“No! No, of course I’m not!”
“Do you not want it to work out?”
“There is actually nothing I want more than for it to work out.”
“Then don’t stress about it. Look, I know there’s some people out there that would say it’s a really shitty idea to move in together so soon. And you know what? Maybe it is. But we won’t know it till we try it. I’m willing to take that chance. And besides, we’ve already been living together for a little while this summer, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve re
ally enjoyed it.”
I smiled. “I have, too. There was a part of me that was really dreading having to go back to school because I wouldn’t be able to see you as much.”
“You’re not gonna get rid of me that easily,” he said. He pulled me close and kissed my cheek.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” I said. “You know, I’m glad I decided to take a chance on you.”
Epilogue
Graham
“Are you nervous?”
I took my eyes off the road for a second to glance at Chloe over in the passenger seat. She was sitting with her back very straight, nibbling at her fingernails. She was wearing a red turtleneck sweater dress and she looked hot as hell.
I looked back to the road. “Nah,” I said, “I think it’ll be fine. They’ll want to know how the new shop is doing and they’ll want to know how school is going. And both of those are going great, so I really don’t think you have anything to worry about. Oh, and the fact that we’re still happily living together also works in our favor.” I reached over and patted her knee. “Everyone will have a good time today.”
“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll try to think that way, too. I don’t know why I feel so nervous. I guess I just want them to see that everything really is working out.”
“Well, it is, and I’m sure they’ll be happy to see that.”
We were driving back to the Cape for Thanksgiving, which Chloe’s parents were hosting at their summer house.
“I think this is the first time my parents have even been to the Cape when it wasn’t summer,” she said.
“It sure is different, isn’t it?”
And it was. Gone were the lush greens and the warm sun and the throngs of people in their swimsuits. Many of the businesses had shut down for the off-season, and there was a distinct chill in the air. It probably wouldn’t start snowing for another month, but weather in New England was notoriously fickle and late November snow was certainly not unheard of in these parts.
“I talked to Tara,” Chloe said.
“Oh yeah? Are she and Todd still getting along?”
“It sounds like it.”
“Where is it they’re at again?”
“Barbados.”
“Ah, okay. Never been.”
“It’s nice. One of Tara’s favorite places. I’m glad they’re having fun. Though if they were around, they could be here today, too!”
I chuckled. “That would certainly make things a little more interesting. Though I think they’re actually interesting enough as is.”
And they were. It wasn’t just going to be Chloe’s parents at this Thanksgiving; my own mother was going, as well as my father and his family. My family. It was still so strange to think that I had this whole family that I didn’t even really know.
“It’ll be good to see Parker,” Chloe said.
“It will.” I’d gone through with the organ donation, and the procedure itself had been relatively simple. I was under general anesthetic, so of course didn’t remember anything about the actual surgery. I’d been sore after, but the pain certainly wasn’t that bad. I was back to doing everything I normally did after about two weeks. Recovery for Parker took longer, but that was to be expected. He and I had traded texts a few times, and Craig had kept me updated with his progress—Parker would have to be monitored by doctors and take medication for the rest of his life, but so far, so good; his body was not rejecting the kidney.