"Better than I expected," I finish.
"She's really okay with this."
"She's Alexis. She'll come around completely. Just needs time to adjust." I pull her into my lap. "But we should probably be respectful about the PDA thing while she's here."
"Probably." Nina kisses me softly. "Should I stay in guest room tonight? So it's not weird."
"You can stay in my room," I say. "Alexis is twenty-six. She knows we're together. We don't have to hide."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." I stand up, pulling her with me. "Come on. Let's go to bed."
Nina
Epilogue
"Oh my God, you two are disgusting," Alexis announces, walking into the kitchen to find us slow dancing to music only we can hear while waiting for the pasta water to boil.
"You said no PDA," I point out, not moving from Joel's arms. "You didn't say anything about dancing."
"Dancing while making googly eyes at each other counts." But she's smiling as she grabs a glass of water. "Also, Nina, you left your bra on the living room couch again."
My face flames. "I did not—"
"Red lace. Behind the throw pillow."
Joel just laughs. "I'll get it later."
"No, I'll get it now, before I sit on it again." Alexis shudders dramatically. "Honestly, you two are worse than teenagers."
"You seem okay with it now," I observe.
"I've had a year of therapy," Alexis says drily. "And also, you're both nauseatingly happy, so it's hard to stay weird about it." Shelooks at me. "Although I still don't want details about your sex life with my father."
"Noted," I say, grinning.
"I'm going to go set the table," Alexis says. "Let me know when dinner's ready. And please, PLEASE put your bra away."
After she heads to the dining room, Joel pulls me back into his arms. He kisses my nose. "Come on. Let's get dinner on the table before Alexis comes back to lecture us again."
Dinner is perfect—the three of us around the table, Alexis telling stories about her new screenwriting gig, me talking about the promotion I got at the non-profit, Joel just watching both of us with this soft expression that makes my heart melt.
A year. We've been together for a whole year. A year of waking up next to him, of learning each other's rhythms and quirks, of building a life together.
"Okay, I'm exhausted," Alexis finally says, standing up. "I'm going to head up to bed. Thanks for dinner, you two."
"Wait," Joel says. "Before you go, I need you here for something."
Alexis sits back down, looking between us. "Okay, now I'm nervous. What's going on?"
Joel stands up, and my heart starts pounding because I know this look. I know what's about to happen and I can barely breathe.
He comes around to my side of the table and drops to one knee.
"Joel," I whisper, tears already starting.
"Nina." He takes my hand, and I notice his is shaking slightly. "A year ago, you came to this house heartbroken and lost, andyou changed my entire life. You made me remember what it feels like to be happy, to be wanted, to be loved. You made this house feel like a home again."
