Starting Over (Unexpected Encounters part 3)

Chapter 33

Whitney and I got our dinner a few minutes later, and I took my phone out to text Gabbie and Kaia.

"You guys can come back whenever," I sent.

"I told Gabbie and Kaia they can come back if they want," I told Whitney, "fair warning."

"Thank you for that," she grinned.

Once we were finished eating, we went into the living room and I sat down on the chair. I patted my lap and Whitney smiled as she joined me.

She had her legs over my lap, and I rested my arms on them as my thumb trailed back and forth over her thigh.

"Are you sure you're doing okay?" I asked her, "I just mean - with everything that's gone on."

"Yes Bailey," she said as she put her arm around my shoulders, "you don't have to keep asking."

She grinned at me and placed a quick kiss on my lips before leaning back again.

"I know but -" I started.

The door opened and Gabbie and Kaia came in before I could finish my thought.

"Well, well, well," Kaia smirked.

"Yes?" I responded as I raised my eyebrows at her.

"So what's the story with you two now?" She asked.

"Kaia!" Gabbie quickly cut in.

She shrugged as she tried to stifle a laugh and I covered my face with my hand.

"Good to see that not much has changed around here," Whitney said.

"Not at all," I grumbled as I let my hand drop.

"And um," I continued, "we still kind of have to talk about that."

"Well what the hell were you doing the whole time we were gone?" She asked.

"Uhh..." I trailed off as I looked over at Whitney.

She had a sheepish grin on her face, and Kaia got the picture pretty quickly.

"Okay," she said, "I got it, now I'm even more glad that we left."

"Oh leave them alone Kai," Gabbie said as she looked over at us and smiled.

"Yeah," I nodded, "would you please listen to Gabbie for once?"

"I'll think about it," she said.

"I'm just glad to see Whitney back around here again," Gabbie said to us.

"You're such a kiss ass," Kaia teased.

I laughed at her and watched as Whitney shook her head.

"Can't help it if she likes me more than you," Whitney teased her.

"Likely story," Kaia shot back with a grin.

We all sat around and talked for quite a while, and to say that I was happy would've been the understatement of the year.

Gabbie and Kaia eventually got up and went back to their rooms, and it was back to being just Whitney and I out in the living room.

"I think," I said as I kissed her shoulder, "that you should stay here tonight."

"I suppose I can do that," she said sarcastically.

"Good," I grinned, "come on then."

We went back to bedroom and got settled in, and I knew that we still needed to have some sort of conversation about us.

I had my arm around Whitney's shoulders as she laid against me, and my fingertips rubbed along the top of her arm.

"You know," I started, "I meant what I said to you the other night at your house."

"And what was it that you said to me?" She asked as she looked up to meet my gaze.

I scowled at her, not buying it that she didn't remember.

"I just want to hear you say it again," she continued as she leaned up and kissed my jaw.

"Okay, I see what you're doing now," I said, "I meant it when I told you that I was still in love with you."

"There it is," she grinned.

"I think I've realized that I still loved you for a while too," she admitted, "I was just trying to tell myself that I didn't."

"Are you done telling yourself that now?" I asked.

"Hmm," she pretended to debate, "let me get back to you on that one."

"Oh whatever," I laughed.

I reached over and wrapped both of my arms around her and playfully kissed up the side of her neck.

"Yes I'm done telling myself that," she finally said.

"Good," I responded as we settled back down.

"But in all seriousness," Whitney said, "I um - I can't go through anything like what happened before..."

She trailed off and got quiet, and I felt guilt surge through my body. I knew that this is the part that we'd been trying to avoid talking about, but she was right.

"I know Whit," I said, "nothing like that is going to happen again."

"And I don't mean to sound like a bitch or anything," she said, "but -"

"No," I cut in, "you're not, not at all."

"I don't blame you," I continued, "it's fair, I get it."

"Alright," she sighed, "I just had to make sure that I said that."

"I know," I nodded, "and I know that I will have zero more chances with you if I fuck this up again."

I grinned over at her and her expression softened.

"You are correct," she said teasingly.

"Well I already told you that you're not getting rid of me now," I responded, "it's not going to happen."

"Yeah you know, I tried to get over your goofy ass," she grinned, "then you had to show up again."

"Oh really?" I asked, "so all it took was me showing up? Damn I wish I would've known that before."

"Shut the hell up," she said as she playfully hit my stomach, "you know what I mean."

"Yeah I do," I responded, "because I tried to get over you too and we all saw how well that went."

"I think it's a sign," Whitney said.

"A sign of what?" I asked her.

"That now we're exactly where we're meant to be," she told me as she looked over at me with a grin.

I leaned in and kissed her, smiling against her lips.

"Hold on," I said when I pulled away, "we're being way too fucking sappy, this isn't like us."

"Okay you're kind of right," she laughed, "I think I need to go to sleep anyway."

"Me too," I said as I nodded in agreement.

I reached over and turned the lamp off before turning back to Whitney and wrapping my arms around her.

Sappy or not, she was definitely right. This felt like where we were supposed to be.

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