Page 74 of Back to Square One

“You’re welcome.” They parted, and Rowan’s mom seemed to take a moment to collect herself. Waving a hand at the cupboards, she said, “Take a look and let me know if something doesn’t work for you. I’ll move it.”

“It’s great,” Evie said. “It’s perfect.” She looked at Rowan, who nodded her agreement.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Glad I could help.” There was a beat and then her mom said, “Well. I’m gonna get going. I’ll come back tomorrow.” She seemed to catch herself and quickly looked from Rowan to Evie and back. “I mean, if you want.” She’d been working so hard recently to not overstep, but Rowan knew it was hard for her.

Evie saved the moment. “We want. Definitely.” She reached out for Rowan’s mom, grabbed her hand. “We so appreciate all your help.”

Evie walked her toward the front door, and Rowan watched the two of them. Her mother and her partner, arm in arm, Evie leaning her head against her mom’s shoulder. They’d grown so close over the past year, and Rowan had loved watching their relationship re-blossom.

Her mom pointed at the cat carrier. “Are you going to let that poor boy out?”

Rowan laughed. “Yes. I just want to wait until I’m sure all the doors are closed and nobody’s going in and out.”

At the front door, her mom turned to look at the pair of them. “I’m so happy for you girls. This is a lovely house, the neighborhood is great, and I think you’re going to be very happy here.”

“Us, too.” Evie hugged her, then stepped aside so Rowan could do the same.

“See you tomorrow, Mom. Thanks again for everything.” Her mother kissed her cheek, then headed out. Rowan closed the door behind her and leaned her back against it. “I’m fucking wiped out.”

Evie sighed. “Same, babe. Same.” She sidled up next to Rowan and wrapped an arm around her. “But look at our house.”

Our house.

Rowan liked the sound of that. No, she loved the sound of that. She leaned her head against Evie’s shoulder and scanned the space before her.

The living area was open concept, a living room, dining area, and kitchen all in a large open space. Rowan liked that. It would be easy for Evie to maneuver through, and Rowan would be able to see her in case she fell or needed help with something. There were three bedrooms. Theirs had an en suite, so if Evie needed the bathroom in the night or something, it would be easy for her. They planned to make one room into a guest room and the other, an office. Rowan was back to work full-time, but she worked from home, so having an office space was helpful. And with the entire house on one floor, it made things much easier on Evie, like her last place. Stairs were no longer something they were willing to deal with in their living space.

“Should we let that boy out of his carrier?” Evie said, her quiet voice sounding loud in the silence of the house.

“You do that,” Rowan said. “I’ll be right back.” She headed into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out the bottle of Champagne she’d stashed in there that morning. Thanks to her mother, she easily located a couple of flutes, popped the cork, and poured. In the living room, Evie was seated on the couch watching Kevin wander around slowly. The large front window had a window seat, and she suspected that would become his spot once the sun shone on it. She smiled at her cat, then handed a glass to Evie.

“What’s this?” Evie asked, surprised.

“I grabbed it yesterday when I ran out to get cash to tip the movers.” She sat down next to Evie. “I wanted us to be able to toast our new place today.”

“Look at you, always ready with the celebration.”

“I consider it my duty,” Rowan said and held up her glass. “To our new home. May we be happy and fulfilled here. May this house be bursting with love and laughter. May we grow happily old here together.”

A shadow crossed Evie’s face, but only for a blip of a second. It happened whenever Rowan spoke about the future, but she saw it now and recognized it and knew Evie was doing her best. Her new therapist helped. Evie seemed to mentally attempt to shoo the shadow away and she smiled. “That’s a good toast, babe. I like it.”

They touched their glasses together, then sipped. The house was silent, and they both watched Kevin wander for a moment before Rowan said quietly, “Hey. Look at me.”

Evie did, her dark eyes tired, but soft.

Rowan kept her voice low, and she held Evie’s gaze the entire time she spoke. “I love you, and I want to be here. I know we’ve been through this a hundred times over the past year, but I’m not going anywhere, and it’s about time you just accept that. Okay? I love you, and I’m in this for the long haul, no matter what.”

Evie’s eyes welled up as Rowan watched. She swallowed and cleared her throat. “It’s the thing I’m working on the most in therapy,” she said, then gave Rowan a slightly sheepish grin. “Acceptance.”

“Of?”

Evie sighed. “Everything. My diagnosis. The way my life is going to progress from here on out. You…being here, with me. Loving me…” Her voice trailed off.

It hadn’t been easy on Evie, and she didn’t often talk about therapy—what she’d discussed during her appointments, what she’d worked out or struggled with. So now that she was talking about it, Rowan forced herself to listen without interjecting her own thoughts and opinions.

“It’s no secret that I’ve struggled,” Evie went on. “With all of it. I’ve been so angry, so furious over the unfairness of it all. And that”—she tapped her fingers against her chest—“it eats away at you, from the inside. I thought chasing you away was the best thing for both of us because…” She took a sip of her Champagne as if hoping it would bolster her courage to continue talking. “Because I didn’t want to drag you down with me. Because I want you to have the best life you possibly can. Because I love you more than anything in this world.”