Okay.This could be good.This could be really good.Although Ernest warned himself not to get his hopes up.“Did you have an idea of where you might like your things to go, you know, if you were looking for a house, perhaps?”
“Well, I know of this place—a place I saw just this morning, actually.”Toby glanced up at him and winked.“The house felt warm and homey, and the only thing I was worried about was if there would be room for the belongings I didn’t want to live without.”
“I’ve got room for all your things,” Ernest said quickly—he couldn’t help it.His hopes were rising fast.“I can move some of my bits out of my house if we need to.I’ve got sheds, I could store a dozen houses’ worth of stuff, if that’s what you wanted.There’s a perfect spot by the fire in the living room for your chair, and your dresser would fit into my room with no problems at all.I’ll just shove a few things around.Anything you wanted to bring with you, I could fit in my house gladly.”
“Not this bed though, right?”Toby patted the mattress.“Honestly, I feel I should get my money back for this thing.I bought this bed imagining my mate who would share it with me one day—and I definitely have that mate—but look at the way the springs are bowing.”
“It’s a conspiracy.I set it up before we even came here.The bed is making sure you can’t get away from me.”Ernest grinned.“You’d need climbing gear to get out of the dip in the mattress.”Toby was chuckling, and that was Ernest’s intention, but he hoped his mate would understand the intent behind his words, too.“You have to know that from the moment I picked you up out of the dust, my home was your home.I will do anything I can to make you feel comfortable there.All you had to do was let me know that’s what you wanted.”
Toby tilted his head slightly, his grin shy.“I could tell, just by the truck you drive, and your lovely kitchen, that you’re always going to be more well-off than I am.I didn’t want you to ever think I was all about cementing our claim, leaving my scar on your delicious neck, and then turning into a shrew the moment I woke up, demanding you move me into your house, while we’re having our first cuddle.You know, like a certain other person might’ve done.I’m not like that.”
“Oh, Toby, I know you would never be like that.”Ernest was so relieved that he wrapped Toby up in both his arms, squeezing him tight to his chest.“I won’t come between you and your friends.I’ll make sure I drive you to work every single morning, and then pick you up after work at night.No matter how busy I get, I’ll be there, someone you can rely on, I absolutely promise.I’ll set an alarm on my phone so I’m never late picking you up.”
“The drive would be a great time for us to chat and connect in our own little car bubble,” Toby said happily.“At least on the drive home.”
“Not a morning person?”Ernest guessed.
“I’m one of those ‘three coffees and then I can start talking’ types.”Toby’s chuckles increased.“I’m happy to curl up against your bicep on the drive into town, and we can chat on the way home.”
“That sounds perfect.”Ernest sniffed into Toby’s hair, letting his confused thoughts and past angst out with a sigh.“If I get a bit much, just tell me, okay?I have a few hang-ups, you know, because of unnamed individuals, but you mean the world to me already, and I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
“You realize that’s a two-way street, don’t you?Making each other happy?”
Ernest had to stop and think about that for a moment.It sounded good in theory… “We’ll see what happens,” he said, hoping that came across as casually as he hoped.
“I’ll just have to prove it to you.”Toby didn’t seem worried about it.“In the meantime, my hunky mate, I will let Morty know I’m moving out over the weekend.”He stroked his hand down Ernest’s torso making Ernest groan.“Now, how can I help you go back to sleep, big guy?Café owners have to get up early in the morning.”
“So do flower growers,” Ernest agreed.“But yeah…” Toby’s hand was going lower, and he groaned again.“That’ll help.”
Chapter Seventeen
Toby
His mate was splashing around in the shower and humming to himself, and though Toby wasn’t a morning person, he liked it because with it came a flood of happiness through his mate bond.
He put on the coffeepot and let it do its thing as he pulled out a loaf of homemade bread Morty made, slicing it thickly to slip into the toaster oven.He went and retrieved butter and some of the strawberry jam he’d made.Grabbing plates, cups, and cutlery to place on the table.
Toby closed off his thoughts as he sipped his first cup of coffee, waiting for Ernest to finish dressing.What came across last night was that Ernest was a worrier.His mind was often a tumble of thoughts.Toby didn’t mind, he found it quite intriguing following them.It made the mating bond very handy beyond the ‘having a special person,’ which was just wonderful.
He grinned to himself, then sipped at the hot brew, feeling the caffeine do its job and wake up his body.
He considered all the things they’d talked about before they’d made the mattress sag a little more.Toby lined them up in his mind, ready to talk them through with his friends.Because Toby needed to prove that it was his mission to make Ernest happy as much as the other way around.It struck how Ernest didn’t quite believe that.Yes, compromise was one of Ernest's biggest concerns.It seemed in the past he’d always been the one doing it.
It was the reason Toby would willingly give up his new apartment.It wasn’t because he wanted to live in Ernest’s home particularly, he just wanted to be with his mate, wherever that was.He’d gotten the sense that space was important to Ernest, and Toby figured it was because his animal half was big.
When are we going to get an introduction?
We’ve literally just claimed each other, so keep your feathers on.We have the rest of the week to work, and it’s only Tuesday.
On the weekend, it’s happening.
Alrighhtttt… but after we’ve moved in.
“Is everything alright?I think the toast is burning.”
Toby spun, coffee flinging over Ernest, who was closer than he realized.A brown stain spread as Ernest reached and removed the charred pieces of smoking bread.
“Oops,” he groaned, plonking the now half-empty cup down to waft one hand over the smoking bread, while the other rubbed at the stain, making things worse.
