Maybe he’d been counting on having another month. Or maybe he’d be relieved it was happening sooner.
Maybe he wanted his space back.
I forced myself out of bed, tugged on sweats, and headed downstairs.
Marco was in the living room, balanced on one foot doing calf raises, the walking boot set aside. He looked up when I appeared.
“Morning.”
“Morning.” I held up my phone. “Got an email from my landlord.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Apartment’s ready. They finished early. I can call for a walkthrough and move back in.”
“Oh.” He set his foot down, reaching for the boot. “That’s good. Fast.”
“Yeah.”
We held each other’s gazes, neither of us revealing our thoughts.
“Are you going to look at the apartment?” he asked, his voice neutral.
“I don’t want to move out,” I blurted.
The words hung in the air.
Marco’s expression didn’t change. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I don’t want you to move out either.”
My heart started racing. “You don’t?”
“No.” He strapped on his boot. “I want you to stay. Here. With me.”
“But the apartment?—”
“Fuck the apartment.” His voice was firm. “I don’t care that it’s ready. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay here. With me. Permanently.”
“Permanently?”
“Yes.” He closed the distance between us. “Not as a temporary roommate until your place is fixed. As—as my partner. As the person I’m choosing to live with. Choosing to be with.”
The relief that flooded through me was overwhelming. “I want that too. I don’t want to go back. I want to stay with you.”
“Then stay.”
“What do we tell people?” The practical question, even though my heart was soaring. “About why I’m not moving back?”
“We tell them the truth. That we’re roommates. Our living arrangement is nobody’s business.”
“Boucher will?—”
“Let him talk.” Marco’s hands found my face. “I’m tired of making decisions based on what Boucher thinks. I’m tired of being afraid. If you want to stay—if you’re choosing to stay—then stay. We’ll deal with whatever comes.”
The confidence in his voice surprised me. This wasn’t the Marco who’d panicked after Boucher’s visit. This was someone who’d made a choice and was standing by it.
