Page 16 of Accidentally Falling for Her
FEBRUARY
Six Years Later
“I’m here, I’m here. I’m sorry I’m late, but I’m here!” Aspen shouts.
She’s waving at the realtor and me as she weaves through the crowded downtown streets of Chicago.
We’ve gotten pretty good at that over the last almost seven years.
Jesus, I can’t believe we’ve been here that long.
When Aspen made the deal with her dad to launch her own company with his start-up investment, I was thrilled that she would be able to chase her dream at such a young age. But it also meant there were a lot of variables to consider when it came time to plan life after college.
I knew I wanted to be in the same place as Aspen, andthank god,she also wanted to be near me too. Unsure whereAspen would end up, I’d applied to graduate programs in major cities all over the country. The deadline for most of the schools to accept their offers was mid April, so we only had about a week to really plan everything.
We did a lot of research: the bridal market, fashion houses in each major city, rent, distribution channels, the schools I had gotten into and what their master’s programs looked like. We also both liked the idea of going north. Ultimately, Chicago had the most benefits for us both, and we never looked back.
“Sorry!” she repeats when she finally arrives where we’re waiting just outside of a fancy new high-rise. “There was a bride who accidentally booked her appointment for next month but thought it was today, and she had traveled to come, so?—”
“So you ran her appointment personally?” I guess, laughing at the guilty look Aspen directs my way as she shrugs, nodding.
“I didn’t think it would go so long,” she explains.
Aspen’s magazine spotlight brought more recognition and interest than she’d dare hope for, but I wasn’t surprised. She deserves all the recognition.
When the magazine went live with their feature, bridal boutiques all over the country were immediately reaching out to purchase sample gowns from her collection, many saying that brides were requesting them specifically. Her debut was so popular that she still has brides and grooms requesting pieces fromMagicto this day. As a part oflaunching her brand, Aspen also created a social media presence using pictures and videos she’d taken our senior year during the initial design process, as well as walking people through the steps of creating her business. Her following has really grown over the years, and anyone who’s interested in weddings at all has probably heard of her.
After her second collection a few years ago, Aspen even opened her own boutique right here in the city. It sells a luxury collection that she’s designed exclusively for her storefront, which can’t be purchased anywhere else. People fly in specifically to shop there and meet her, which I think is the coolest thing ever.
“Not a problem, we can tour the condo whenever you’re ready,” our realtor assures us with a smile.
Our apartment now is fine, but it’s nowhere near as luxurious as the one we’re looking at today.
“How was the lab?” Aspen asks as we all head into the fairly new high-rise.
“Fantastic, as always,” I reply, looping my arm through hers.
I went on to earn my PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and have been working for an independent research company on pharmaceutical development right here in the city. We both have our dream jobs, and have decided that it’s time our home reflects our success.
Honestly, I’m just thrilled Aspen still wants to live together. We’ve moved around the city a few times over theyears, and each time she’s brought up moving, I felt like my heart stopped—always afraid that it would finally be the moment she told me she wanted a place of her own. After more than ten years as roommates, I literally can’t imagine not living with Aspen.
I’m a people person. I don’t enjoy solitude. I want to workout with Aspen in the mornings. I want to be able to talk to her about her day over dinner. I want to comment as we watch our favorite reality TV shows together, cuddled up on the couch. All the things I enjoy doing in my free time are because Aspen is always there at my side. She makes everything better.
The summer we spent apart in college was the first and last extended amount of time we were apart, and I dread the day she does decide to live on her own.
We’re almost thirty. Logically, I know that one of us could end up falling in love, and wanting to live apart. But I just can’t picture it. Aspen is my person. A lot of the time, it doesn’t even feel like I need a boyfriend in my life. If one of us does end up in a relationship where we want to live with our partner, I’d still want to be as close to Aspen as possible.
I think part of why that scenario is so difficult for me to picture is because Aspen has never had a serious relationship. There are nights, usually when I’m already busy with something for work, or on a date myself, that she says she’s going out with someone. Sometimes she even stays out all night, but I’ve never met a boyfriend.
I have a coworker who’s ace, a term I hadn’t heard before. When they explained to me they don’t experience sexual attraction and have no desire to be with anyone, I wondered if Aspen might relate. But she does go out all night and vaguely mentions hookups—never at the level of detail I readily share with her about my own—but she says they happen, so it doesn’t seem like a perfect fit. I did some research on the ace spectrum, and wonder if she may be aromantic and doesn’t experience any romantic attraction or desire for a long-term partner. I don’t want to pressure her into a label that she doesn’t think she needs, though, so I’m waiting for her to talk to me about it.
Even though marriage has never been a priority for me, I would like to settle down one day with a nice man to go through life with. Maybe I’ll meet that special someone, and if I do, I'll figure it out then, but I know I’ll never be far from Aspen.
“I’m obsessed with how modern this building is,” the realtor comments, pulling my attention back to our tour, and we nod our agreement.
“I like that it doesn’t feel cold, though. There’s still plenty of detail put into the architecture,” Aspen notes. I love how she’s always looking for the beauty in things, pointing out details I would have missed so I can enjoy them too.
Our realtor tells us about all the amenities offered by the building as we take the elevator up to tour the available unit. It’s open concept with a huge kitchen, floor-to-ceilingwindows that let in a lot of natural light, and en suites for both of the spacious bedrooms.
