I nodded. “Yes. Very much. It sounds mad, I know.”
“She’s too young for you,” Leah said. “But she does appear to have things together and your mother likes her.”
“That’s all you need,” Lourdes chuckled. “That’s the difficult bit.”
“But in terms of reality here. Are we talking like you adore her? Like let’s go public level adoration? Or let’s move in together? Because you haven’t done any of that since Vanessa.”
I picked up the baby as she pulled my trousers, situating her on my knee.
“It’s verging on the first one. I selfishly want to fly right into bit number two. It’s dumb.”
Leah’s jaw dropped, scoffing, “He’s actually in love—proof!”
“It’s true. So am I. But when I thought she was really sick—which she was—it was clear this wasn’t just puppy love. I dunno.”
“So you’re really going to just… U-Haul into it?” Leah asked.
“Leah, we were practically living together before we ever codified what we were—both times,” Lourdes shook her head. “People in glass houses.”
I smiled at the baby, “We haven’t discussed anything specific. We’ve been together a few months. I do love her, though. She’s the first person since Vanessa I’ve felt I could settle down with.”
“And does she feel the same?”
“She thinks she could.”
Lourdes seeded doubt. “What does that mean? That seems noncommittal.”
I winced. “I will be completely honest that I don’t know. She’s young and has never been in love before.”
“Oh, God, she really is a baby,” Lourdes sighed.
“Can you two be anylesshelpful right now? Or do you just enjoy watching me suffer? The reason I even came here, Leah, is because you asked and I thought you might make Eloise feel at ease.”
Leah sat by me, playing with the baby’s chubby hands. “I’m sorry, cousin. I don’t dislike her. I actuallylikeher. That’s why I worry for her. This is a hard job. Your mother would gladly retire in a few months. But leaving you with a twenty-something consort seems an awful burden.”
“I don’t have all the answers, nor do I plan to couch it like that. I want to enjoy her company and ease into it. That means temporarily I must suspend the urge to run headlong into things.”
There was a knock.
“Come in!” Leah called, as if this wereherhotel room.
John popped in. “Miss Mills is nearby. They are bringing her up the back entrance.”
“Great,” I said.
“The one thing you can be assured of is that this town is made for celebrities,” Lourdes said. “Love that. We can do whatever and barely get a batted eyelash.”
“I loathe LA, but I digress. She’s not wrong,” Leah said.
“Thanks for the update,” I said.
“And is she staying here then?” Leah asked.
“That was the Prince’s wish, Ms. Lyons-Lennon.”
“Why not, right?” Lourdes asked.
“Because you’re still trying to suggest propriety, right?”
