A lotis right. Willow’s cardiology appointments are always a wild card—like we could hear life changing news each time. The first visit with Connie, the possibility that she will make her intentions clear. Plus, I still have so much to do before my parents visit tomorrow.
“But we actually have to talk about something else.” Warren says with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’ve left it for too long. I hate that I waited to talk to you about it, but it didn’t feel like a good time after Rachel’s call last week and…” He rubs his face and leans back on the coffee table. I lift myself off his lap and sit on the floor across from him.
“It’s okay. Tell me.”
“There’s an apartment… a two-bedroom, not far from here,” Warren says.
Oh…
“They accepted an application I put in months ago, and they need an answer from me by tomorrow.”
I blink rapidly. “When?”
“The lease starts in November, but I could float both places until December—if that…” He shakes his head, knowing that wouldn’t solve the problem.
“That doesn’t change anything. My assessment isn’t until...” My voice is as fast as my racing heartbeat.
“January, I know. Shit, Chloe.” He looks up to the ceiling. “I—I don’t know what to do. I asked if they could start the lease in January. I asked Rachel if… but…” He rubs the back of his neck, not looking at me. “I’ve waited so long to get my own place with Luke. I don’t know when, if ever, another apartment will become available around here—one that I can afford.”
I can’t ask him to pass this up, I know that. Luke spent six years on his own, and Warren has worked so hard to make it happen. But what about Willow?What about me?
“I don’t know what to say.” I pull my bottom lip between my teeth.
He looks down to where my hands rest in my lap and moves quickly, pulling my wrists apart and holding them in his grasp.
“Tell me to stay,” Warren says.
Between the lack of sleep, the dizzying effect of his hold, and the urgency in his voice, I feel dazed.
“What?” I ask.
Warren licks his lip, closes his eyes, then speaks slowly. “Tell me we can write up something… some sort of agreement. If we can do that, then we can stay.”
“But…” My voice softens into nothing.
“But what?” Warren’s voice sounds winded.
“We’d live together?”
“Chloe, we already live together.” His tone is amused, but his face remains focused.
“I know, just—it feels different. What about…”
“I think if we can both agree that no matter what, we stick it out until Luke graduates, then we’d be okay.”
Please stay after that too.
“I can agree to that—for sure. Of course.” My voice is steadier than it has been all morning.
His hold moves from my wrists to my hands.
“I want to keep all of you,” Warren says, blue eyes pinning me to where I sit. He rubs both thumbs over my own.
“I want to keep all of you too.” I smile softly.
Warren looks at me from under his brow, his features still sharp as ever but filled with relief and tender warmth.
“I’m sorry I brought it up on an already shitty day.”
