Page 38 of Back to Me
“How can I make it better?”
“You’re here, that’s enough.”
“Why don’t you go up, take a long hot shower. By the time you are done, I should have dinner ready for you and we can relax on the couch for the rest of the night and ignore the world.”
“That sounds like bliss, Duchess.”
“Play your cards right, and you might just get a massage as well.” He pressed his lips against mine.
“I could get used to this. Coming home to you every night, going to bed and waking up with you. It’s gonna be tough to let you go.” Before I could respond to him, he deepened the kiss before pulling away and going upstairs. I leaned against the counter as I watched him go. The oven timer went off, pulling me from my thoughts. Shaking my head at whatever was going on with Austin tonight, I moved toward it and opened it up. Taking the oven mitts that I had brought home with me from the shop, I checked on the lasagna.
Afterward, I reached for my phone and pulled up the message conversation with Belle that we’d been having earlier and added to it.
Ally: Asking for a friend, but how soon is too soon to move in with someone?
I picked up my glass of wine and took a drink as I waited on her reply. It was about a minute or so before her answer came through.
Belle: Well, I can’t really comment on that. Beau and I moved in together quicker than most because my house burnt down.
Ally: Okay, another question. How are you not more damaged with the shit that has happened to you?
Belle: Haha girl, I don’t even know the answer to that one! Back to your first question for your ‘friend’ though, what’s normal for one person, may no fit the mold for someone else so they should throw the fictitious rule book out the window and do as they please. Everything okay?
Ally: Yeah, it’s fine. Austin is in a weird mood tonight and made a comment about it being tough to let me go.
Belle: Now you are thinking that you don’t want to go either but are worried that it’s too soon because you just got home and you could ruin things that have just began?
Ally: Basically, yeah.
Belle: Only it hasn’t just began. You two started years ago. You hit pause but have now pressed play again. The years apart have both showed you what it’s like to be apart and I’m guessing neither of you liked it because you found your way back to each other. Don’t let other people write your story, Ally, because you will regret the chances you don’t take. Just something to think about.
Ally: Thanks Belle. Appreciate the advice.
Belle: Anytime, and if you need me to kick Beau out so we can talk more just say the word.
I couldn’t help but laugh at that.
Soon after, Austin came down the stairs just in a pair of gray sweats and by God, I almost died. I bit down on my lip and pushed my phone out of the way.
“Keep coming downstairs lookin’ like that and you may just find yourself with a permanent housemate.” His lips curled into a smirk as he made his way over to me and pulled me back against him.
“Thought that would get your attention. Who were you texting?”
“You didn’t need to do this to get it, Romeo. Just be you and you have it.” I pressed my lips against his. “It was Belle. Had to get her opinion on something. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Duchess, just a long day.”
“I thought your workload would become easier with an extra set of hands?”
“Yeah, well after I kind of dumped her in the shit, I gave her the afternoon off.”
“Uh oh, what happened?”
“Grady came in looking for a tattoo and when she saw him, she left it to me. Only he is looking to get it done this weekend. I checked with her and after some initial hesitation, she agreed so I locked it in. I wasn’t going to commit if she really didn’t want to do it.” With a small sigh, he moved to the fridge and got a drink out before coming back to stand with me. “Anyway, when I gave her the design he wanted, she told me that it was a tattoo he had wanted since back when they were together, and she was the one who had originally designed it.”
“Wouldn’t that make it easier?”
“That’s what I said as well but its apparently significant to the story that she isn’t telling anyone.”
