November

Chapter Twenty One

-Cooper-

I was nervous, even though I knew I shouldn't be. Oliver and I had already had three video calls during the past month and they'd all been amazing. I had fallen for him even harder, despite him not physically being here. We texted each other every day and sometimes called each other when one of us was driving home from work. Oliver had even called me on Christmas day, texting a picture of him in front of a Christmas tree after we hung up. It had immediately become my new phone background and I couldn't help staring at it any chance I got. I was usually grinning like a fool when I gazed at Oliver's cute dimple and soft chestnut eyes.

Our video calls had been on our phones so far, but Oliver wanted to see more of me than just my face, so today I was setting up my old laptop and fussing around with it, trying to make sure the camera was at the best angle. I messed with my hair while watching my image on the screen. Maybe it was dumb, because this was just a video call, but I had showered, trimmed my beard, and put on a shirt I knew Oliver liked. I wanted to look good for him, and I hoped he was still attracted to me.

The call connected, and when Oliver's face appeared on the screen, he smiled widely. His dimple deepened and his eyes seemed to brighten.

"Hey, Coop," he said. "You look nice."

I posed for him and flexed my biceps. "I try." Acting silly was my best defense at hiding how nervous and uncertain I really felt. "And you look perfect, as usual."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "I'm not perfect."

"You're a real life Ken doll who saves people's lives at work."

"Stop," he laughed. "You're overselling both my looks and my job."

"Am not. You do important work."

"And so do you. We need wood to build our homes and we need fish to eat."

I grinned. "True."

We caught up on how our families and friends were doing and how work was going. I loved that Oliver cared as much as he did about my family and what they were up to, especially Annabelle. Time flew by, and we had been talking for an hour before I broached a topic that had been on my mind.

"So, when can I come visit and get a tour of San Diego?" I asked.

Oliver laughed. "If you're serious about that, I need to get my own place first. I barely fit on Cameron's couch, and I know you definitely wouldn't."

"You still haven't found anything?"

He shook his head. "No. I've been pretty busy with work, and it's tough to find a decent roommate situation."

I couldn't help but be disappointed. I really wanted to fly down and see him in person, but he hadn't made it a priority to find a new apartment and settle in. I didn't want to push him, but it made me wonder if he wanted me to visit. We still hadn't talked about what this was or put a label on it. He wasn't my boyfriend, but we spent a lot of time talking.

I wanted to ask if he would consider a long distance relationship, but I was scared. I was used to long distance because it was typically my only option, but I couldn't imagine Oliver would want that when he had plenty of men in the same city as him. I didn't know what to do, so I did nothing.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked. "I can keep an eye out for listings."

Oliver smiled. "You're sweet. But I think I've got it covered. I'm a whole lot more familiar with San Diego than you are."

"Fair point. What are you going to do today? I can see that sun coming in through the window."

"It's a beautiful day," Oliver replied, turning his head to look out the window. The sun lit up subtle auburn highlights in his hair, and I yearned to be able to run my fingers through his hair and kiss him. "I might go for a walk," Oliver continued, "but the hikes here aren't anywhere near as adventurous as what you've got."