Garrett’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Think you want to head outside for a bit and get some fresh air?”

I blinked, refocusing on the man in front of me. He looked relaxed with an easy smile while his hair was styled back for the party. “Yeah, sure,” I breathed, trying not to think too heavily about Kelly.

The stranger was still standing close to her when I took one last look. She looks fine enough, right?

We left the dance floor, escaping onto the patio in the cool night air. He looked more handsome under the lighting on the porch, but he pulled us into a quieter spot near the garden. The party’s conversations and music faded into the background.

Garrett was tall with a nice footballer build. His curly blonde hair was definitely charming and matched his honey brown eyes. Some days, I wondered why this stunning man with a nice smile hung around me. Stop overthinking it.

He leaned on the wall and took one of my hands in his. “I like you a lot, Fallon. Hanging out over the summer was one of my highlights from the break.”

Oh no.

I turned my head away and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. We had chemistry, but was I prepared for what he wanted to say? “Me too. My roommate was the one who convinced me to get out more. Since, you know, I kept to myself for a while after my mom...”

“I know.” He reached up cupping my chin, turning my face back to his. “I’m glad she did. I might not have met you otherwise.”

His hand was warm on my chin. I wanted to lean into it more, but something made me want to hold back. “Me too,” I smiled.

He moved closer. “So what do I have to do to make things official with you?”

Never in my life did I think there would be someone asking me to be their girlfriend. I wanted to have a boyfriend, but, again, something was holding me back.

Gut feelings were something my mom told me to listen to. Our intuitions knew things that we didn’t. When my mom told me she had a gut feeling about a situation, she would sit and think through it. I wondered if that’s what made her such a prudent and successful woman–by using her intuition to guide her through things.

Would I be the same, or would my lack of experience be my downfall?

I hesitated for a moment. “I...are you asking me to be your girlfriend officially?”

He held my hand in an ironically serious way. He looked serious too. “I guess I am. We’ve been on multiple dates and from what I’ve seen of you, I want more.”