Page 81 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

“It feels like my purpose.” I wrinkled my nose at how serious my words sounded. “Like this is what I’m meant to be doing. Like it means something.”

“Awww. You don’t know how happy that makes me, to hear that.”

I wore a little smile on my face, playing with the hem of the duvet. “Yeah. Me, too.” Claire’s call from the other day popped into my head and I gasped. “Oh my god, I totally forgot to tell you. Claire Shi offered me a job in Toronto.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious.” I beamed. “She sent over the paperwork the other day. I start March fifteenth.”

“Babe. That’s incredible. Congratulations.” Her voice wobbled.

I snorted. “Don’t you dare cry.”

She huffed a laugh. “I’ve been worried about you, because of this whole Grant thing. He did a number on you and I know you were uncertain about what to do in terms of work.”

My mouth twisted to the side. “I know, but I’m okay. Really. And this job with Claire is going to be incredible. The office is near our secret bar.”

“Happy hour every day.” I could hear the grin on her side.

“You know it.” My chest fluttered with excitement. The other day, I had scoped out the firm’s social media, studying the photos of a recent renovation for a new restaurant. The design was fascinating, with colors and placement I wouldn’t have thought to choose, but it looked incredible.

“When are you moving back?”

My stomach clenched and I frowned at the weird sensation. “Probably March first. I’ll have to sublet a place for the first month until I find something.”

On the other end, Willa hesitated.

“What?” I asked.

“You know how Bryan and Stuart bought a place, right?”

“Sure.” They had bought into a pre-sale condo a couple years ago while it was under construction. Their apartment was close to my old place.

“They’re moving in February.”

Their apartment was huge and they had been there for a decade. Top floor of a heritage building with high ceilings, bay windows overlooking the street, and a huge patio where we spent many summer evenings. The wall of their living room was original brick. “I’m going to miss their apartment.”

“Well,” she started with a funny, excited tone to her voice. She took a deep breath. “What do you think about us moving in there?”

My eyes went wide. “Oh my god. Yes. A thousand times yes.”

When the guys hosted brunch last summer, the morning light in their apartment had beensublime. It was quiet, it was spacious, and there were two bathrooms.

Two. Bathrooms.

Plus, living with Willa again. Cooking dinner together with music on or a dumb TV show playing in the background. Hosting our own parties with all our friends. My heart burst with excitement.

Willa let out a squeal and I could hear her clapping. “Here’s the best part. The landlord said they could sublet it to us so we can pay the same rent.”

“Are you serious?”

On top of the apartment being a total dream, the guys paid criminally low rent.

“Dead serious,” Willa answered. “This will be amazing. My place is so freaking expensive.”

My nose wrinkled. Willa lived in one of those fancy new high rises where the units were tiny. She had a studio and was always tripping over her own painting supplies. “Yeah, your place is too small for you. You’ll have more room for painting now.”

“Plus, with the extra money I’m saving for rent, I can cut back on teaching and focus more on painting.” She hummed. “Nothing is as good as painting, you know? I really want to give it everything and make a go of it, but it takes a lot of time. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather live with.”

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