“No,” Tarryn agreed. “No more assumptions. Just us and where we can go from here.”
“Will you stay tonight?” Allie’s heart thundered as she waited for the answer. “This apartment isn’t nearly as nice as Kirra’s, but my bed is good. And if I ever order, we’ll have food.”
“I’d love to.” Tarryn kissed her again, as if now that they’d reconciled, she couldn’t get enough of her.
Allie picked up her phone and ordered. “Delivery in forty minutes.”
Tarryn pushed Allie’s hair back from her face with both hands and leaned in to kiss her again. “What shall we do in those forty minutes?”
“We talk?” Allie set her phone down. The email notification caught her eye, and she grinned. “I just need to check this. I’m expecting a job offer.”
She opened the email, and the Kirkland sender jumped out at her. Sure enough, Ramona had sent through a job offer—and a reference. Allie opened the reference and scanned it. It was on letterhead, and it was…glowing. It mentioned her sound knowledge, integrity, work ethic, and attention to detail and mentioned nothing about her being forced to resign. She sighed in satisfaction, then opened the other attachment. The job offer was even better than Ramona had said. Wait until Leila heard this!
“Did you get the offer?” Tarryn sat beside her.
“Yes, but it’s not all it seems.” Swiftly, she explained the situation with Kirkland. “So there’s no way I want this job. I’m done with the toxic workplace. But the reference means I can now, hopefully, secure another accounting job.”
“That’s great.” Tarryn kissed her cheek, and their hands tangled together again before Allie drew her closer for another, proper, kiss.
“It is. I thought I’d have to try for a career change, but when it comes down to it, I don’t want to. Strange as it is to most people, I like being an accountant.”
“So you won’t be running the wedding festival next year?”
“If Quandong asks, then it will hopefully be Sophie doing it for real. The doctors have given her a guarded successful prognosis long-term.”
“Maybe Sophie will hire you as her assistant next year.”
“I think that’s your role. You aced it this year. But I’d like to help out. Maybe I’ll volunteer at the festival. What about you? Will your anti-marriage stance mean you’ll stay away?”
Tarryn licked her lips. “No. I’ll be there. In fact, the festival, the fake marriage…but mainly you…you’ve softened me. I see it now. I’m still not sure it’s for me, but now I understand why many people want that commitment. Our fake ceremony…I didn’t expect the emotion.”
“Me neither. In a way, I think it played its part in getting us to this point.”
“It did. Totally.” Her smile spread slowly over her face like the sunrise. “Now, there’s still maybe thirty-five minutes until the food arrives.”
“Are you starving?”
“No. Wondering what we can do in that time.”
A shudder coursed through Allie’s body. “Oh, I have a few ideas.” She stood and held out her hand. “I don’t believe I’ve given you a tour of my apartment, have I?”
“No, you haven’t. Well, I’ve seen the living area and the kitchen. What else is there?”
She grasped Tarryn’s hand. “This is the bathroom. You look, as if we both go in, we’re likely to get stuck. It’s not spacious.”
“Okay. Bathroom. Great cleaning on the shower screen. It sparkles.”
“I do my best.” Allie tugged her back to the living area. “Here’s the linen cupboard. Towels, sheets, and so on.”
“Very neat. I like you’ve got them colour coordinated.”
“That took some work.” Allie opened the final door. “This is the bedroom.”
Tarryn walked in. “This deserves a closer look.” She pressed the mattress. “Good and firm. Nice sheets. The view is lacking.” She gestured to the blank wall. “Barely any natural light. Have you had your vitamin D levels checked?”
“No, but I should. My lease is up next month, and I plan on moving to somewhere with at least a proper window.” She tugged Tarryn closer again and kissed her, lips moving on hers. A change of angle and then a deeper kiss. “I think you should take a closer inspection of the bed.” Her fingers worked the buttons of Tarryn’s shirt.
“I should.” Tarryn shrugged the shirt from her shoulders and swiftly undressed. Naked, she stood there regarding Allie with an amused smile. “You should do the same. We don’t want to keep the delivery driver waiting.”
