Page 44 of Rhett & Moses
Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, its own decisions. But tonight was for celebration, private, personal, and perfect in its imperfection.
CHAPTER 12
MOSES
Morning sunlight filteredthrough the curtains of Moses’s apartment, casting warm patterns across the rumpled sheets. I’d been awake for nearly an hour, watching Moses sleep beside me, the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the way his curls tumbled across the pillow, the peaceful expression that made him look younger, unburdened by the weight of secrets finally told.
Today was the day I would show him the property I’d been considering, a tangible step toward a future I’d only dared to imagine until recently. I was nervous, more nervous than I’d been presenting multimillion-dollar designs to demanding clients. This wasn’t just about a house; it was about what the house represented: commitment, intention, possibility.
Moses stirred, his eyes blinking open slowly. When his gaze found mine, his lips curved into a sleepy smile that sent warmth cascading through my chest.
“Morning,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep. “How long have you been watching me?”
“Not long,” I lied, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead. “Sleep well?”
“Well…,” he admitted, stretching languidly beneath the sheets. “Of what was left of the night.”
“I don’t recall hearing any complaints,” I teased, trailing my fingers along his arm.
He caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. “None whatsoever. In fact, I might be amenable to a repeat performance.”
The temptation to stay in bed all day, exploring this newfound intimacy, was strong. But I had plans for today, important ones. “We have a house to visit, remember?”
A flicker of nervousness crossed his features before he nodded. “Right. The mysterious property. What time is our appointment?”
“Eleven,” I replied, checking the bedside clock. “Which gives us just enough time for breakfast and a shower before we need to hit the road.”
“Separate showers,” Moses clarified with a knowing look. “Otherwise, we’ll never make it to this appointment.”
I laughed, acknowledging the truth in his observation. “Your self-control is admirable.”
“Hardly,” he snorted, sliding out of bed and reaching for his discarded clothes. “It’s pure self-preservation. I have plans for you later that require energy.”
His casual promise sent a pleasant shiver down my spine, but I forced myself to focus on the day ahead. Too much was riding on it to be distracted, even by the alluring sight of Moses in nothing but hastily pulled-on boxers.
We managed to get ready with minimal distractions, though the shared intimacy of moving around each other in the small apartment, passing coffee cups, borrowing toiletries, the casual domesticity of it all, felt significant in its own right. By ten-thirty, we were in my rental car, heading out of Gomillion toward the rolling countryside that surrounded the small town.
“So,” Moses said as we left the town limits behind, “are you going to tell me more about this place, or is it still top secret?”
I considered how much to reveal, wanting him to experience the property without preconceptions but also wanting to prepare him somewhat. “It’s an old farmhouse, mid-1800s, fully renovated about ten years ago. Five acres, mainly wooded. A small caretaker’s cottage on the property that could be rented out or used as a guest house.”
Moses nodded, absorbing this information. “And you found this... when, exactly?”
“I’ve been watching the market in this area for a while,” I admitted. “Not actively searching but keeping an eye out for properties with potential. This one came up three months ago, right around when the reunion invitations went out. The timing felt... significant.”
“Three months ago,” he repeated, a note of surprise in his voice. “You were thinking about a property here before you even knew if I’d be at the reunion? Before we reconnected?”
I kept my eyes on the winding country road, feeling suddenly vulnerable. “I suppose I was. It wasn’t a conscious plan, more of a... possibility I couldn’t quite let go of. The idea that maybe, if we did reconnect...”
I trailed off, uncertain how to articulate the complex mix of hope and doubt that had accompanied my decision to consider a property in the area. Moses was quiet for a long moment, processing.
“That’s...quite a leap of faith,” he finally said, his voice soft with something that might have been a wonder.
“Or delusion,” I offered with a self-deprecating laugh. “I wasn’t sure which, to be honest.”
Moses reached across the console, his hand finding mine. “Faith,” he decided firmly. “Definitely faith.”
The simple reassurance steadied me as we continued down increasingly rural roads, the landscape shifting from small farms to more heavily wooded areas. After about fifteen minutes, Islowed the car, turning onto a gravel drive that wound through a stand of ancient oaks.
