“How many outfits should I bring?” Reverie is a whirl of chaos this morning as she decides what to take to Asher’s place later.
“However many you want,” I laugh. “We can always come back, too. It’s not like we’re going far.”
“Maybe not for you, but it’s far for me!” Reverie squeaks and flits away, back into our shared bedroom where I can hear her muttering to herself as I wander into the kitchen for coffee before Asher picks us up.
“Morning.” I smile at Zuri.
“Hey, how’s she doing?” Zuri grins and jerks her chin in Reverie’s direction.
“Crazy.” I chuckle and shake my head as Zuri answers with a snort.
“She’s been pining over him for weeks now, you have no idea.” Zuri elbows me playfully and my heart is fit to bursting with joy that Zuri seems to have accepted my relationship. “Better watch your man or she’ll sneak right in and steal him from you.”
“It means a lot that you both like him.”
Zuri’s eyes flash and I catch a hint of wariness before she smiles. I bite my lip to hold off the roiling emotions threatening to crash through me. I need the most important people in my life to get along, but beyond that, I want them to be friends too.
“Eh. I guess he’s not so bad.” Zuri rolls her eyes with a sniff, trying to play it off. Go Fish and Speed got them off to a good start, and his treatment of me the last few weeks has helped turn her opinion of him around. I’m thankful she’s giving him a chance.
“You taking Rev to brunch too? It’s been a minute since she’s seen your fam.”
“Yeah, I know she gets a little overwhelmed around morethan just us, but she said she didn’t want to be left behind when I offered to come back for her. I think she’s afraid we’d forget or something.”
Zuri nods, her face pensive as she spins the mug in her hands.
“So… I guess this probably means I should start looking for a new roommate soon?”
She doesn’t meet my eyes when she says it, and my heart pangs again. Things are moving so quickly all of a sudden, and I both want and dread the changes.
“We haven’t talked about moving in together, but… yeah. Probably.” My voice is soft, matching her tone. “He said he wanted to give me a key.”
I flick my eyes up to Zuri as she does the same, and my shoulders slump. I hate the sadness I see there even as she tries to smile.
“We’ll still talk all the time. And I’ll come over, and you can come over too.” I try not to ramble, but I’m suddenly feeling incredibly alone with all the changes happening around me.
“Come here,” she says, holding an arm out.
I dart around the counter and into her hold, squeezing her tight around the waist and trying not to nuzzle into her, but failing spectacularly.
“Ooookay, that’s enough,” Zuri says with a laugh, pulling away from my cheek in her hair. “You shifters are too much sometimes.”
“I know you secretly love it.”
She rolls her eyes as a knock sounds on the front door.
“HE’S HERE!” Reverie is a streak of magenta through the air as she shoots from the back of the apartment to the front door. “RAYA!”
“Geesh, I’m coming.”
I brush my hand down Zuri’s hair as I pass by her, my heart already picking up at the thought of being in Asher’s presence again. He’s like a drug, and I am fully addicted.
My eyes light up as I pull open the door and drink in the sight of him. Tall, perfectly styled dark hair. Vibrant, slightly mischievous blue eyes. A serious expression I want to crack.
“Hey, you.” I tip up on my toes so my lips can reach his as he bends down, meeting me halfway.
“Sunshine,” he says, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, then pulling back as his eyes shift past me with a smile. “Hey Reverie. You two ready to go?”
“Yep, let me grab her bag.”
