I spun around and tossed the box in my arms on top of the counter and glanced over at where Novi was putting some of our groceries into the pantry. She looked beautiful in one of my old shirts and a pair of leggings. I pulled out my phone, snapped a quick picture of her while she wasn’t even looking and posted it on my story.
Donald’s ass hadn’t made a peep but we were far removed from the act of me posting Novi for responses. Now I just posted her little ass because I was obsessed with her.
We’d closed on the penthouse the day Novi had decided she’d wanted and I’d paid myself out of my old lease. I’d rushed the process so everything had gone down in pretty much a week, but it was worth it. Shit was moving fast. I’d hired movers for all the large furniture. Rob and JV had helped me move a few of the last minute things myself but we were damn near moved in. We’d just purchased the rest of the little shit we needed like food, hygiene stuff and new bedding.
To top it all off, I’d attended my first therapy appointment yesterday and Novi was scheduled to be running to hers today around midday. Mine had been cool, but honestly I was more excited for Novi’s appointment. I knew I had shit to unpack withmy mother and how I gave and received love, but I also knew I’d navigated my entire life with that shit on my head. Novi’s trauma was trauma that she’d just gotten thrust on to her. She looked fine but I wanted to make sure that was the case and I wasn’t qualified to take care of her in that way no matter how much I wanted to.
I walked around our kitchen island and grabbed some of the bags Novi had thrown on the floor and put them on the counter so I could start unpacking them.
Something about the two of us maneuvering around a space we’d locked in together and morphing it from a blank, empty space to a spot full of shit we’d picked out together was insane to me.
We had plans to drive up to her old spot and pack it up in the next two weeks and I was even more excited about that. We were going to mesh our shit together and all of her old bedroom furniture would go in our second bedroom here.
I’d selfishly asked her to slow down on the job hunt because I wasn’t really trying to be doing the moving shit on my own. I wanted her opinion and taste woven into every little peace of this shit.
When we finished unpacking our groceries, we made up our bed together and I dipped out to head to the shop. I was only a few hours late so I still had some appointments on the books.
I headed straight there and got to work. I’d taken some time off for touring places, shopping for furniture and now moving it. It was a lot of missed time, but it was what it was. Not only was it worth it but it was like being out had made my stock go up. I had a continuously growing waitlist and people calling by the minute to be added to it. I wasn’t complaining.
As soon as I got to the shop I got to work and I was working damn near nonstop for hours. By the time I finally got a breakin, I was fucking exhausted from making idle conversation and craving a fucking energy drink.
I collapsed in my empty chair when I saw that my next appointment was late. I checked my phone and saw that we were only two hours from closing. Time was both flying by and dragging.
I resisted the urge I had to groan when I heard the door open. I looked over and a huge smile took over my face as I watched Novi walk in and close in on me, a large tray in her hand.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey, baby,” she echoed. She leaned in to kiss me then addressed the room. “I brought everyone some cookies,” she announced.
“You made them?” JV asked.
“I did.”
“Yeah, nah. I’m good on that shit then.”
Novi’s mouth fell open and the guys laughed. She punched him in his arm and forced the whole tray into his hands.
“Take the fucking cookies, JV.”
“Yes ma’am.” He took the tray. “You know I was just messing with you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waved him off. “Anyway, how’s it been?”
“Busy.” I scooted to the edge of my seat, put my hands on Novi’s waist and pulled her into me. I kissed her throat. “Nah. It’s been cool.”
“You take a break since you’ve been here?”
“Nope.”
Novi rolled her eyes but dug around in her purse. She pulled a wrap, a bag of chips and an energy drink out and offered it to me.
“I figured.”
“Damn. I love you.” I took the stuff from her. “Thank you, baby.”
“Of course.”
I hopped up so I could set the chips and energy drink down and take the wrapper off the wrap. I knew immediately from looking at it, it was one of my favorites and took a bite of it immediately. I nodded as I chewed.
