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“Every last one.”
“Can we do that thing in the window seat?”
He rubbed his hand over his mouth. “If you ask me really nicely.”
“Okay, good.” I paused, then nodded slowly.
Max cleared his throat. “Is that it? You used ‘terms’ a bit loosely, didn’t you?”
“Hang on, I’m thinking.” I flapped my hands. “How public is this going to be? Because when this book releases my publicist is going to be working overtime when everyone asks me if it’s based on a true story.”
He choked back a laugh. “You’re the one who reads the society papers for research. How public doyouthink it’s going to be? Also, not a term. Or a condition.”
“Yeah, I ran out of those.” I looked up at him and smiled. “I just really wanted my house and the library to write in.”
“Ellie,” he breathed, laughing softly. “I’d give youmyhouse if it meant you’d stay here.”
I collapsed into him, trying not to let out the sob that had my chest tightening. “I do have to go back, though. My parents are coming.”
“I know. I understand.”
“And my favourite pj’s really are on the airer.”
He cupped the back of my head and pressed his lips against my hair. “I can come with you, if you want.”
I shook my head. “No, if I’m coming back, can you look after Winston? It doesn’t seem fair to lock him in the carrier for such a long trip when I’m going to be coming back in a week or so.”
“Of course. He’s more than happy here.”
“You know my parents might come back with me when I tell them I’m moving. And my best friend is going to want to interrogate the crap out of you. Meg can be quite the shark when she wants to be.”
Max slowly nodded. “You’ve put up with Grandma for weeks on end. I think I can handle it.”
I leant back and smiled up at him. “Um… Can I stay in the lodge until I find somewhere to live?”
His eyebrows shot up. “Find somewhere to live? Did you assume I’d confess my love for you and then tell you to live elsewhere?”
“No, no. I just didn’t want to… you know, assume anything. Or make you think that I thought I’d just move right in with you, so…”
“The lodge is yours,” he said softly, smiling. “I only rent the properties out to stop them falling into dusty messes. You’re comfortable there, aren’t you?”
I nodded.
“Then until you—we—are ready to take the step of living together fully, consider the lodge your home. I see no need to change the dynamic of our relationship right now. I have to work through my issues, you’ll need to adjust to living in a completely new area, and I think we’ll both need our own space to do that.”
“That’s very mature of you,” I teased.
“Not to mention that moving Winston somewhere without the goat barn for his naps seems awfully mean.”
“Ah-ha. You just want his mouse catching skills.”
“Fine. Taking the Mousing King away from me is mean.”
I laughed and pressed my face against his chest. “Are you sure?”
“I have never been surer about anything in my life, Ellie.” He slid his hands around and cupped my face, tilting my head back until our gazes met. “Whatever makes you happy.”
“You.” I laid my hand over his, smiling. “You do.”
