriend and family are gathered together. Reagan greets Devon warmly, with no hesitation whatsoever. My father shakes her hand, and I am over the moon when my mother pulls Devon into a welcoming hug.
"I hope you're okay with pizza," Mom says to Devon as we take seats at the table, preparing for a conversation to get to know one another.
"Mom burnt dinner," Reagan clarifies for Devon with a smirk. "Stick around and you'll get used to that."
"Hey," Mom argues. "I don't always burn dinner."
"Most of the time," Dad jokes, shooting Devon a playful glance. "But not always."
"It's okay, Mrs. Carter," Devon murmurs. "My mom can't cook at all. Pizza is our go-to."
The four of us laugh, delving into further discussion until we are interrupted by the doorbell, signaling the arrival of our pizza. Dad goes to answer the door as Daisy wanders into the room, excited by the presence of a new person for her to get to know.
Dad shortly returns with the pizza, and soon enough plates are handed out and dinner is served. I laugh and smile the entire night, relieved and content with how everything plays out. My family and Devon seem to get along well, and nothing feels forced or faked. Reagan shares embarrassing stories of me for Devon's amusement, which has me rolling my eyes, though I'm not really annoyed. Devon and my father strike up a conversation about their favorite sports and cars, which is talk I don't have much to add to. Mom is interested in getting to know more about Devon's background, and I'm so grateful that she has managed to set aside her disapproval to take part in my happiness.
Time flies, and it's time for Devon to head home before I know it. My parents send her off with a warm goodbye, assuring Devon that she is welcome to come over any time. I'm beaming as I walk Devon to her car. The moon offers a pale stream of light that casts down on us, illuminating the dark night sky that is littered with stars up above. The air has chilled immensely compared to the weather of previous months, though I view the cold as an excuse to stay close to Devon.
"I had fun tonight," she tells me as we reach her car. I sense that she is genuine. My grin widens.
"Me too," I admit. "This went better than I could have hoped. Thanks for agreeing to come over."
"Of course," Devon says, wrapping her arms around my waist. "You know, you're really lucky. I can tell your parents love you, and each other. Me and Mom are happy, but sometimes I miss having my dad around. You know?"
"You don't talk about him much," I point out, curious as to the story behind the absence of Devon's father in her life.
Devon shrugs. She doesn't seem upset, just indifferent. "There really isn't much to tell. He and my mom separated when I was really young. He wasn't ready to be a dad, I guess? He hasn't kept in touch and I haven't tried to reach out. I think things are the way they're meant to be. Mom goes out on dates every once in a while, but she likes her independence. I don't know that a relationship is necessarily something she wants right now."
I nod. The two of us stand in silence for a moment, gazes locked as we share smiles.
"I love you," I whisper.
"I love you, Hadley," Devon whispers back. She pulls me in close, arms wrapped around my body, lips connecting with mine. She kisses me briefly, leaving butterflies flapping around in my stomach and causing my knees to weaken.
"Drive safe," I chide as she pulls away. "Text me when you get home."
Devon teasingly rolls her eyes as she backs toward her car, reaching for her car keys that had been stored away in her pocket. "Always," she promises.
The word holds more weight than she knows. As Devon shoots me one last smile, I'm certain that I have found The One, my very own always.
I couldn't ask for more.
___
a/n: the next chapter will be the epilogue, and i'm feeling mixed emotions. i'm so grateful i got to share this story with my lovely readers, and thank you all so much for taking time out of your day to view something i wrote. it means the absolute world to me! ❤️
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