I’m lucky to have them and this community. Pearl Lake is a magical place, and it’s become my home.
When Aaron’s hands start to wander, I press my palms against his bare chest. “We need to leave in fifteen minutes, and while you can man the Footprint booth shirtless, I’m not sure you’re going to love the attention you’ll get.” Aaron and Billy trade off every other week managing the Footprint Construction booth. They get as much attention from the college-aged girls as they do from people legitimately looking for project advice. Aaron handles it pretty well, but Billy turns a million shades of red and gets all flustered when they flirt with him. It’s pretty funny to watch.
“I’m just hugging you. And it doesn’t take fifteen minutes for me to put on a shirt.” He drops his head, and his lips brush my ear. “You know what else we can do with the next fourteen minutes?”
I grin against his chest. “We do not have time for that.”
“You have such a one-track mind, Teagan.”
This time I push hard enough that he lets me go. “You’re poking me in the belly button with your less evolved head. Save it for tonight.”
“But that’s sixteen hours from now.”
“Whining isn’t sexy, Aaron.”
He frowns. “I’m not whining. I’m stating facts.”
“I promise I’ll make it worth the wait.”
“You’re always worth the wait, babe. I’m being greedy.” He pulls me in again and kisses me softly but doesn’t make a move to deepen it, probably because he knows I’ll clamp my teeth shut, and getting himself more worked up isn’t going to help either of us.
He pours us coffees, and I toast our bagels, slathering his with Nutella—he has the breakfast tastes of a ten-year-old—and topping mine with a slice of cheese and tomato, and then we’re out the door and in his truck, on the way downtown.
The sun is cresting the horizon. Saturday mornings are early since the market starts at eight and ends at one in the afternoon.
“What time are Lydia and Jamie going to be here?” I ask.
It’s a big weekend around here with the first farmers’ market of the season. Lydia and Jamie are coming to visit, and so are my dad and Danielle.
“Before the market ends, for sure. My mom and dad want us to go over to their place for brunch tomorrow, but I told them today is a big day and with everything else going on we’d just have to play it by ear,” Aaron replies. “Besides, they’re coming for dinner at Van’s, so we’ll get in a visit.”
Arnie managed to buy the piece of property a few lots down from Aaron’s, and he hired Footprint to renovate the existing cottage. A few months ago, Noreen gave up her apartment and moved in with Arnie. They’re a family now, in the true sense of the word. Something Aaron was missing in his life.
“Okay. That sounds good.” It’s in my nature to say yes, but Aaron’s right: this weekend is a busy one, and as much as I love being with my family and his, I don’t want to overcommit myself.
“You gonna stay at my place this weekend so Danielle and your dad can have the apartment?” Aaron asks.
“If you’re okay with that.” I’ve been spending more nights at Aaron’s place over the past six months than I have my own.
We took it slow when I unpaused us. We went on dates; we had make-out sessions like we were high schoolers. We didn’t jump back in with both feet. And I had a chance to fall in love with him all over again.
“You know I love waking up to your beautiful face every morning.” He takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckle. “I’ve been thinking—with summer coming, your dad and Danielle will probably be coming up to visit more often, right?”
“He was talking about taking a couple of weeks off and spending them here, with Van.” That’s another thing that’s changed over the past year; our relationship with our dad has shifted. We’ve gotten closer as a family. And Danielle is part of the equation. A big part. While she’ll never replace my mother, she’s become someone I can rely on, and so has Aaron’s mom. My life is full of family and love, and I feel so fortunate to have it all.
Aaron adjusts the brim of his ball cap. “Maybe it’s time for you to start moving some more stuff to my place. That way Danielle and your dad can have the apartment to themselves.”
“Are you asking me to move in with you?” I’m half joking, since I already live with him more than 50 percent of the time.
He pulls into the town hall parking lot and puts the truck in park. He shifts to face me, looking nervous. “You don’t have to answer right now, but you stay at my place more than you stay at the apartment. I love you. I want you next to me every night and every morning. I don’t want to push you before you’re ready, though. You can think about it for as long as you need to, but this is my official invitation for you to move in with me. It’s open indefinitely.”
“I don’t need to think about it.”
“Seriously, Teagan, I know it’s a big deal, and I didn’t mean to spring it on you right before the first farmers’ market of the year. You can let it percolate for a while.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it.
“Can I be honest with you?” I ask.
“Of course. Always.” His expression is earnest.
“I only have a handful of outfits left at the apartment.”
“Really?”
“And I haven’t slept at the apartment in over a week.”
His brows pull together. “That was last weekend, when we had dinner with your brother and Dillion.”
“And you stayed the night with me,” I remind him.
A slow smile spreads across his face. “That’s right. You were frisky.”
My cheeks heat with the memory, and his expression shifts back to serious. “Does that mean we’ve been living together for a while and we didn’t even realize it?”
I chuckle. “It seems that way.”
“So can we make it officially official?”
“We can.”
“And you’re not just saying yes because you feel like you have to?”
I arch a brow.
“Just checking.” His palm curves around the back of my neck, and he pulls me in for a kiss. One full of promise.
Aaron is my partner. My person. My rock.
And I know, in my heart, that we’ll love each other the most on those days when it’s hardest for us to love ourselves.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Kidlet and hubs, your support is unwavering. Thank you for standing behind me every step of the way.
Pepper, thank you for your insight, for your support, and most of all, for your friendship. I adore you.
Kimberly, thank you for helping me make this one the best it could be.
Sarah, you are amazing, and I’m grateful that I have you as a friend and as part of my support team.
Hustlers, I couldn’t ask for a better book family. You’re my crew, and I love you.
My SS ladies, thank you for being willing to go through the fine details with me. You’re amazing.