Imogen nodded. “I’m satisfied,” she drawled, sweeping the completed NDA paperwork into a fancy zippered leather portfolio. “I believe you’re up. And I’d like to come down as well before I head out—it’s been some time since I’ve had the pleasure of seeing your artwork in person.”
“Ah. Okay.” He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, which was rapidly turning red. “All right. Um…Violet, I guess you can—”
He didn’t even get to finish before she made a beeline for his studio door.
“No, wait!” He shot his hand up with an alarmed look. “Wait a second! Hey! Come back here, you can’t just—”
“I SIGNED THE FUCKING NDA, I’M GOING IN.”
Theo waddled frantically after her, but it was too late. Violet had already wrenched it open and was at least halfway down the stairs by the time he managed to grab the doorframe to hold himself steady.
“Don’t touch anything or go any further until I get down there! It actuallyisdangerous!” he called, his voice trembling as he grabbed Audrey’s hand and gripped it tightly. He leaned on her heavily while she helped him down the steep staircase leading into his dark studio.
It was still a little strange, remembering that she’d moved in with Theo only a few short weeks ago. That his place was now theirs. That there was no more splitting their time between beds, no more schlepping clothing back and forth from the itty-bitty studio she shared with her best friend. No more having to coordinate schedules or spend time going between his place and hers. No more missing him when they were apart. No more café, even—not since she’d started her new job at the sustainable tech startup Greenwise Technologies.
Now she got to wake up every morning wrapped safely in his arms.
Make him coffee over breakfast.
Sit with him in the kitchen while he cooked dinner.
But not as a visitor anymore, because now this house was her home too. Theo was her home. And she was so happy.
Bliss was the taste of him in her mouth.
The sight of him sound asleep next to her in their bed.
The feeling of his body melding into hers.
The scent of roasted coffee beans.
And the sound of Billie Holiday lilting in the air.
“Yeah, yeah, I read the paperwork, you’re not responsible for any bodily harm I may incur,” Violet yelled back, her voice echoing slightly.
“Yeah, but still! I don’t want anything to happen to you!” Theo’s hand tightened on the cane, making the padding groan and squeak as they rounded the corner and found her waiting at the bottom of the staircase, leaning casually against the wall and smirking in the slim sliver of light pouring down from upstairs.
He still hated using his cane, but admitted that he hated it a lot less with Audrey around now.
“Did you honestly think I wasn’t going to let you do whatever big reveal you have planned? You think I’ve waited all this time only to miss out on that shit?” She stood on her tiptoes and punched Theo fondly in the shoulder. “I just wanted to give you a heart attack.”
“Why?!” he wailed, flashing her a look like she was absolutely out of her goddamn mind. “Do you not think I’ve been through enough this year? A heart attack? Are you trying to kill me?Again?!”
“You’re fine, Teddy.” Violet’s smirk widened. “I’d be willing to bet that the very strongest part of you is your heart.”
He froze and grew quiet, still leaning on Audrey. “That’s…a-awfully generous of you to say,” he finally stammered, taking anothertentative few steps down to meet her at the bottom. “But for the record, I’m pretty sure it’s actually my chest and back. I still have trouble gripping a pen sometimes, but I can bench three-twenty-five.”
“Is that good?”
“Yeah, it’s a lot. I exercise when I’m anxious.”
“I assume that means you work out near constantly, then,” Violet replied, rocking back and forth on her heels while she waited for Theo to hobble over and fiddle with the light switches. “But I’m sticking with my answer.”
“I hope yours is as strong as you think mine is,” Theo muttered as Imogen floated down the stairs after them, her arms crossed over her chest and her face unreadable. Audrey eyed the attorney’s shoes, envying her ease with such tall, pointy heels. “Okay. Are you ready?”
“Boy, am I ev—”
He hit the switch.
