“It’s still a sensitive topic. Don’t you remember I broke a man’s nose once?”
“I do.”
“Then you should be more careful. I’d hate to mess up your perfect face.”
I chuckle at her fierceness and make her turn in my arms. “I’d rather not have my nose broken again, so I’ll be more diplomatic in the future.”
“You broke your nose?” She passes a finger down its bridge, looking for a sign of the injury.
“Someone broke it, actually.”
“A vengeful ex?”
“Some guy at Harvard.”
“What happened?”
“I had the brilliant idea to dismantle his entire thesis in front of an audience. Tact and sensitivity were never my forte, so I didn’t realize how humiliating it must have been for him to have a sixteen-year-old boy tell him off the way I did.”
“What an asshole…” She pulls me down and gives my nose a small kiss as if she can undo the past pain and damage.
“At least I got a good lesson out of it,” I dismissively say. “I’ve since learned to analyze and compare every social interaction. I take from life and experiences and try not to make the same mistake twice.”
“Like some sort of deep learning algorithm? It must be exhausting.”
“I have a brain that allows it. And it’s better than getting punched every time I misread a situation.”
“My poor baby…” she says, pulling me down for a proper kiss this time.
“Should we move on with the tour?” I suggest as I pull away.
“Good idea. Then, straight back to bed.”
I pick her up despite her giggles and how she tries to stop me. I enjoy having her in my arms too much to give up on carrying her around all day. We go through the two spare bedrooms and their bathrooms, the utility room, the media room I never use… She refuses to go out on the balcony, arguing it’s too cold, and we end the tour in the living area.
“Okay, your place is much bigger than I thought,” she says as I let her down again. “When the time comes, I’m definitely the one moving in.”
Although she only meant it as a harmless joke, it brings a plethora of implications I wasn’t ready for yet. This is serious now.Weare serious. She will eventually move in with me because it’s the natural order of things. And one day, I’ll ask her to marry me, and maybe, if she wants to, she’ll have my children. This isn’t just taking it one day at a time and living life as it comes. We’re past that. We’re starting a future together. The rest of our lives.
Kevin’s words come back to me—about having to tell Andrea and her right to make an informed decision. I understand where he’s coming from, and I agree with it. But the mere idea of telling her makes my throat swell with anxiety. What if this is a deal-breaker? What if that’s another one of her hard limits? What if she panics and tells someone else?
I’ve never told anyone aside from Kevin. Shelly probably knows as well because he can’t keep secrets from her, but that’s it. Only two people know, and that already feels like too much.
Because I haven’t replied to her joke, Andrea starts thinking something is wrong, so she nervously tries to backpedal with, “I mean, can you imagine moving in with me and Tami? It would be—”
“There’s another room,” I impulsively cut her off.
She has to know. Not telling her would be another betrayal, and I refuse to do that to her. She deserves better. And whatever she decides, I’ll accept it.
No matter how hard it might be, I’ll let her go if that’s what she wants.
Lex is acting weird, and I wish I’d turned my tongue seven times before speaking. Why the hell did I talk about moving in? Last night was literally our first actual date, and here I am, already bringing up the big commitment conversation.
You idiot… Everything was going so well, and we were having such a nice time. And now…
“Oh, another room?” I repeat, my voice uneven.
Lex sounds nervous as he says, “Yes. Iris, open the hidden door.”
