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Because we do.
CHAPTER 39
Marcus
The rain is light but persistent as Evan and I walk through Pike Place Market. He seems completely unfazed by it, and I get it, I’d take this weather over Chicago’s freezing temperatures and piles of snow.
Especially when Evan’s hand is warm in mine.
The market is buzzing two days after Christmas with so many different smells, depending on what stall we’re walking past. Seafood, coffee, flowers, baked goods.
Evan keeps glancing at me, checking my reaction, because he wants me to love this place the same way he does.
And I do.
“Seattle’s awesome,” I assure him with a smile, and he stops walking so abruptly I almost run into him.
“You mean it?” His voice is careful and hopeful as if he’s worried I’m just being polite.
I turn to face him fully, squeezing his hand. “That Seattle is awesome? Yeah. It’s gray and rainy, sure, but it’s not Chicago’s bitter cold. I don’t know how to explain it… I know we haven’t seen much yet, but it’s a completely different vibe and I really like it. Plus, you’re here, and I’d go anywhere in the world to be where you are.”
Evan looks at me like I just said the most profound thing in the world. He steps closer, his free hand coming up to cup my jaw.
“You think you could actually live here?”
“No, baby. I’m positive I could live here.”
He beams before pulling me in for a kiss that’s borderline over the top for public viewing, but still quick for us. When he pulls back, his bright blue eyes are shining with so much joy it makes my chest tight.
“Good. Because I still haven’t even shown you my favorite parts about living in Seattle.”
“I can’t wait to see it all.”
We start walking again, and Evan pulls me toward a coffee stand tucked between two vendor stalls. The barista greets us, and I watch as he orders us both maple lattes without asking what I want. He just knows. Or he’s guessing. Either way, I don’t care. I love seeing him in his element here, and I’ll drink whatever he hands me.
“I think you should start applying for jobs here. If you’re ready, that is,” Evan says.
“You do?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want you out here as soon as possible.” He accepts both cups from the barista and hands me one.
I take a sip of the hot liquid, watching him over the rim of my cup. It’s good, sweet and warm. “I want that too. When I talked to Dr. Patel about moving here, she suggested it’d be better for me not to move until I had a job secured so I’m not just sitting in your apartment waiting for you to get home all day. I already updated my resume though, so I can start applying in the next couple of days.”
“Our apartment,” Evan corrects gently. “And I think that makes sense. I just miss you when you’re not here, and I don’t want to keep missing you. I’m ready to start our life together.”
“Well, hopefully it’s not too long.”
“You’ll get something, you’re amazing at what you do.” He leans in and kisses me again, tasting like maple and coffee. “Now, come on. I want to show you the fish throwers.”
“The what?”
I just follow him deeper into the market, stopping to watch the fishmongers throw massive salmon back and forth for the tourists, which I guess is me, but hopefully not for long. Evan’s smiling, and I’m watching the way his eyes crinkle at the corners. It’s incredible to witness how at ease he is here.
It’s rubbing off on me, too.
The last few days of this trip have been incredible. On Christmas Eve we drove around looking for a tree lot that was still open and we found a scraggly, lopsided tree the guy practically gave us for free. We brought it up to Evan’s apartment and spent hours decorating it with whatever we could find. We ultimately ended up with bottle caps, paperclips, a carabiner, and some climbing rope Evan attempted to twist into a star shape. Plus the few actual ornaments his mom had given him years ago that he’d never unpacked.
We drank wine straight from the bottle and laughed at how terrible it looked. Evan kept rearranging things, and I kept pulling him away to kiss him. Eventually we gave up on the tree entirely and I bent him over the arm of the couch, the tree lights twinkling behind us as I fucked him senseless.
