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38. Interruptions

We drive to my house in silence, only the music coming from the speakers breaks it. My hand rests comfortably on Paige's left thigh and she has a hand wrapped around my forearm.

Traffic is heavy for this time of the night. I groan as we get stuck at another red light. Honking cars surround us and my head leans against the cushion behind it.

"Would you marry me?" I blurt out. My thoughts built up in my head and just spilled out of my mouth.

"Would I marry you?" Paige reiterates and turns to me with wide eyes, her hands slowly loosening their grip on my arm.

"Me. Yes. Would you marry me at some point, if I asked you?" I look at her with a raised brow.

She turns back to look out the windshield and blinks a few times before opening her mouth again.

"Yes," she says plainly. There is no hint of humor or reluctance in her eyes, voice, or demeanor.

"Seriously?" My mouth drops open and I raise both eyebrows in surprise.

I wasn't sure what exactly I expected her to say. Did I expect her to say no? Did I expect her to say yes? Being married to Paige, wowza. The thought dizzied me.

"Seriously." she laughs in reply and tightens her hand on mine.

"Isn't the whole point of college to date and like, party or something?" I speak again, my voice cracking slightly.

"Maybe," Paige shrugs her shoulders and looks up at the street light that just turned green.

"You would really marry me? Be stuck with poor old Landon for the rest of your life?" I push the gas and look at the road.

"Landon, you tell me not to pity you and then you go and pity yourself," Paige blows air out of her nose and groans as we stop at another light.

"I'm not pitying myself," I roll my eyes and turn in my seat completely so that I'm facing her.

"Then tell me something " Paige looks at me harshly, "why wouldn't I marry you?"

I stare at her for a moment and think. I could give a million reasons why Paige wouldn't marry me. She would have to deal with Kyle, and my parents. She would have to deal with me.

"Where do I begin?" I answered as we pulled down my street.

Paige glances down at her watch and looks up at my house as I pull into the driveway. The moment I put the car in park, I hear the click of Paige undoing her seatbelt and she's reaching across the center console to me.

Her hands wrap around my neck and pull me into her, my lips crashing hard into hers. The desperation in her kiss shakes me to the core. I reach my arms around her and get her as close as I can.

Paige pulls back, breathless and frantic.

"I would marry you," she inhales heavily, "because of that. Because kissing you, Landon, trumps everything else." She touches my face with cool fingers and I shut my eyes.

"You're too good," I laugh quietly and stop the moment I hear a car door behind us.

I step wordlessly out of the car after Paige leans over and places a chaste kiss on my lips.

"Son," my fathers gruff voice echoed through the small street.

I turn and make sure that Paige had stayed in the car like I asked her and pull the folded up check from my back pocket.

"Here." I huff and stick my arm out towards him.

He smells like liquor and cigars, just like I remember. The scent does something to my stomach and I feel like throwing up.