Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 107

"I don't know why you're so anxious," my mom leans against my door and says, and I sigh.

"Mom, I don't have a Christmas gift for him." I mutter to myself as I repack my bag.

For my trip with Kent, I had to visit my apartment, do laundry, prepare a new bag, and head to the airport. It wasn't the packing that made my stomach churn, but the pressure I placed on myself.

"So? He said he didn't want one, didn't he?" she asks.

"But he's taking me to New York," I say quietly. "Isn't that reason enough to at least try?"

"Just give him something that feels like it's from you, something that's genuine," she whispers as she walks into my room and gives me a tight hug. "Juls, have a great time. I love you."

"I love you too," I smile, and she returns the smile before stepping away.

I grab my bags and pile my things in the living room. Kent mentioned he'd be going to the gym this morning but would return to pick me up.

A smile spreads across my face when I see his black car pull up outside. "Think he's still brave enough to come in?" my mom teases my dad as she sits down on the couch next to him. His head pops out of the car window as he exits and locks it before walking up the driveway.

"Why not go inside?" I tease them, and they both laugh.

He looks great, and now that summer is over, his skin has lightened a bit. But his eyes still sparkle, his jawline is sharp, his teeth are pearly white, and his dark hair is slightly damp.

He knocks on the door and enters. He smiles at me, and I laugh. "Need some help?" I reply yes when he asks.

"Wow, that would be great," I whisper, and as I walk over to my parents to bid farewell, he grabs my suitcase.

"Juls, I'll put this in the car. Meet me when you're ready," he says, and I nod. My parents wave goodbye and give me a big hug.

"Good luck, sweetheart. Have a blast," my dad whispers, and I nod. I collect the last of my things and head for the door.

I love my family and my parents, but being home for nearly ten days was exhausting. It's a good time to go out with Kent and act like we're young again. I dash to his car and toss my belongings in the back seat.

Once I'm in the passenger seat, he leans over and plants a kiss on my cheek. As he pulls away from the curb, I smile, fasten my seatbelt, and take his hand.

"What's got you in such a good mood this morning?" I reply yes when he asks.

"I'm just happy," I tell him, and he smiles.

"Show me your to-do list. I know you've got one." I sigh, and he chuckles.

"First, laundry, then packing. Is this party a formal affair?" I ask, and he grins.

"It can be fancy or casual; I don't mind as long as you feel comfortable."

"I'll need to go shopping eventually," I sigh. "But I'd rather do it in New York than here."

"Do you want a shopping buddy?" He teases, and my cheeks flush at the memory of the bag of lingerie he bought me on our last trip.

"I probably don't need that," I mumble. "But you're welcome to come along if you'd like."

"I'm here for whatever you want," he says with a shrug. I know he means, "I don't care about anything, Juls, but I know you do, so do what makes you happy." His unwavering concern for my happiness always warms my heart.

He drives me home, and the first thing I do is toss the few dirty clothes I have into the washing machine. Then I grab my suitcase and start repacking. We're only going to be away for three days, including today.

"Kent!" I call out to him, and he comes to the door. "Is there anything else fun we can do on this trip?"

"We might have lunch with my parents before we head home. If you want, I can also take you out tonight," he suggests. "Feel free to bring some outfit options. Each of our tickets comes with one checked bag."

I agree and open my closet, scanning through dresses and nice pants. Kent settles into my office chair, and I arch an eyebrow.

"Why aren't you packing?"

"I'm already done; I finished packing last night," I say with a smile as he shrugs. I select two dresses, toss them on the bed along with some jeans and a few cute tops. "How about you put this red dress in the bag?" he suggests, eyeing a dress hanging in my closet.

"It's too big," I sigh as I close my closet door. "I don't have many clothes that fit well anymore. I've never been this small before."

I purse my lips and continue organizing my things. It was strange how my weight had shifted, and I resented that once it had, people began complimenting me on my appearance. I was anxious that things would change, and I didn't want to go back.

"I thought you said it was all because of that... cyst thing," he suggests, and I raise an eyebrow. It was one of the first times I'd opened up to him about something serious, and he remembered it. "You mentioned you're taking the right medications now."

