“All right. I look forward to it.” He chuckles. “You’ve got to let me pick a movie too, then. Something with monsters and smashing things.”
“Deal. And you underestimate my propensity for monsters smashing things, I’m afraid. I love that shit.”
We laugh together, and I laugh even harder when I smash one side of my bowl in. I’m having a great time with him. I can see us doing this for a long time, a series of little moments stitched together into something incredible, stolen laughter between our busy jobs.
We finish our projects, which still have to be fired or baked or whatever happens to harden them. We browse the store for a bit, and I end up with two painted coffee mugs and a heart-shaped bowl.
“I can’t leave without buying something.”
“Obviously.” Grant’s smile is indulgent.
He drives me home, and I’m fidgeting in the seat next to him. We chat, and I try to work up the courage to say what I need to say.
He walks me to my door.
“You want to come in?”
“Of course.” He follows me into my living room.
“Have a seat.” I gesture to my couch.
He looks up at me. “Aren’t you going to sit, too? You look like you’re going to have a heart attack.” His brow furrows. “Are you okay?”
“Grant,” I say. I wring my hands together. “I need to say something.”
“Okay.” His lips compress. He looks like he’s waiting for terrible news.
“I’m in love with you,” I blurt out.
His face shifts to wide-eyed shock. He’s out of his seat before I’m finished talking. He grasps my hands.
“You’re kind,” I say. “Like really, truly kind now. It’s the best kind of change. And I want you all the time.” I let him put his arms around me, and my chin finds his shoulder. “I know I’ve yanked you around, but I need you to know how I feel now.” My heart gallops.
“Kendall.” He steps toward me and cups my cheek with his hand. “I’m so fucking happy to hear you say that.”
Then he leans toward me and kisses me. It’s achingly tender, like we might break this precious thing between us, and fierce at the same time. His kisses turn feverish.
“I’m so in love with you. In case that wasn’t clear.” His intense stare melts me from the inside out. “This is it for me. I swear. I love everything about you. I want to wake up next to you. To watch you study for your med school classes. To see you every day.”
I take a shaky breath. “And your family?”
“Fuck them.” He chuckles. “They can come to terms with it, or they can just not see us. It’s their choice.”
My shoulders drop. I hadn’t realized how nervous I’d been about that until he reassured me.
“And what about when I’m in med school? And residency? I won’t get an in-state one like you did. How are we going to navigate that?”
He shrugs. His hands are still tracing a path down my arms. “You’ll be in med school here for a while. And I’ll get a job wherever you land for residency. We’ll be fine. I’ll go where you are.”
“Just like that, huh? Like it’s that easy?”
“Most cities need orthopedic surgeons. We’ll make it work.”
“It’s going to be wild. With our schedules.”
“I will take every sliver of time I can get with you. You’ll be sick of me before too long.”
“Grant.” I bury my face in his chest. His arms come around me. “This is absurd, isn’t it? After our history?”
