“Exactly. Isn’t she the best aunt ever?” I giggle as his lips tickle my neck.
Tommy stops mid-kiss. “How do you think she’ll react when she finds out we’re moving in together?”
I look down at him. “Don’t act all innocent. Cal told me you two had a conversation. It all makes sense now,” I answer, then drop my head back to the pillow, keeping one eye on his expression. There’s a smirk on his lips.
“She came by the house.”
“Yes. She told me.”
Tommy rolls onto his back with a full smile on his face. “Of course she did.”
“Sorry, Tom. She didn’t give me any details, and I asked her over because I wanted to talk. I had to make sure I wasn’t looking at our situation through rose-coloured glasses. Calla was my sounding board. Even though I knew you cared about me, I’ve only ever been in love with one man. Realising you’re falling for another can make you second guess yourself.”
He sits up on his elbow now, running his fingers over my stomach and concentrating on their trail. I wish he’d kiss me there too. Instead, he takes a moment. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Don’t be sorry. You’ve been more than patient and you have no idea how much that means to me. I’m just trying to explain.”
“I get it.” When my cheek rests against his chest and he kisses the top of my head, I feel him smile.
“Did you know it was Max who brought me to my senses about you?” I say out of the blue.
“Max?”
“Yeah. He said if I couldn’t tell how much you were—” I stop, realising what I’m about to say. Is it presumptuous on Max’s part? My worst fear is scaring Tommy away, especially when we’ve got this far.
“What?” he asks.
“Max seems to think you’re in love with me and that if I can’t see it, I must be blind or stupid. Before you say anything, I’m not expecting you to proclaim your undying love just because Max said so. I understand this is all too soon and?—”
“Max speaks the truth. I love you, Angie.”
Goosebumps explode all over my body. “You do?”
“It can’t be a surprise.”
Searching his face, I swallow hard. “I’m just trying to process.”
I’ve never seen him so serious. “Angie, look me straight in the eye. Now, make sure you process this. You ready?”
My heart thuds against my chest, but I just about keep it together. “Yes. I’m ready.”
“You’ve had so much on your plate, and I didn’t want to complicate matters or push my luck. This is the first time you’ve ever been clear about what you want and us having a future together. All I want is to exist beside you for eternity. I majorly fucked things up all those years ago, but as they say, you learn from your mistakes. I’ve done that and then some, so please take me at my word when I say that falling in love with you was the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Convincing you is the hardest.” My eyes fill to the brim while his widen in horror. “Oh, fuck. I’ve said the wrong thing.”
Tears spill over before I get the words out. “No. I’m sorry,I can’t help it. I didn’t think I’d ever get to feel this way about another person again. How did I get so lucky?”
His hands cup my wet cheeks. “I’m the lucky one. On the day you came back to me, I felt like I’d won the fucking lottery.”
I smile, tears spilling down my face, then press my mouth to his. I taste the salt of my tears as they run into the seam of my mouth. Tommy must taste them too. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close.
“Jesus, babe. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
I laugh, batting my eyes and sweeping the back of my hands across my face. “I’m not upset. These are happy tears.”
“Fuck.” He smirks. “I’ll never understand women.”
With Tommy’s arm draped over my shoulders and mine around his waist, we decide to take the bull by the horns. We’re making a statement by walking into Calla and Ash’s kitchen together like this, but hopefully, a gentle one. This is the first time we’ve shown an open display of affection.
Calla and Ash sit around the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking, but the conversation dies down as soon as they see we’re back. Max walks in at the same time. His hair is a messy mop, and he’s clearly just woken up, but he stops in his tracks. All eyes focus our way for what seems like minutes but can only be a few seconds. Silence falls heavy in the room, and for a moment, my stomach twists in turmoil. Eyes meet in question and silence fills the air, until Tommy announces, “We’re moving in together.”