"I am."

"So why not get rid of the things that don't fit anymore?"

"I can't," I murmur.

"Why?"

"What if I need them again?" I question. "I'm scared of reverting to my old self, and if that happens, I don't want to loathe that none of my clothes fit."

I avoid eye contact and try to avoid discussing this issue with him. It had always been a challenge for me to vocalize these feelings, but it felt like I'd discussed it twenty times with him.

"What makes you believe it will happen?" he inquires, and I simply shrug.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just preparing for the worst," I sigh, fitting my toiletries into any empty spaces in my suitcase and zipping it shut. "Let's not talk about this anymore." He gives me a concerned look. Kent didn't quite know how to handle this. I'm pretty sure he's never dealt with insecurity in his life, so dating someone who has many insecurities must be challenging for him.

"Come here," he sighs, beckoning me as he nods towards him. I place my head in my hands and sit on his lap.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said any of this," I whisper, and he gives me a faint smile.

"I'm not sure what I can do to help," he whispers as he pushes my hair behind my ear. "But you're always so hard on yourself. You're beautiful, and you keep hiding behind oversized clothes. You should find a way to let go of the past."

I agree with him; he's right. I constantly confine myself to the image of who I used to be.

"You help me let go," I say with a shrug, and he smiles. "No one's ever made me feel the way you do. When we're together, I feel good about how I look."

"Good," he kisses my cheek and whispers. "Now, finish packing. I'll be here if you need help deciding what to bring."

When I plant a kiss on his lips, he smiles and allows me to stand up and continue packing. I pack my backpack, which will be my carry-on.

"When we return from the break, who do you think we'll tell next that we're together?" he inquires, raising his eyebrows.

"Most likely Abby," I shrug. "She's been shipping us for a while, so I think she'll be thrilled."

"For how long?" He seems curious, and I zip up my backpack and place it beside my suitcase on the floor.

At least since Halloween," I reply with a shrug. "She wasn't always like that. For a long time, she told you to 'stay away.'

"There were a lot of them," he says with a shrug, rising from the seat and sitting beside me. He pulls me into bed, and I snuggle up to his side. "People probably think I've turned down a lot of girls because I had too many options and couldn't choose. But I didn't want to settle because I didn't care that much about anyone. Then you came along."

"I remember thinking you were cool," I softly nod. "Of course, a hot player."

"What about now?" he asks.

"Still hot," I say with a shrug, and he chuckles. "But... you're a lot more caring than I initially thought. You care so much about my happiness and how I feel, even though a few months ago I thought you didn't care if I lived or died."

"That's not true," he says quietly. "I've never dated anyone before, baby. I want this, and the best part is that I have you now."

"I can't believe the things I used to think about you," I admit. "Gossip is disgusting."

"That's true."

"Rumors can change a lot," I say quietly, and he nods. "Speaking of rumors, what did the Piper tape say?"

"At least she hasn't heard from anyone else that we're together yet. But it's been taken care of, and you're already in your program and all," he says quietly. "My tech guy put a tracker on it so that if she ever tried to send it, I would know."

"And she hasn't tried?"

"Nope."

"Thank goodness," I say with relief.

"I'm tired of her trying to make your life miserable. She has been mean since before you and I had anything going on."

"Well, she won't be able to do much once we tell everyone," I tell him in a hushed tone, smiling at him. "Since we moved to New York, I haven't seen her much."

"I told her to stay away from you," he explains with a shrug.

"I wish I had never..."

"Don't even say it," I cut him off, shaking my head. "I get a sick feeling thinking about your lips on hers." He laughs and nods slightly.

"From now on, I'll only kiss your lips."

"Yuck, not cool," I groan, and he pulls me closer, planting a kiss on me. I smile and embrace him tightly, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. "We have to get going to catch our flight," he whispers, giving me one last kiss. "I haven't had enough of you yet." I reply softly, and he laughs. "Tonight?"

"You have no idea what I'm going to do to you later," he teases, making my stomach flutter.