“Our house.”
“What?”
“Move in with me. Before you say no, let me get this out. We eat dinner together every night. The last couple of months, we’ve both had some long nights apart, but if we hadn’t been in the avoidance stage, we would have still had dinner together. No matter what plans I make, I consider you, and if you’d want to go, before I make them. We spend all our time together, and now our nights too. I want you in my arms every night, Alyssa. I want this. I want us.” He pulls me close, locking his arms around my waist. “Build a life with me.”
I nod because I can’t speak through my tears. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kisses me softly. “I know it’s fast, but my love for you has been building for years, and I know you are who I want forever with.”
“So, you want me to stay tonight?” I ask. My mind is racing. We’d have to put my place on the market, but we can use the money from the sale to redo the basement. I can see it, the life we’ll build here together.
“Every night from now until forever.”
“Let’s do it.” I smile.
“Fuck yeah!” He lifts me off my feet, and we spin around, both laughing. Our hearts are full, and our love is strong.
* * *
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.” I wave at the screen of my camera on my phone.
“Hi, sweetie. Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Really?” Mom squints. “Did you and Sterling trade couches? I swear that looks like his.”
“You’re good, Nancy,” Sterling says, leaning in so my parents can see him. He waves.
“How are you, son?” my dad asks.
“Never been better,” he replies, smiling at them.
“What are you two up to?” Mom asks. “Something’s going on.”
“I told you, I was just sitting at home.”
“You’re at Sterling’s?” she asks, no doubt working it out in her head. I see the moment it hits her. “You’re moving in with him?” she asks cautiously.
“Yes.”
“Does this mean what I think it means?” Mom asks.
“If you think it means that I’m madly in love with your daughter and asked her to move in with me, then yes, that’s what it means.” Sterling just tosses it out there as if we’re discussing the weather.
“It’s about damn time.” My dad laughs. “I told you,” he tells my mom. “I knew they would work it out on their own.”
Sterling tugs me into his arms and places me on his lap so that we’re both in the frame without either of us needing to lean. He takes my phone from my hand and holds it up since his arms are longer than mine.
“So, you’re together?” Mom asks. Like me, she needs me to spell it out for her.
“Yes,” Sterling and I answer at the same time.
“And you’re moving in together?”
“Yes,” I tell her.
“What can we do?” Dad asks. “Do you want us to come and help with the move?”