Keaton knew he was standing at a precipice, the ground beneath his feet shifting. He could retreat, return to the safety of solitude, or he could lean into the uncertainty, into the possibility that Jules represented.
The thought terrified him, but in the quiet of the hallway, it also felt like a challenge. An invitation to step beyond the bounds of his carefully ordered world and see what lay on the other side.
With a final glance at the closed door, Keaton turned away, the echo of Paige’s words following him into the night.
You deserve to be happy.
He wasn’t sure what that looked like, what it meant to let someone in, to let them matter. But as he settled into bed, the weight of the day pressing down on him, he realized it was a question he couldn’t ignore any longer.
SIX
Jules stood at Keaton’s front door, their heart racing in a rhythm that felt both thrilling and terrifying. They hesitated, their hand hovering midair, unsure if they were ready to take this leap. Moving in with Keaton was a step into the unknown. It wasn’t the same as when they’d rented rooms from someone on a short-term rental app when they were traveling. This room would be theirs—at least for a little while.
Also, they’d never imagined any of those hosts naked, pressing their body into the mattress as they did dirty things to them. Yeah, this was going to be torture.
With a deep breath, they knocked.
The door swung open, revealing Keaton’s familiar face. His calm exterior exuded the same confidence he always showed. Jules studied him for any sign he was having second thoughts about this arrangement.
They’d talked to Paige a bit this morning, and she’d made a few vague comments they were still trying to decipher. She kept reminding them that Keaton was a big softie once you got toknow him better, and then she alluded to the fact that he’d been hurt in the past. As if it took a rocket scientist to figure that one out. But Jules couldn’t figure out how that was pertinent information for them to have. After all, if Keaton was interested in them that way, he could have done something about it months ago.
“Welcome,” he said, voice steady, but his eyes held a hint of something deeper. Was that vulnerability? No, it couldn’t be. But the fact that he wasn’t as cool and collected as he usually was made Jules’s nerves settle a bit.
Jules stepped inside, taking in the space with wide, curious eyes. The apartment was a testament to Keaton’s meticulous nature. The walls were a pristine, almost clinical, white. The floors, while pretty, made Jules’s toes curl. They imagined the surface would be icy under their feet in the mornings.
No matter where they looked, there wasn’t a single thing out of place. No decorations on the walls. The only window treatments were the same blinds they imagined were standard in rental units. They didn’t expect Keaton to have every inch bursting with color, but the absence saddened them. It was then they realized they’d been hoping to get a glimpse into Keaton’s life through his belongings.
“I know it’s not much to look at,” Keaton said as if reading Jules’s mind. “You’re more than welcome to put things out here if there’s not enough space in your room.”
While Jules appreciated the offer, he hadn’t missed the way Keaton stiffened as he made it. Come hell or high water, they’d find a way to keep everything that couldn’t safely go into storage within their four walls. “Thanks, but I don’t have a ton. There might be more once my parents get ready to move, but prettymuch everything is theirs. I can get a storage unit for any furniture they give me. I don’t want to haul things upstairs only to have to move them again when my apartment is ready.”
The truth was they planned on selling most of the furniture and kitsch they’d collected. That was far more sensible than paying to store it.But if they admitted that to Keaton, he’d probably insist on going out to their parents’ place with his truck, and Jules was determined to not be a burden.
“Up to you.” He motioned around the room. “I’m not opposed to a few more chairs or whatever. I just haven’t had time to go shopping.”
“Didn’t you live in a house before?” Admitting he knew as much made Jules feel like a stalker. That wasn’t the sort of thing a server should know.
“I did. But most of what I had before was garage sale finds. I figured it was time to buy things I really wanted instead of what was good enough for the time being.”
Must be nice.
Hearing him talk about dropping money on all new furniture just because he felt like it only highlighted the differences between them. Jules was pinching every penny, and Keaton apparently had plenty to spare.
“Anyway, let me show you to your room.” Keaton ushered them down the sole hallway in the space. He pointed to a door on the right. “This is my bedroom. The bathroom is at the end of the hall. And here’s yours.”
Keaton pushed open the door across the hall from his room. Jules’s breath caught when they stepped into the room. Thewalls were a soft sage green and the sharp odor of paint still hung in the air. There was a low queen-sized bed against the far wall, covered in a plush comforter that looked to be down, and an absurd number of pillows. They didn’t know what to think too much about the stark contrast between this room and the rest of the apartment.
“This is…nice,” Jules murmured, fingers lightly tracing the wall’s smooth surface. The color was soft, serene, a shade that whispered of home in a way that surprised them. “I like this color. It feels homey.”
Keaton’s lips curled into a faint smile, pride flickering in his eyes. “I hoped you would.”
Their eyes met, and in that shared moment, something unspoken passed between them—a silent pact, a promise of understanding in this new chapter of their lives. Jules accepted the key Keaton offered, holding it with a sense of reverence, as if acknowledging the significance of the gesture.
“Thank you,” Jules said softly, their voice barely above a whisper. The words seemed inadequate, unable to capture the gratitude and anticipation swirling within them.
Keaton nodded, his gaze steady and warm. “I’m glad you’re here.”
They lingered on the threshold a moment longer, the air between them charged with a gentle tension. It was a moment of quiet understanding, a recognition that this was the start of something neither of them could fully define just yet.
