We sit on the couch on the rooftop terrace and listen to the sounds of the traffic below us.

“It’s calming listening to the cars,” I say.

“This is my happy place. I like to sit out here as often as I can, but it’s never the same on my own.” He shuffles closer to me on the couch, reaches over and hands me a glass of wine. “I hope it’s going to be your happy place, too.”

“I think it might be.”

Chapter Nine

CALEB

We’re at my parents' house. I’m watching Cora as she jumps into the pool. I know she was awkward at coming over today, but she’s slotted right back in like she did before. It’s like she’s always been here.

“Hey,” Mom says as she sits next to me. “How does it feel having her back in your life?”

Mom knows me. She knows how much leaving Cora broke my heart. “It feels amazing. The first few days were not great.” I laugh, remembering the cutting remarks she threw at me a few times. “But I think we’ve reached a point where we have to forget about the past.” I nod toward her. “She seems to have, anyway.”

Mom looks at Cora and then back at me. “Don’t push her, Caleb. I can see she still likes you. She’s working for you, so you need to be sure of her feelings, because I don’t think you’ll bounce back this time, either.”

“I know, mom. I’m taking it easy, but it’s so hard when I know she’s in my apartment, in the room next to me, and all I want to do is take her by the hand and show her how much I still love her.” Mom has a way of getting the truth out of me. She makes me see what’s really going on.

“You can’t hide your feelings for her, can you?”

I watch as Cora gets out of the pool and smiles at me before coming over. “Unfortunately, I can’t,” I say to mom, quietly.

“Hey,” I say when Cora grabs her hair and squeezes the water out all over me.

“You should come into the pool, Caleb. It feels so good.” She takes a towel and sits on the lounger right next to mine.

“Did you enjoy the swim, Cora?” Mom asks. “Have you used Caleb’s pool yet? It’s slightly warmer than ours.”

“No, I haven’t used it yet. I didn’t want to impose.”

“Impose? Cora, I’ve told you to treat the apartment as if it’s yours. You can do what you want there.”

“Anything?” she asks, playfully, looking between me and my mom.

I nod my head and smile. “Of course.”

“Does that mean I can add a bit of color there? You seem to be all about the creams and minimalistic and I’m more of a homely kind of person. Pictures, color and stuff like that.”

I smile. If she’s thinking of adding to the apartment then maybe she’s thinking more long term. “Of course, Cora, anything.” I’m already looking forward to coming home from work tomorrow to see any changes she’s made.

It’s Wednesday and every day when I get home I look to see if there’s anything else. That’s when I find a picture on the wall. It’s an old one of the two of us, laughing. I never expected her to put pictures of the two of us up. Maybe, she’s defrosting toward me a little.

“I remember this,” I say, standing in front of it. “We were at the fair and wanted to go on the Ferris wheel, but when we went up the top, you wanted to get off. I held your hand and helped you to feel safe.”

She slips her hand into mine. I take a deep breath. “Yes, you did. You always did.”

I don’t want to think too much of it, but my heart is racing and my cock is pressing against my zipper.

“That’s the first night we kissed, do you remember that?” She squeezes my hand. I turn to face her.

“Of course I remember. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Neither did I,” she laughs.

“We kind of just fumbled along, but we got better each time, right?” She nods her head. With my free hand, I reach up and lay it against her cheek. She lays against it. “Cora, I want to kiss you so badly right now. But I won’t if you don’t want it.”