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“Okay, okay.” He grabbed his backpack near the door, an A+ in sleepover prep. “And yes, I remembered to feed the plant.”
“Good. Tiffany will be proud.” I spared a glance for the cute little succulent garden Tiffany had brought him as a thank-you after she got the role he and Megan helped her prep for. Near the plant was a stack of fashion brochures.
“Did my mom send you another care package?” I groaned, but I also loved how much she’d taken to Avery.
“She’s back from her conference in Dubai. Picked me up some fabric at a local market and sent along some pastries from that DC bakery you both love. I put the sweets in my bag for tomorrow’s breakfast.”
“Great plan.” I steered him to the car. Avery was adorable in his cluelessness, chattering at me about work, completely oblivious about our destination until I was circling for parking.
“Wait. Are we going to the Valentine’s place? Oh wow.” He shot me a quizzical look, eyes going wider. “Is it… Wait. Three months?”
“Yep.” It had worked out to be exactly three months since our Valentine’s dinner. “I know it’s sentimental and sappy—”
“I love sentimental and sappy, and you know it.”
“I do.” I gave him a fond smile as I nabbed a free space. After parking, I reached behind my seat to deposit a tiny gift bag in Avery’s lap. “Got you a little something.”
“Hmmm. It’s too small for undies.” He turned the bag around in his hands. The way he always savored opening even small gifts from me never failed to make my chest warm and full.
“Says you of little imagination,” I teased as he opened the bag and withdrew the Colorado-themed keychain.
“A key ring? And two keys?” He tilted his head, studying me, expression hard to read. My pulse sped up. Maybe this was the silliest of gifts.
“First is the key to the motel room in Colorado. Mine never got returned in all the chaos with the fire. I called, and they said it was okay to keep it. The other is a key to my apartment. You already have the one to my heart, so I figured it was about time you be able to let yourself in.”
“Dude. Warn a guy.” He waved the keychain in front of his face, an exaggerated show of emotion. “I love it.”
“I also cleaned out a drawer and some closet space for you. Fewer trips with the backpack.”
“Love it. Almost like we’re roomies again.” He laughed, but there was no almost about what I wanted from him. “You know when I tell Tiffany, you’re going to end up with a plant too.”
“Counting on it. And…” Deep breath. The key was a no-brainer, but the next part had been rattling around in my head the past few weeks to the point I was undoubtedly massively overthinking. “My lease, or rather the one I took over from Harley, is up in a few months. I was thinking…maybe you’d want to apartment hunt with me?”
“Absolutely.” Avery leaned in for a fast kiss, and I laughed because, of course, I needn’t have worried. And typical Avery, he plowed right ahead. “Something bigger? Room for a king bed? A second bedroom maybe for weights…”
“Or a computer with good design software and a sewing table.” I pitched my voice to mimic my mom’s endless suggestions for self-improvement, and Avery chortled.
“You’re as bad as your mother. But yes, I’d love to apartment hunt with you. I want a complex with a pool. And good soundproofing.” He dropped his gaze to my lap. “Lots of soundproofing.”
“You’ve got it, baby. Whatever you want.”
Avery might not know it yet, but I was going to devote the rest of my damn life to making him happy, giving him what he wanted and needed, and giving us both the life we deserved.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Avery—January
“And the nominees for best actress are…” The TV set crackled from near the bed in our hotel room, and I opened the bathroom door wider.
“Come on, Tiffany,” I called loudly, loving Malik’s answering chuckle.
“Come on, Tiffany? Don’t be greedy.” Malik was sprawled on the bed, fully dressed other than shoes and the black leather jacket at the foot of the bed. “The group chat is already blowing up over Liam’s nomination and the host of smaller nods for the movie.”
“Yeah, but she needs this. She wants it so badly.” Opening the bathroom door let in a draft because it was January in DC, and every movement seemed to bring a fresh chill. My California-boy bones couldn’t wait until we returned to LA after this trip. Well, after tonight, that was. I had been looking forward to this part of the trip to see Malik’s mother and for a security conference for Malik for months now. We were meeting some of Malik’s friends from his Virginia days at a very exclusive, very private, very sexy club.
