“Fine. I don’t like it, but I get it. Sorta.”
“Sorta?”
“You saying you have no family is BS. I’m your family. And I come with two asshole brothers, a crazy-as-hell sister, and a meddling mom. What’s mine is yours. So, you got family,” he mutters. Those words mean more to me than he can imagine. “But I get it,” he mumbles. “You need time. You don’t wanna get rid of it, fine. But under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You move in today.”
“Today?” I gasp and giggle. But that dies down quickly when I see he’s serious.
“That’s insane. How? I have to work, and you do, too. How will?—"
“I can call my brother Eli, and my buddy Brandon is always game to help. Half your shit is still in boxes, anyway. It won’t be hard,” he cuts me off and shrugs like it’s no big deal. And that’s when reality does a double whammy.
“Oh my god!” I bury my face in the crook of his neck, and he pulls back so he can look at me
“What?” he asks, like what we’re planning is completely normal.
“Big guy, I haven’t even met your family, and I’m moving in! Do you know how crazy that is?”
“Extremely,” he answers without blinking. At least I know he sees it. “But I also know it’s the one thing that makes the most sense to me. Don’t you?”
“I do,” I admit because there is no way I could lie to him. “Okay. Fine. Let’s move me in today.”
“Thank fuck,” he growls before his lips fall on mine. We don’t move from that spot for the next couple of hours. He’s very thorough with how he’s showing me how much he likes the idea of me living with him.
But even with the late start, by the time the sun sets, thanks to the help of his brother Eli and his buddy Brandon, I’m all moved in.
11
REED
One month later
The last month has been incredible.
Every day is better than the last. Even when Camila and I don’t agree on things, I love her being here. There is no other place I would want to be.
But something is going on. The last couple of days have had me on edge.
Something’s up, and I’m starting to worry that maybe my sunshine hasn’t been as happy as I’ve been. I’m not sure what it is. I can’t put my finger on it. She’s acting the same, but there is something in her eyes. Something she’s holding back. A worry or maybe second thoughts. And today didn’t help.
She went to town.
Alone.
She said she just wanted to work at the coffee shop in town and go shopping. I had orders that had to get shipped out, and I couldn’t talk her into waiting until the next day so I could go with her.
Am I suffocating her?
I need to figure out how to give her some space.
I look out the window and scowl. The sun’s starting to set, and she isn’t back yet. Anxiety starts to bubble up, and the collar of my tee feels too tight.What did I do?I wonder to myself, but nothing comes to mind.
Nothing but her smiling face shines in my head as I think about the last four weeks. I force myself to walk to the kitchen and get dinner started. It isn’t another thirty minutes later when the front door opens and shuts, and I’m wound up tighter.
“Hi!” She walks into the kitchen, taking off her coat and beanie, setting it on the table before she walks up and kisses me.
