Page 44 of So Worth More
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After our weekend together, even with as busy as my apartment was, I couldn’t bear to think about Andy going back to his place. My head kept reminding my heart that I was moving too fast and asking him to stay - permanently - was a bad idea.
Andy had gotten the call late Monday that his apartment wasn’t ready, there’d been a delay. It bought me a few more days with him. By the end of the week though, there was a shiny new boiler and he could go home.
My heart felt heavy at the thought of him not being here every day. I almost asked to go with him but didn’t want to come off clingy. After our starts and stops, I didn’t want any distance between us.
So on our last night together I’d just soaked in the peace that I got from being with him. Andy had settled here and it felt so natural to sleep next to him. We slept as we usually did, wrapped around each other.
The next night sleep wouldn’t find me. My bed was empty without him in it. I’d lain awake for hours until exhaustion had taken over.
I dragged myself through the day, spending time with Alex and Joe and helping Alex house hunt once Joe was safely tucked up in bed.
When I tried to sleep again, it wouldn’t come. I passed miserable hours tossing and turning knowing that it was Andy that I needed so I could sleep. Giving up in the early hours of the morning, I got up and walked the few blocks to his apartment. Andy met me at the door to his building, on his way to my place, and we laughed at how pathetic we were being. We couldn’t manage two nights apart.
Later, tucked up and sleepy in Andy’s bed he asked, “Will?”
“Hmm?”
“I was thinking.”
“About what?”
“Um…How about, just hear me out okay?” He wiggled to get free and sat up against the headboard, his face serious. “I’ve loved being at your apartment and want to wake up to you all of the time.”
“I want that, too.”
He smiled, “Good, so we’re on the same page there. I think, now this is just a suggestion.” holding his hands up in a placating gesture.“I love sleeping next to you and knowing you’ll be there in the morning.
“So, I think we should move you into my apartment until my lease is up. There’s only a couple of months left. In the meantime, Alex could stay at your place and use that time to find somewhere for himself and Joe. I’d stay at yours, but it got awfully crowded there at the weekend. Alex could’ve had my place but there’s no place for Joe.”
Considering his idea for a moment, I said, “That’s a great idea, baby.” I pulled him to me so I could kiss him. Breaking apart, I said, “I can’t wait to live with you.”
“Even if it’s really quick?”
“It doesn’t feel like it. Maybe officially we’ve only been together nearly two weeks, but we had all those months of hookups and then being friends. We just work. All we can do is try it. If we need a break from each other, I can always go back to my place.”
“So we’re doing this?”
“We are.”
Epilogue
Andy
The months passed with Will and I living together in my tiny apartment. While less than ideal, it taught us a lot about each other. We were in sync about cleaning and clutter, but Will was a night owl and I loved the dawn.
It was an adjustment, but we made it work.
There were arguments, but we learned how to communicate better for it, and making up was always an experience. One really bad fight had us sleeping apart for the first time in months and it had proven to be a miserable night. Sleep deprived, Will had appeared at our door with flowers and a drawing, though he’d had nothing to apologize for. Dr. Arnold gained another patient that day, since it was my issues that’d caused the spat.
What didn’t change was the love we held for each other. If anything, it got deeper as we became more secure in what we had.
Sex with someone who truly loved you? Couldn’t be beaten but we were more than that now.
Will was my best friend, my lover, and about to be my husband.
After a hectic Christmas at Alex’s new home with his family, including a very subdued Charlie, Abby and Josh, we decided to go away for New Year’s to the cabin, just the two of us.
