“He’s got enough to worry about,” I replied. “If I told him now, his entire briefcase might explode.”
Chase laughed.
We returned to his apartment. As soon as I stepped in the door, the cozy scent of him filled my nose. It was familiar, and it made my heart feel warm and light.
Chase put the biggest box on the floor, then put his hands around my waist. The corners of his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled at me.
“Welcome home.”
27
Epilogue: Chase
Four Months Later...
“Little to the left,” Sagitta suggested. Well, more like ordered.
I raised a brow but didn’t argue with my boyfriend. This was the fifth time I’d moved that particular clump of hornwort. I imagined the poor aquatic plant was sick and tired of me jostling it around.
“It looks fine. It doesn’t have to be perfect,” I said.
Sagitta’s voice was sharp. “Yes, it does. For this business to thrive, we must reach for perfection. That includes Demetrius’s new tank, since it’s the first thing customers see when they walk in. Now, move the hornwort a little to the left, please.”
Carefully pinching the plant with the metal tongs, I moved it a little to the left and buried it beneath the substrate, then stepped back to examine my work.
“Huh. It does look better there,” I admitted.
Sagitta smirked. He did me the courtesy of not saying ‘I told you so.’
“Good job. Now it’s perfect,” he said, linking his arm with mine.
Upon feeling Sagitta’s touch, the frustration of moving plants and decor around for the past hour instantly melted away. There was nobody I’d rather be doing this with.
“I think that’s it,” I said with finality.
Sagitta let out a content sigh. “It’s perfect.”
We stood there in silence for a couple minutes as we examined the fruits of our labour. Right by the shop entrance stood a magnificent fifty-gallon long aquarium, decorated with sunken driftwood, textured river rocks, and brimming with lush green plants. The light clipped onto the back filtered down through the floating lily pads. Shimmering columns of light danced across the dark, sandy floor. Once in a while, a red cherry shrimp scuttled across the bottom. When they got caught in the rays, they resembled tiny living rubies.
The setup was eye-catching and beautiful. The only thing missing was its final resident.
“Did you double check the water parameters?” Sagitta asked.
My heart skipped a beat. It was so hot when he asked me questions like that. He really was the perfect man.
“Duh. It’s been cycled for weeks,” I replied.
Sagitta’s eyes sparkled. He looked as excited as I felt. “Then we’re all ready.”
Running to the back room, I fetched a small plastic tub and gingerly pulled off the lid. Demetrius was swimming inside, and he looked pissed. If he could talk, he’d be swearing like a sailor at me.
“Sorry, bud. It’s worth it, I promise.”
Sagitta lifted the tub. Since it was full of water, it was heavy as fuck. Unfortunately, I was concentrating too hard to ogle my boyfriend’s sleek biceps poking out from his white t-shirt.
I scooped Demetrius out of the tub with a silk net and eased him into the new aquarium. He took off like a shot, swishing his tail like a big red middle finger as he got away from the net. Butthen he slowed down. Curiosity lit up his small round eyes. He looked around, then started to explore in earnest.
I grinned like a little kid. Beside me, Sagitta had the same expression. We were just two overgrown boys watching a fish swim around in his awesome new home.
