Page 178 of Micah

They're every bit as blue as the clear Jersey sky stretching over the ranch.

Sharp.

Steady.

Beautiful.

They're already on me.

Like they never left.

My heart gives one enormous thump inside my chest. I never really believed in love at first sight.

Not for me, anyway.

Honestly, I never thought about it much. Life had always been too busy for fairy tales.

Besides...

Can it even count as first sight? We've known each other for months. Or, well, we've certainly existed in each other's orbit for months.

He'd sit at the end of the bar with one beer that lasted half the night, quietly watching the game on television while somehow always noticing me. I'd catch him looking every now and then, and the second our eyes met, he'd glance away like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.

Back then, I thought maybe I was imagining it.

Now I know I wasn't.

This is crazy.

Fast.

Ridiculous.

But maybe it didn't start last night. Maybe it started the first time he stood when I walked over to take his order.

Or the first absurd tip he tucked beneath his empty plate.

Or when he pretended to be my boyfriend without asking a single question.

Or when he started watching me without my knowing—hot by the way.

And yes, I’m aware that is a serious red flag. His or mine? Take your pick.

All I know is that it led him to doing things like changing the filters in my van because he'd noticed I was coughing more than usual. And to his possibly saving my life last night.

Who knows what those men had in mind? All I know is that I thank God for Micah.

The first time he kissed me? He made me feel like I was something worth waiting for.

And when he carried me to safety in his arms without making me feel too heavy or weak?

Wow. Just wow.

Last night, when we made love, he took me to heights I didn’t even know existed. Afterward, I slept in his arms all night, and it was perfect.

So, yeah, I didn’t stand a chance.

Somewhere between all those meetings and the quiet moments between, I fell.