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“Right, nice to meet you.”
They leave, and I turn to Orson with a shit-eating grin. “So are you going toPour Some Sugar on Mehere or wait until we get home?”
“I hate how good you are at that game.”
“I’m great at reading people.”
“Uh-huh. Which is why you could tell that guy was totally into you.”
“What?” I whirl around so fast I get whiplash, and sure enough, Luke is checking me out. He gives me an upnod that I awkwardly pretend not to see. “Well, fuck.”
“It’s the pet names. I might have to veto mine. Darlin’, sweetheart—I don’t want to be in the same box as all the other guys who flirt with you.”
Ford lifts his eyebrows. “I call everyone darlin’. My postman, the barista, people who drop off their cars at the shop …”
“But …” I think back. “You’ve never used it on me.”
“I haven’t. You’ve always beensweetheartbecause you make my heart feel all sweet. I’ve known you were special right from the start.”
“Aww …” Orson’s big hazel eyes go soft, and he leans up to brush my lips with a kiss. “I take it back. You cansweetheartme all you like.”
“Every day, sweetheart. For the rest of our lives.”
EPILOGUE
THREE MONTHS LATER
Orson
“Wait—no,stop. Dammit, Art,”Payne cries.
Art unleashes a guilty smile. “Oops?”
I stare in dismay at where Art’s put the couch leg through the wall. Considering he and Payne were the only ones who volunteered to help us move in, I can’t even be angry. “Ford’s gonna kill you.”
Instead of supporting my warning, my boyfriend walks into the room and chuckles. “Oops.”
“Oops?” I echo.
Ford and Art glance at each other and in complete unison say, “Oops.”
I’m going to go gray at double time with those two spending so much time together. “Everyone will be here in a few hours.”
“And they’ll find a hole in the wall,” Ford shrugs. “No biggie.”
At least he’s not getting pissed and blaming me for it. Not that he’s ever given me a reason to think he’s that type of person, but this is my home too now, and while I might be another version of myself, in another home, I still need the calm that clean and orderly brings.
Ford is getting rid of his old couch, and we’ve got my navy one to replace it, along with all the brown and white cushions. He’s replaced his bedspread to be more calming colors and has gotten a lot better about picking up after himself.
Today will be my first official day living here, even though I can’t remember the last time I spent a night at my place.
The thing about Ford is he makes me want him around. Always. And if that means moving out of the place I thought I’d die in, I’m more than happy to. We have his garage here and already so many memories that it just makes sense.
I love that life with him has taught me that sometimes things don’t happen the way you expect them to, andsometimes, that’s for the best.
“Dinner is seven, right?” Payne asks as he and Art set the couch down.
“Yup.”
