‘You’re worth it. There is one more thing I’ve been wanting to talk to you about before we go through, though,’ Leo said, his expression suddenly serious.
My stomach clenched. ‘What’s that?’
‘Do you know what today is?’ he asked, unfurling his arm.
Oh no. A test. ‘Other than your birthday,’ I said, knowing that couldn’t be the answer.
‘Yesss, other than that.’
I pretended to think for a moment before shaking my head. ‘No idea,’ I said, honestly. I was rubbish at remembering dates and anniversaries and what happened when.
‘It’s exactly six months since you introduced me to Chez Margot and we finally got together.’
‘Is it?’ Had it really been six months? ‘Is that something we should celebrate?’
‘Yes. It’s our half-anniversary, and I wanted to mark the occasion with a question.’
Another question. This was starting to sound like aCosmopolitanquiz.How well do you know your other half?
‘OK… go on…?’
‘I love you, Kat,’ he said, taking my hands and turning me towards him.
‘I love you too,’ I said, my heart skipping a beat.I really did love him,and I’d say yes to whatever question he wanted to ask.
‘Good,’ he said. ‘Because I can’t stop thinking about you and “us” and the future – our future – and I just really want us to be official.’
I looked at him, bewildered. ‘I thought we already were?’
‘More official than that. To take the next step.’ The emotion in his eyes was more than I could bear, and it was all I could do to stop myself from wrapping my armsaround him. ‘I want to at least put the idea out there because I know it’s what I want, but no pressure at all if you’re not there yet.’
‘If I’m not where, exactly?’ I wasn’t entirely sure where this was going.
‘If you’re not one hundred per cent all in, I get it. It’s just that I am and I’m impatient and if you are too then I’m ready for us to get going with the rest of our lives.’
My stomach clenched again, but for a different reason this time. I knew exactly what he meant now, because I felt the same way. Dating back and forth these past six months had felt like a weird waiting game. The preamble to us getting started.
‘I’m excited too, you know,’ I said, softly. ‘And I am all in, Leo. Two hundred per cent. I want to do life with you.’
He kissed my hands, eyes shining. ‘Really? Well, then I can ask you my question.’ He stopped and took a breath, staring at me intently. ‘Kat. How would you feel about moving in with me?’ I nearly broke. He looked so vulnerable, scanning my face in earnest for an answer. Wearing his heart on his sleeve for all to see.
‘Oh, wow,’ I said, taken aback. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Say:yes, Leo, that sounds amazing, I’d love to move in with you.’
‘Right.’
‘Only if you want to, of course.’
‘Of course,’ I repeated, feeling totally overwhelmed. ‘That does sound amazing. And very grown up and slightly terrifying. I’ve never lived with a man before. What if I hate it?’
He beeped my nose and grinned. ‘Then you can move back out again, and we’ll go back to life as it is now. Don’t worry, I won’t hold you against your will, but the question you should be asking iswhat if you love it?’
That was another way of thinking about it… what if it just worked out?
Leo pulled a shiny key out of his pocket, attached to a crumbly hunk of stone. ‘Recognise this?’
Again, he’d lost me. I shook my head, while the washing machine in my stomach went on fast spin.
