Page 33

Right. Just in case.

“It’s gorgeous, Rebecca,” Marlee says, holding it lovingly against her chest. “I love it so much. Thank you.”

I can’t stop staring at the two of them. Watching the woman I’m falling for fit so neatly into a world I used to believe I’d never deserve is like a dream I never knew I should want. A dream I didn’t think I could ever have.

Mom hands Marlee a second helping of potatoes and pats her hand. “You tell that boy if he’s not massaging your feet every night, he’s doing it wrong.”

Grinning at me, Marlee responds, “He’s been more worried about whether I’m secretly growing three babies instead of one.”

Dad chuckles beside me. “Now that’s a man who knows his luck’s caught up with him.”

I give him a helpless shrug and a laugh, though a small knot of emotion twists in my chest.

This.

This is what I didn’t know I needed. What I didn’t know I could have.

A family.

One I haven’t ruined.

One I haven’t lost.

Mom catches my eye across the table, giving me the soft kind of smile only a mother could give—equal parts pride and love.

She winks at me and murmurs, “You did good, Ledger.”

I nod slowly, my heart full, my stomach somewhere near my throat. I reach under the table and squeeze Marlee’s knee. She looks over, her smile softening, her eyes meeting mine, and then she leans over just enough to meet my lips with hers.

It’s quick and soft and over before it really begins but her simple expression, her sincere movement, means more to me than she could ever know.

And suddenly, I don’t feel nervous anymore.

With Marlee by my side, I feel…at home.

The road stretches out in front of us, dark but calm.

The hum of the tires on the pavement soothing, the dashboard glowing softly.

With one hand on the wheel, I rest the other on Marlee’s thigh, her fingers tangled with mine.

Her head leaning against the window, I smile at the sight of her half-lulled by the rhythm of the drive.

It’s a quiet drive home to start, but a good kind of quiet. We’re full bellied from my mom’s cooking and softened by the warmth of two people who love me and therefore love Marlee as well. I have no doubt they’ll be two of the most supportive and loving grandparents we could ever know.

“Your parents are wonderful,” Marlee says when I think she’s sleeping. She lifts her head from the window. “I think your mom offered me six casseroles and emotional adoption.”

“ Yeah, that tracks.” I grin. “If she had her way, you’d move in with her and I’d have to FaceTime to visit you.”

Marlee smiles at that, but my heart is beating harder than it should be for a joke. I stare straight ahead, watching the headlights curve with the road, then risk a glance at her.

How do I say it?

Do I just ask her?

Will she say yes?

Should I do it in a limerick like she did for me?

Fuck, there’s no way I can be that creative right now.

Just say it, Ledger. “Speaking of moving in…”

Casually, I clear my throat and then say, “ Speaking of moving in…”

Marlee turns her head, eyebrows raised.

“I uh…I know we haven’t really talked about it seriously, and we’ve both got our stuff and our rhythms and all that. But…I’ve been thinking.”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat and adjust my grip on the wheel.

“Well, I like waking up with you,” I start.

And when I see the corner of her mouth lift I continue in a straight up ramble because fuck it, I’m nervous as hell right now.

“And I like finding your hair ties everywhere. And tripping over your shoes by the door because I forgot they would be there. And the way your snacks have slowly taken over my pantry like an invading army. And I love the way you google what cheeses are good for pregnant women and whether or not two cups of coffee a day will cause harm to the baby. Hell, I also love the panic texts when you don’t know the answer to those questions even though you have the resources to figure them out at your fingertips.

I love that you trust me to take care of you and the baby and…

” I steal a glance one more time and see her biting back a smile.

“What’s so funny?”

With a smirk, she giggles and says, “You love my snacks. Don’t lie.”

“I do . I love your snacks. I love everything about you and I think… I want more of this. Of us. I want to be all in and not just on weekends or when it’s convenient with our travel schedules because we travel together all the time.”

I peek at her again and really look this time. Her smile has faded. Now she’s watching me with those wide beautiful blue eyes that I can’t get enough of.

“Move in with me, Marlee,” I murmur, trying to keep my eyes on the road and look at her at the same time.

“Let’s make one home. With your stuff and mine and…

all the tiny baby socks I’ll be terrified to lose in the dryer.

And stuffed animals and toys and blankets and little baby books that we’ll buy way too many of but will be so excited to read to our kid.

I have more than enough space at my place.

Or…or we could buy a house if you want. Out of town.

Anything you want. I just want it…with you. ”

“You’re serious?” she asks quietly.

I nod. “Yeah. Completely. I want to do this together, for real. All the way. I mean, if you’re ready, of course. I don’t want to pressure you into anything you don’t want. I just thought…you know, maybe it would be easier that way. For the baby…and for us.”

She doesn’t answer right away. I can feel her staring at me and now I’m frustrated that I brought this up in the car when I can’t give her my undivided attention. I look out at the road, then back to her more times than I can count before I uncomfortably ask, “What do you think about that?”

She lifts my hand from her thigh and for a split second my heart plummets inside my chest thinking she’s about to tell me I’m not what she wants.

But then she lifts my hand, her fingers still tangled with mine.

and kisses the back before she answers, “I think you’re stuck with me now, Ledger. Me and my snacks.”

Fuck, yes!

Oh, my God, she said yes.

Wait till the guys hear about this!

Marlee is moving in with me!

“Deal.” I grin, relieved. “But I’m claiming one full shelf in the fridge. Non-negotiable.”

“Hmm. I think we’ll talk about it.”

I turn my head to see Marlee wink at me and that’s when she lets out a hearty laugh, the sound filling the car like my favorite kind of music.

The road keeps rolling beneath us but rather than lull us into another quiet pause, we spend the rest of the ride talking about the move and suddenly everything feels like it’s falling into place.

Home isn’t just a place anymore.

It’s a person. And that person for me is sitting right beside me.