Deeply Personal

Chapter 33

Paul

Back in Nashville after spending time with his grandparents, Paul had never felt so frustrated. He’d been unable to convince his grandparents to move. The Harbors was amazing, they had a spacious apartment for them with all the amenities and everything. But Pops was too set in his ways. What would it take to convince him to change his mind?

Paul drove to Tony’s place after work. He’d promised he’d help him move into a new and larger apartment closer to Tony’s mother’s house.

“How are you and Jessica getting along?” Tony asked as Paul and another friend hauled Tony’s couch into a U-Haul.

“It’s great,” Paul said. “She’s something else.”

With his condo being remodeled, Tony had offered for Paul to stay with him, and he’d accepted. It was easier to be out of the way.

He couldn’t believe the feelings he was having for her. He felt a kind of heartwarming tenderness toward her—strong and real.

“Ah, the old she’s something else stage,” Tony joked. “Did you know the ‘she’s something else’ stage lasts exactly four months, sixteen days, and eight hours?”

Paul laughed. “No, it’s at least four months and seventeen days and nine hours, dude.”

Tony stretched his arms out. “But are you moving toward a real relationship? Or is it just a fling? That’s the million-dollar question.”

“And the answer is . . .” Paul let out a breath. “I think she’s the one, Tony. I really do.”

The one.

“Well, we’ll see,” Tony said. “Commitment’s a big deal for you. But I hope you can prove me wrong.”

Hearing this, Paul’s old fears rose within him, the fear of hurting Jessica like he’d done all the others, of backing out. Now that he was officially dating her, that worry felt all the worse.