I watched her shift on her feet, looking uncomfortable. “He’s not entirely wrong. I don’t have a big career. I just work at a small shelter. I don’t have huge breasts and…”
“Stop,” I said, hating the look of doubt on her face. “My father knew part of who I was when I was a teen. I happened to date a gal who had big breasts and was planning to be a doctor.I had an attraction for a woman who wanted to be a lawyer, and she ended up getting a boob job right after we graduated high school. He’s making that opinion based on my past.”
I walked closer to her, cupping her face. “You have a wonderful job, and you have a purpose in life.”
“I don’t have huge breasts. The gal inside the bar would have been more your type.”
I leaned closer. “I don’t give a shit, they fit my hand.”
She blushed slightly, seeming to remember what had happened just a few moments ago. She swallowed. “Well, it seems either way we have some convincing to do with your father. I guess that rules are kind of out of the window now.” She sighed. “Well, besides the sex part. That still is sticking.”
“Really? You’re going to keep that off the table?”
She punched me in the gut, but a smile pulled at her face. “Don’t get any ideas. This is fake, remember?” She took a deep breath and glanced at the door. “We should head back inside. Your sister is probably looking for me.”
I nodded. I wasn’t sure about where this was all going, but I did know one thing. Nora was moving in.
Chapter 9 - Nora
I stared at my apartment, taking in the emptiness. It was crazy seeing it like I hadn’t lived there for years, putting my life together. I glanced at the huge bay window that coated the small living room in light. Plants used to hang there with my suncatchers. The living room used to be a bomb of colors, and now everything was white. There was no sign I had even been there.
I took in my small kitchen, where I spent hours teaching myself to cook. I remembered the hours Jade and I had spent together, taking care of Ilsa. The baby food bombs, the number of times we sat and drank wine while Ilsa napped. Ilsa had taken her first steps in my kitchen, Jade screaming in the living room when she saw it.
The apartment was filled with memories, and in the span of a week, I was saying goodbye. I had thought about maybe keeping it, but we didn’t want anyone finding out. Especially Kaleb’s father. He would think something was wrong. Why would I keep my apartment if I were moving in with Kaleb in his new house?
Kaleb and I had talked a little about how this was going to work, but it was different when you put the talk into action.
“That should be everything,” the mover said, stopping at the doorway. “You want us to head over and start unpacking it all into the house?”
I nodded, taking another look around the space before I set my keys on the kitchen counter like I told my landlord I would. I shut the door and felt uneasy as I headed to my car. I had been living on my own since I was seventeen, and now I was going to be sharing a space with someone again.
I drove over to the house and found Kaleb was helping unpack the moving van. I stared at him, wondering how this was all going to work. I looked at the house, feeling nervous.
Kaleb spotted me and waved. I offered him a tight smile and opened my car door. I walked up the sidewalk as he pulled a box up. “I have them putting everything into the living room. I figured we could divide it up from there.”
I nodded as I looked inside. The house was rather bare, and it surprised me. I figured Kaleb would have furnished it a little more. Kaleb must have noticed my shock because he raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“I just…you don’t have a lot of stuff. I figured mine would get in the way. But you…you hardly have anything.”
He shook his head. “Never had a need. I was living in my father’s house, so I didn’t see the need to buy stuff.”
We both stepped into the house, taking in my boxes. My small couch sat across from the front door. My bed was leaning against the hallway, and my plants were scattered around the space.
“That should be everything,” the mover said, stopping in the doorway.
I walked further in, taking in the house. Kaleb had a small couch facing a TV. The space felt bare, with no photos or artwork hanging. The kitchen was empty, minus a coffee maker and a juicer on the counter.
There was space for a dining room table with nothing but a pair of boots that sat by the back door. The house was empty and cold.
I heard the front door shut and realized it was just Kaleb and me now. I swallowed as I looked around my boxes.
He pointed toward the stairs. “I have a bedroom upstairs, and we can get everything moved into it. It’s across for mine.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I moved in because it will furnish this place.”
Kaleb chuckled as he walked closer. “I was going to buy more stuff. I haven’t exactly had time.”
I offered half a smile and rubbed my hands together. “Can we talk about this? I know we’ve discussed it, but…” I looked around the house, no longer able to just tell myself to calm down.
