I swat at him, but I’m so distracted I pull him back into a hug. “You’re hilarious. Seriously, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?”
“I wanted to surprise you,” he said. “And I settled everything yesterday and couldn’t wait another minute.”
“So how did you ...” I trail off, remembering that we aren’t exactly alone. I turn to look at Dane, Tom, and Kwan, all watching delightedly. Dane’s smirking a little more than Tom and Kwan, but even she doesn’t seem to be immune to this sappy gushing session they’ve just witnessed.
“The man wanted you to come home to scones, and who am I to stop him?” Dane shrugs.
“I promised her I’d give her a scone if she let me in,” Eli whispers in my ear, and I snort.
“AndIwas the distracter!” Kwan says proudly. “I don’t know if you noticed how slowly we walked to Librae—”
“Oh, I noticed.”
“Well, it was a great suggestion because it took a lot of time. Although I almost ruined the surprise when you said you wanted to buy scones, because that just felt too kismet.”
Eli turns back to me. “You bought scones?”
I grab the filled bag and hold it up. “They have feta dill, and fig and fennel. I’ve been practicing making them, and no one ever said research hurt.”
“You’ve been practicing?” he singsongs, knowing it’s clearly for him.
“I thought maybe you’d miss them whenever you got back,” I admit.
He scoops me up again and kisses me, tilting me back. I hear Tom say, “Ahem,” and Dane gives a low wolf whistle.
We begrudgingly break apart to the good-natured teasing of our friends, and Eli sets me down in a chair at the kitchen table. He darts over to grab the scones, and then we all settle down at the table.
Everyone catches up with Eli for a bit while I just sit back, happily munching on a scone and watching the whole scene unfold.
Eli ishere. He’s here, making scones, in my apartment, enveloped by my friends. Friends that I’ve let into my life. Friends that conspire with my boyfriend to surprise me. With my beloved carbs.
I’m not sure life could get any better.
After half an hour, Tom nudges Dane and Kwan to leave, and they all grab some scones to go and make their exit.
When the door closes behind them, I take Eli’s hand, still beaming from his unexpected immediacy.
“I previously would’ve said we’ve had enough surprises for a lifetime, but I think this one was pretty great.”
He kisses my hand and holds on to it. “I can’t help wanting to get a reaction out of you.” He pulls my chair closer and lifts my knees up so he can drape my legs over his lap. “I’m really, really happy to be back.”
“Are you here just for a visit?” I ask, not wanting to get too excited too fast.
He grins and shakes his head. “I had a long conversation with my dad last night, and I’ve got to say, you might be onto something with that communication and listening stuff you’re always talking about.”
I roll my eyes, and he cackles, enjoying goading me as always. But then his expression softens a bit. “No, actually, before you nudged me, I’d never really considered just ... asking him? Just saying ‘Why is this what you want’ and being willing to listen. I never quite realized howscaredhe was. Scared of aging; scared of not being able to keep up; scared of failing and not having anyone to ask for help. I think he thought if he was responsible for my mother at home and he got frustrated or tired and needed help, he’d be stuck. And that fed intoeverything else that’s looming for him about not wanting to retire and feeling like he isn’t sure what to do in the next stage of his life.”
“That’s ... wow, I’m so glad you talked to him about it,” I say, wanting to just wrap him up in a hug but trying to take my own advice about listening first.
“I also don’t think he quite realized that wecouldhave those kinds of conversations. That combativeness is a well-honed skill, you know?” he laughs, an edge to the thought. “We’ve always communicated like that, and so we each gave it back to the other. Telling him I wanted to listen I think shocked him, actually.”
I smile. “I can only imagine.”
“But it shocked me too. It was ... it was really good. And we cleared the air, and he agreed to keep up the system I’ve put in place with the home nurses and the check-ins. And my sister says she’s going to come down more often. I’m going to go back every four or six weeks or so over the coming year so she has support and he has some downtime. But yeah. It’s all worked out. I’m home.”
“‘Home,’” I repeat—a word so joyous I can feel the stretch in my cheeks.
“Youfeel like home,” he says quietly, running his fingers along my smile, tracing the happiness he’s unleashed. “These last few weeks away ... I thought writing to you or calling you would be enough, since we’d done it for so long with so much less. But that wasn’t enough anymore; I want it all now. I meant what I said before—I love London, but this is where I belong. I love you, Nora.”
