"Why were you hiding this amazing talent from me?" Cerise asked him the second was within earshot. "Next time I'm going to make you contribute to the album more."
"Lazy ass," Gael chortled. "You just wanted to do less work, didn't you?"
"Well, you're not getting away with it any longer," Cerise said. "I'm going to work your little fingers to the bone on our next album."
There was a teasing glint in her eyes. The nervous expression on Nathan's face melted into a silly, pleased grin.
"Damn," he chuckled. "Now I can't just coast on through anymore. Guess I'd better get used to working even harder than before."
"You damn well better."
They grinned at each other. Nathan turned to me.
"You planned this, didn't you?" he asked.
"I just invited your friends," I said innocently. "I had no idea what would happen."
But I'd had a hunch.
"Hey, so…" Nathan trailed off. He looked around and took my hand, guiding me out of the room and into the hallway.
"What is it?" I asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing like that," he said. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."
I had no idea what he might want to talk about. My recovery, or his mom, or my parents. It could have been any number of things.
"You know I love you, right?" he asked.
"Of course," I said. "And I love you, too."
His eyes softened and he pulled me closer to him. Not close enough to be inappropriate in public, but enough that I could hear his heart beating wildly.
"So, I heard you're looking for a place to live," he said with a small smile on his face.
"Yeah, my parents are sort of freaking out about it, but—"
Before I could say anything else, he pulled a key out of his pocket. He looked nervous, but still flashed me a shaky grin.
My heart thumped a quick beat, as madly as his.
"I know you've still got to recover," he began, "and your mom will probably want you at home until you're better, but when you're ready to move out, I'd love if you would move in with me."
He said the words in a rush, then held his breath, holding out the key to me.
I looked at it, small and shiny in the palm of his hand.
The longer I stared, the more his face turned worried.
I placed my hand over his, curling my fingers around the key.
"I would love to move in with you," I told him.
His face lit up. He cupped the back of my head and swooped down for a firm kiss. I put a hand on his chest.
"Not in front of the children," I said.
Nathan took my hand and pressed a kiss to my fingers.
