Page 59 of Peaches & Pistols

“Okay,” she acquiesces with a sweet smile.

Giggles from the living room dance through the apartment as the movie plays and contentment settles over me.

Mia gets up and tops off our coffee. The temperature in the apartment is normal, but she likes to be cozy, always wrapped in a sweatshirt or blanket with a warm drink nearby. I haven’t raised the thermostat, ridiculously hoping she might come to me for body heat.

“When do you need to leave for the New Years Eve party?” she asks.

I’m way too old to be throwing ‘em back waiting for the ball to drop. But that isn’t why we celebrate anymore. Sam’s birthday was December thirty-first, and we’ve taken to gathering at The Flying Pig and honoring him with a drink or two while sharing our favorite memories.

It wasn’t that way for the first couple years. The first New Years Eve after he died was a black-out until you forget kind of night. I was planning on going tonight, but in this moment, what I want is a night alone with Mia.

“I think I want to stay in this year. Ain’t feeling the bar crowd today.” It’s half the truth.

“What about Sam’s birthday?” Of course she remembers, why am I surprised?

“I can send my love up to him any time, they’ll do enough damage without me.”

“You’re sure?”

“I am. I reminisced with the lot of ‘em when I popped over to the ranch early this morning. They know I’m an antisocial prick, they’ll understand if I stay home.” And they will. Guilt acidifies the coffee in my stomach, but a night alone with Mia is worth it.

“One of the streaming services has a midnight countdown special, so I was planning on watching that with the girls before their normal bedtime. It’s worked on Everly the last few years, no issue.” Her grimace is unwarranted.

“That’s fucking genius. Why didn’t I ever think of that? Harper wants to stay up but never can make it, so everyone ends up exhausted and bent out of shape.”

“Yea? You aren’t upset about lying to Harper to have a quiet night?” She winces.

“Not at all. If I won’t be in the way, can I crash your quiet night?” The pounding of my heart must be audible. I feel like I’m asking a girl out for the first time.

When she doesn’t answer, the coffee threatens to make a reappearance.

She rinses her mug and puts it in the dishwasher. On her way past me to the living room fort, she grazes my shoulder for the briefest second.

“It’s a date.”

“How long do you think I can get away with the early countdown for Harper?”

“I hate to break it to you, but maybe one more year.”

I throw my hands in the air feigning exasperation. Her laughter hits me like a drug.

“If we were on our own, I’d have another four to five years of success with Everly. But if we’re still here when Harper figures it out…you know Everly won’t fall for it.”

If they’re still here? Why wouldn’t they still be here? I’ll still need a nanny. The arrangement seems to be working for Mia. Hopefully the ex will be long gone by then. The thought of her leaving is unfathomable. I won’t allow it.

“You can stay here forever as far as I’m concerned. Harper adores you, the girls get along great, you’ve made this place a home, Mia. You’ve taken so much weight off my shoulders I didn’t know I was carrying.”

My honesty stuns us both. Two damaged people peering behind the curtain of what a healthy relationship might look like if we took the chance.

We’ve got nearly four hours until midnight and I have no idea if she intends on staying up to ring in the new year or hit the hay early.

“What do you do out here in the evening?”

I’ve been dying to know, but since she’s moved in, after I get Harper down, I’ve hidden in my room like a little boy instead of taking advantage of my own fucking living room.

“Oh, you know, I put something on the TV to melt my brain for an hour or two and then I turn in for the night.”

The TV echoes down the hall some nights and I’ve been curious what shows she likes.