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“Yes.”
“I pay rent toyou?”
I laugh. “Yeah. I guess I’m your landlord.”
She just stares at me like I’ve told her I have the ability to shapeshift into a bird or something. I laugh and say, “Stop looking at me like that.”
She blinks a few times. “You own this building?”
I move the pillows so that I can lean back, mirroring the way she’s sitting. “When you moved in here and we agreed to our contract, I knew I wanted to be near you. The guy who lived across the hall didn’t want to move, so I bought the whole building and gave him a much nicer apartment upstairs for a great price, and I paid all his moving expenses. He drove a hard bargain.”
I laugh. She continues to stare at me like I’ve sprouted wings.
“So now I own the whole place.”
“I pay rent to you?” she repeats.
I rub my chin. “I’ve actually been thinking about it. You don’t need to. Want to stop? I thought about bringing it up earlier, but you’ve been so weird about money.”
Her face flushes. “It doesn’t feel right for me to stop paying rent.”
I shrug. I’m not pushing this – not right now at least.
She puts her hand on my arm and looks up at me with big, sad eyes, “Declan, I’m really sorry for the things I said.”
I give her a sad half smile.
She closes her eyes like she’s replaying the fight in her head – every ugly word reflected on her face. “I was so cruel – and angry. I don’t...”
She sighs and opens her eyes. “I was still angry with you over the whole contract thing and the way you told everyone I was pregnant, but I was wrong.”
I place my hand over hers.
“I was wrong about all of it.”
“So, I’m not an overgrown man-child?” I say.
She groans and leans into me until her forehead is resting on my bicep. “No and I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
She pushes herself back until she’s sitting straight. “I was talking about things I knew nothing about, and I was talking out of anger. It was wrong, and I’m sorry. Forgive me.”
I lean forward. She stops breathing as I kiss her cheek. “Of course I forgive you.”
“Thanks,” she whispers.
“I’m sorry for the way I told everyone about you being pregnant. That was a real dick move, and I shouldn’t have done it. It was your news to tell or not tell. I should have kept my damn mouth shut.”
She nods in agreement. “Yes. You should have. I was so angry with you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you.”
I sigh and then say, “Now will you accept some of my damn money or what?”
She laughs. “Well, that hospital visit isn’t going to be cheap, so I’d be a real idiot not to.”
My hand is still on hers. I squeeze it and say, “Can we be a team?”
