“Thank you. I’ll try not to bother you while you’re working.”
“I work from nine to three and in the alcove by my kitchen. You can have my spare room. I have a futon and a desk in there. I think it’s comfortable. Nate stayed in there a lot.”
“He did?”
“Yes, when I was first sick. He told me that I got up too many times during the night and he couldn’t sleep.”
“Jules,” I said, gritting my teeth as I white-knuckled the steering wheel. “Please don’t tell me anything else about that douche while he’s close enough to kill.”
“Aw, take it easy, tough guy. What I’m saying is that it’s a nice room, and you can have it all to yourself. Feel free to set up whatever you want in there for as long as you want. How close are you?”
“Just got onto the Cross Bronx Expressway.”
“Ah, so I’ll see you in another six hours.”
I laughed as, sure enough, I merged onto a slow-moving parking lot.
“I’m so sorry to put you out like this tonight. And it’s already late, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“You aren’t, and you should know that. You get here when you get here. Try to relax, and I’ll see you soon.”
Relaxing was always easier said than done for me, but now I was tense for more reasons than just figuring out a place to stay. It had taken me almost twenty years to figure out that I was in love with Julie, and once I did, our lives together made too much sense. My failed marriage, her broken engagement, and all the people we’d been with who never seemed to work out. There was a reason we were the only constant in each other’s lives, but up until Dean and Maria’s wedding weekend, I’d thought we were just lucky to have a deep friendship that stood the test of time.
Maybe it was the thought of losing her that had jolted me awake. Other than when I’d first laid eyes on her back in our freshman year of college, I’d never allowed myself to look at her as anything other than my best friend. Sure, I always thought she was beautiful, but it was as if a switch flipped between us that night by the fountains, and I couldn’t go back.
After years of dates and relationships I’d taken at face value, I finally understood why. Julie was endgame for me. I’d never been so sure about anything in my life. Nothing and no one else mattered, but I needed to find the patience to let her catch up to where I was. That had been my plan until I’d had to ask to live with her for an undefined period of time. I wouldn’t be able to hunt for apartments while I set up the office and staff for at least the next few weeks.
When I decided on something I wanted, slow was not my preferred speed. And I’d never wanted anything as much as this. As much as her.
I was running a lifelong marathon for this woman without realizing it, and I wouldn’t fuck it up now, when we were so close to the finish line. Julie and I belonged together, and I’d do whatever I had to in order to make that happen—including wait until she was ready.
Two hours later, I parked in Julie’s driveway. Her Bronx neighborhood was more suburb than city, other than the sounds of the six train as it pulled in and out of the aboveground station two blocks away. Her street was still and quiet at ten p.m. on a Wednesday night, amplifying the ding of the train doors opening and closing as I fished my suitcases out of my truck.
I was still displaced without a permanent place to live, but heading to Julie’s doorstep felt like I was finally home. I hadn’t been unhappy in Charlotte, but I’d spent a lot of time and dollars traveling back and forth over the years. On the long drive, I’d dissected the past almost-twenty years in a million different ways in my head, and the one constant through it all was Julie. It had taken longer than it should have to realize why, but I wouldn’t dwell.
The only important thing was that I was here now.
The front door locks clicked open as I set my suitcases on her stoop and reached for the doorbell. In what seemed like slow motion—or maybe I was just that damn tired—Julie opened the door and leaned against the jamb. Her hair was tied in a messy bun on top of her head, and she was in a hoodie and leggings, a wide smile rushing across her lips when our gazes locked.
Fuck, she was beautiful.
“Welcome home,” she said, running into my arms.
I lifted her up by the waist and laughed when she wrapped her legs around me. I buried my head into the crook of her neck and tightened my hold around her. Even though I was exhausted and stiff from the long drive, I didn’t want to put her down or let her go.
Nothing felt as right as when Julie was in my arms, and now, I finally knew why.
“Happy to see me?” I lifted my head with Julie still wrapped around me. I had less than a minute before my joy in having her this close moved lower and became all too noticeable.
“Eh,” she said, shrugging as she roped her arms around my neck. “It’s still sinking in that you don’t have to leave. I mean, that you don’t have to go anywhere until you find an apartment.” She cleared her throat and smoothed back a lock of hair when it fell into her eyes.
“Nope, staying put,” I whispered, a promise to both of us that she didn’t pick up on yet, but she would soon. I’d never leave her again.
“Everything okay, Julie?”
Our heads pivoted to the voice across the street. I made out an open window with soft light in the background, but I couldn’t see the face of the dark figure behind it.
“All good, Mrs. Perez.” Julie raised her arm in a wave, her other one still wrapped around my neck.
