Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“You sound pretty sure of that.”
“That’s because I know you. You’re warm, and kind, and passionate, and you make everyone you meet feel important and special. You—” Tracy stopped talking abruptly and looked at me with uncertainty in his eyes. After a moment, he whispered, “I hope I haven’t read too much into this.”
“Into what?”
“You and me.” He seemed so vulnerable all of a sudden. “I’ve never known anyone like you, Ever. There’s this light that radiates from you, and for the last couple of months, I’ve felt so lucky to live in its glow. I came here wanting to talk to you about us, but now I’m scared that I’ve read too much into your kindness.”
“I was planning to talk to you tonight, too. I need to tell you how I feel.” I took his hands in mine and met his gaze. “You’re everything to me, Tracy, and I don’t want us to be friends with benefits. I want you to be mine.”
His dark eyes went wide with surprise. “But you said you didn’t want a relationship.”
“That was fear talking. My family taught me the people you love the most leave you. If I didn’t let anyone in, it wouldn’t hurt so much when they left me behind.” I gently traced his cheekbone as I said, “But we’re already in a relationship, no matter what we were trying to call it. And instead of feeling worried or insecure, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. It’s not just me anymore. I really believe you have my back, just like I have yours.”
“I do. Always.” He grinned and told me, “It’s funny, today my friends said we were already in a relationship, but neither of us realized it. Really though, I wasn’t sure where you stood, so I let my insecurity get in the way of talking to you about it.”
“I should have said something sooner.”
“You told me when you were ready, and I did the same thing.” I nodded, and he said, “I’m glad your apartment was still under construction last month. I know neither of us would have just let this end when you moved out, but I think we needed that extra time. I doubt we would have been ready to open up like this a month ago.”
“You’re right, and that reminds me.” I took his hand and told him, “I need to show you something.”
Tracy let me lead him through the gym and up the back stairs to the apartment. I held the door open for him, and as he stepped inside, he murmured, “Oh wow, it’s beautiful.”
The apartment was fully built out and completely furnished. “It took an extra month because I had some adjustments to make,” I explained. “I really wanted it to be cozy.”
“You succeeded. I love all the shades of blue.” The walls were powder blue, while the couch and chairs had been recovered in a deep blue fabric. The color scheme was also reflected in the throw pillows and area rugs.
“That was your suggestion. So was that.” I gestured to the left, where new walls totally separated the bedroom from the living area.
I followed him into the bedroom, which was done up in deeper shades of blue, from the walls and curtains to the linens on the king-sized bed. “Over there is what I’ve been dying to show you.” I pointed to the far end of the room.
Tracy walked over to the reading nook, which was right in front of the windows. An indigo blue recliner draped in a throw blanket sat beside a small table with a reading lamp. Floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves bracketed both sides of the space, linked together with low shelves under a bench seat that spanned the windows.
There was an envelope with a stick-on red bow on the chair, and I told him, “That’s for you.”
He opened the envelope and looked confused as he turned to me. “It’s a gift certificate to a bookstore.”
“I debated filling the shelves for you, but I thought you’d have more fun picking out books on your own.”
“So, this…”
“Is for you. The word I kept shooting for was cozy, and I’m not sure if I got there. I figure we can block it off with some free-standing shelves if you’d like it to feel more enclosed.”
“Why did you do all of this?”
“Because I want you to move in with me, Tracy. I know it might seem fast, but the thing is, we’re already living together, and I’m loving every minute of it. The only thing that would make it better would be sharing a bed every night.”
I looked around and added, “I get that this isn’t ideal. When it was just me, I thought it would be convenient to live where I work. But now that there’s more to my life than my job, I can see why it’d be better to fully leave work behind at the end of the day.”