“Probably,” I say. “It’s all such a jumble right now that I don’t even know where to start. Anytime I think about what that intro might actually sound like, my brain skids like a broken record.”
Gemma chuckles. “Maybe after eating something, then. I don’t think I saw you eat earlier.”
“Someone usually has to shove it in my face on work days,” I say.
“Note taken. How are you feeling about going home?” Gemma asks.
“New place, right?” I say, kicking sand. “At least I won’t be far from the guys. What… um… what about your place?” I hesitantly ask.
“Ah…” She scratches her neck. “I’m not sure. I may crash with Kade and Liam until the festival is over.”
“Or…”
I don’t know why I’m nervous.
“Counter suggestion,” I go on. “You… could stay with me—I mean, if you want to. We just… you’ll be there anyway, right? It’s a big apartment. You could have your own room if you want. I get it if you want your own space.”
“I might want my own space for my computers and things, but I would never want my own bed or room away from you,” she says. “I don’t want to be your roommate.”
“Good because I don’t want you to be my roommate either,” I say. “I want you to be my girlfriend.”
Gemma’s tongue swipes over her lips as if she’s trying not to grin, though she doesn’t speak.
I squint at the ocean, my nerves shot. “That’s probably too much, too soon, right? Like you moving in, becoming my girlfriend… that’s a crazy idea, isn’t it?”
Gemma’s chuckle ceases my ramblings. “No. It isn’t crazy,” she says. “Are you sure you want me to move in?”
“Yeah,” I say, wrapping my arms around my chest. “More sure than I’ve ever been about anything, actually. Which is a weird sensation for me.”
“That’s a big step,” she agrees, and I can see her trying to keep herself from truly beaming at the notion.
“And the girlfriend question... we’re just going to ignore that? That’s cool,” I say, shrugging. “I don’t need an answer. I can be cool about this.”
She laughs. “We’re not ignoring it,” she says.
I wrap my arms around my chest, suddenly nervous and on the verge of spilling everything in my head. Seeing Mads and Andi together always brings up feelings about my own future, and for once, the thoughts aren’tonlyabout how many hours it’s been since I woke up and how many drinks I could have had since then. Now, I have someone. And she’s someone who, thinking about a future with, seems within reach. So much less scary than it was just a couple of weeks ago.
“Do you want kids?” I blurt.
Gemma’s eyes narrow at me. “That’s a random question.”
I lift my brows, and Gemma seems to realize I’m serious.
“Oh. Um… No,” she says. “No, kids have never really been something on my life list. Why? Do you?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Nothing against kids. I love kids, but I also love sending them home at the end of the day.”
Gemma chuckles. “Yeah, that is a perk,” she says. “Why do you ask?”
“Ah, just… Andi and Mads are trying so fucking hard. I keep waiting on Reed to announce that he and Wren are expecting any time now. That’s always been part of their plan. I guess I just… I never really saw kids in my ‘happily ever after,’ and I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
She pauses mid-step and smirks at me, hands still in her pockets. “First, you’re asking me to move in, and now you’re planning our entire future? Are we getting a dog, too?”
“Oh, I’msorry, have you not been planning this since you started stalking me ten years ago?” I tease her.
Gemma laughs. “Fair,” she says, walking again.
“So…”
