She laughs, and the sound fills every empty corner of this huge apartment. It’s comfortable luxury, but I’m not used to it yet.
“Missed you more,” she says.
I pull back just enough to look at her. I take in her warm brown eyes. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m complaining, but—”
“I’m moving to D.C.”
Her words hit me like the linebacker who sacked me in last week’s game. “What?”
“Well, nottonight. I have to pack up my house and there’s paperwork and logistics, but—” She’s talking fast now. “I’m opening a new branch of the Early Childhood Center here, in connection with Georgetown. Ron’s been working on it for weeks, and I didn’t want to say anything until it was definite, but it’s happening. We got the funding, and the university is on board, and I’m going to run it.”
I’m still processing. “You’re moving here.”
She bites her lip. “Is this okay? I know we didn’t exactly plan this together, and I don’t want you to think I’m just following you or that I’m giving up everything for—”
I kiss her because she’s here and she’sstaying. When I finally pull away, she looks a little dazed.
“I’m taking that as a yes?” she says.
“Of course that’s a yes. Charlotte, are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” She reaches up and cups my face with both hands. “I love my job. I love working with kids. But what really lights meup is the chance to do work I love in the same city as theguyI’m in love with.”
My heart does something complicated in my chest. We’ve expressed our love for each other many times, but it still affects me. “Say that again.”
“The guy I’m in love with?” She’s smiling now. “Yeah. You. In case that wasn’t clear.”
“I love you too.” The words come out rough.
She kisses me again, softer this time. “I wanted to bring Miley, but in the end, I decided to save all the other passengers’ ear drums and leave her with Willa again.”
I pull back. “It would have been fun to see her. She’s growing so fast. But yeah, thank you, Willa.”
“Kyle says he’ll come out with me when I move.”
“He knew you were surprising me this weekend?”
“He helped plan it. Why do you think he’s been texting you weird stuff all week?”
I laugh. “That explains a lot, actually.”
“So you’re really doing this,” I say, still not quite believing it. “New center. D.C. Miley.”
“And you.” She grins. “Mostly you. The center is a close second.”
“What about MJ?”
Her brow crumples. “I’ll miss her a lot, but we’ll keep in touch. Lynette and I have become friends, and I’ll always keep a close eye on her case.”
I shake my head, overwhelmed by all of it. By her. “I don’t deserve you.”
“I think we deserve each other…in a good way, of course.” She’s smiling. “And that concussion research proposal you’ve been working on? I’m impressed. How’s that going?”
I’d let her in on the plans Raj, others on the team, and I have been working on. She’s been offering her insights. “I’vebeen wrestling with the spreadsheet again.” She walks over to my laptop, peering at it. “This is really amazing, Taysom. I’m so proud of you.”
“It’s because of you.”
“It’s because ofyou.” She turns to face me. “You’re the one doing the work. You care enough to make a difference.”
