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I have also heard that there are other artists reaching out to Mateo now, to have him as their manager.

I am just so happy to see both my friends flourishing.

“Do you need help with the cupboard?” I ask.

“No, you were busy in the kitchen, weren’t you?” Lynn asks.

“Yes, Aden and I ordered a bunch of utensils for me,” I explain. “I am going to a few barkeeping courses soon and want to practice at home.”

“Aden is lucky,” Lynn sighs.

“All the more reason for you to visit us often,” I point out.

Lynn grins. “Don’t need to tell me again, because I willdefinitelycome over plenty.” She looks at me with a smile. “I told you once, Noel, and I stick to it: This is good. You and Aden are really good together.”

Instead of rebuffing her by telling her how I think he is too good for me and that he brings more to the table than a nutcase like I do, I decide to have confidence in my relationship and show it. “I love being with Aden,” I tell her. “He is amazing.”

“He says the same about you,” Mateo says. He stretches his muscles. “Well then, Lynn, love, are we ready to get this upstairs?”

“We are,” Lynn turns to me with a soft smile. “He calls me ‘babe’,” she whispers. “And ‘love’. No guy ever did that.”

I give her the thumbs up and nod. It’s very Mateo to shower his significant other with love and respect. I am glad she reciprocates.

While the two of them continue their way upstairs, another person comes through the front door. “Where do you want these two boxes?” Sterling asks, without putting them down.

“They should have a label,” I say. “Wait, let me check.” I study them before nodding. “Bedroom, please.”

As Sterling walks past me, he smiles. “I am very happy for you,” he says. Nothing more, but between him and Mateo, he is less forthcoming with words, so it makes me happy he comments on my decision. Knowing I have his and Mateo’s approval means something special to me, actually more than I can imagine.

While Sterling stumbles upstairs, Cedric seeks me out. “I am going to organize some lunch for us. Mr. Randall usually eats around that time in the office.”

“Thank you, try to keep it simple.”

“I was thinking about wraps,” he says. “Won’t make much waste and are easy to eat.”

I nod my approval, grinning when Cedric dashes off full of motivation. Despite his chipper attitude and his lack of experience, the guy is a born assistant. Strangely, he always knows what Aden wants. Thinking about Aden makes me want to look for him immediately.

He is in the living room, talking to the carpenter about the small bar we had designed for me. I wait for him to be done talking before hugging him from behind. Aden turns around, brushing through my hair. “Is everything okay?”

He is still worried about me. Well, after the way I had a full-fledged panic attack and ran to hide at Sterling’s—our—house at the lake not even a week ago, I get why he is nervous. “I am fine,” I reassure him. “I promise, if anything even remotely triggersme, I will tell you. But really, Mom hasn’t reached out to me, and she is usually my biggest trigger.”

“I am not trying to be patronizing,” he says. “I am just a little worried.”

It reminds me of how he said that my disappearing triggers him, too. I guess we’ll both need some time to adapt to our new realities, and I probably need to be more aware of the things I do that might hurt him.

“I have reached out to the therapist Cedric recommended,” I tell him.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, I did so yesterday. I was early at work and did some paperwork for the boss, then figured I could use the thirty minutes I had before opening to make that call.” I pause. “Cedric is really good.”

“I know,” Aden chuckles. “He has a passion for the job, which is why I hired him. Plus, I don’t get on his nerves.”

“You could never get on anyone’s nerves!” I exclaim.

“You say that because you have rose-tinted glasses on and are obviously head over heels in love with me,” he says in that usual dry humor, he only shows me and, sometimes, Lynn.

“I am confident you could never get on my nerves,” I add.