Convalescence

XXIX.

The car horn sounded loudly from outside her house, and Lili rushed to get her shoes on so she didn't keep Niall waiting too long.

Excitement was bubbling rapidly in her stomach; adrenaline made her hands shake so much she could barely tie her laces.

This was the moment Lili had been waiting for and dreaming about for the last few years – it was exactly what she'd been working her ass off to accomplish.

She and Niall were heading to a dealership where she would- hopefully - sign off on a brand new car.

One that was completely and entirely hers.

She whipped the front door open, letting it slam it shut behind her as she ran down the driveway to Niall's car. She already missed him, and it had literally only been a day.

Niall was leaning back against the passenger door of his truck in a casual slouch, one ankle crossed over the other. He kept his arms crossed over his chest.

He wasn't wearing anything extravagant – just faded teal cotton shorts and a white t-shirt – but damn he looked good.

A pair of sunglasses were pushed up into his dark hair, putting his perfect blue eyes on display.

Lili wasn't sure if it was hot outside or if it was just him. And yes, she was being incredibly cliché.

He smiled as he watched Lili flail down the driveway towards him, immediately opening his arms and pulling her into a warm hug. His touch was perfect, and exactly what she needed right now.

The faintest sigh of what sounded like relief echoed in her ears. Knowing he missed her as much as she missed him made her feel a little less bad about her very obvious co-dependency issue.

She tilted her head back and kissed him, pressing her lips against his multiple times, before giving him one last long kiss.

He chuckled as his fingers tangled in the ends of her hair. "You seem excited," he said with a cheeky look in his eye.

She smiled and shrugged. "It's an exciting day."

"I guess we should get going, then."

Niall stepped to the side and pulled the car door open, waiting until Lili was comfortably in her seat before shutting it loudly. It was so sweet that he always did this for her.

He strolled around the front of the car and pulled his own door open, sliding into the leather seat and slamming the door behind him.

The scent of his aftershave filled the car and made her delightfully dizzy. Every part of him was intoxicating.

He turned to her as he pressed the start button on the ignition, and the engine roared to life underneath them.

"Where to first, love?" Lili smiled to herself as she unlocked her phone.

"Glendale. That's where I got my current car. I have the address here for you." She held up her phone to show him, but back when Niall scrunched his nose up.

"Are you sure you want another Mazda?" He shrugged casually. "I mean, you have the money. Want not try for an upgrade?"

She blinked at him, keeping her mouth closed. The thought had never even crossed her mind.

Almost immediately, he retracted his sentence. "I'm sorry, that sounded quite stuck up. I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"No, it's fine," Lili said, shaking her head slowly. "I mean, I've never thought about getting a fancier car. I don't even think I really want to..."