She Will Be Loved (COMPLETE)

Chapter Thirteen

            “Seems a bit small, don’t you think?” Riley asked as he moved around the room.

It had been four months since we started dating and even though my parents were against it, we decided to move in together before he went off to boot camp. Today we were looking at an apartment that was on the other side of town from where my parents lived. Overall an ideal location to be, but too small and too much for our budget.

            “Yea. I know there was one more place we were going to check out today so how about we check that out and then head back to the vineyard?”

            “Sounds like a plan,” he smiled, then kissed me lips as he lead us out of the apartment.

We climbed into the car and began to drive down the road. Banner Elk seemed to have changed so much in the last four months. Not only had fall kicked summer out of the picture, but my whole outlook had changed. I was not a high school graduate and a college freshmen; I was making my first real decision of adulthood and moving in with my boyfriend. It seemed just like yesterday that I was starting my final year of high school.

            “Here it is honey,” Riley said, pulling up to a small apartment complex. The building seemed familiar, as if I had passed it several times in my life.

            “Are we near the coffee shop?” I asked, closing my door.

            “Yea, it’s only about a block away,” he smiled, taking my hand as we walked up to the third floor. Waiting for us was the realtor we were working with. She smiled at us and unlocked the door and I instantly fell in love.

It was a one bedroom apartment with a large window in front of us that showed the town below. To my right was the kitchen and to my left was the master. The walls were white, but I didn’t mind; it allowed the sunlight to reflect off them and make the room brighter.

            “I love it,” I smiled, walking in and running a hand over the counter top, “what’s the rent?”

            “Well within budget,” the realtor smiled, walking over to me, “and the landlord is will to work out a schedule for payments due to the fact that Mr. Kirschner will be in the military,”

            “That’s awesome!” my smile widened.

            “Will there also be a military clause?” Riley asked, placing a hand on the small of my back.

            “Yes. He knows for a solid fact that you will be military and all that information will be put into your lease,”

            “It sounds perfect baby,” I smiled up at him.

            “Well then I think we have a winner,” he smiled back at me, then kissed me lightly.

            “Alright then,” the realtor pulled out a stack of papers, “we’ll just work through that paperwork and see where everything takes us shall we?”

Both of us nodded and stood at the bar with her, looking over everything. This was the first big step in our relationship and I was positive that it was a good step forward.