“You know how my lease is up soon?” I say, holding the phone up to my ear with my shoulder while I dig food out of the fridge.

“At the end of the year, right?” Mom answers.

“Right.”

“Don’t tell me you want to renew it. That place is too dumpy for you now that you’re a famous author.”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “Mom, the book hasn’t been published yet, remember?”

“But that other author liked it.”

“Right,” I say, not wanting to pick at this. “Anyway…I found a place.”

“In New York?”

“Yeah.” I grab stuff to make a salad and set it on the counter. “A really nice place.”

“Did you have it inspected before you signed anything?”

“Uh, I didn’t have to.” I’m beating around the bush. “I’m going to live with Cole,” I say, and Mom is silent. “Mom? Are you still there?”

“Yes, honey. That just threw me since you assured me you were taking things slowly with him and you weren’t going to move in together yet.”

“Just like a week ago you were telling me how much you wanted me to stay in New York because it made me happy, and how much you like Cole.”

“It’s a big step, Ana, and you have a history of being impulsive. And I say that with love.”

“Saying something ‘with love’ doesn’t make it any less insulting, Mom.”

“I want you to be happy.”

“Being with Cole makes me happy. And I’m not signing anything or taking responsibility for the house or property or anything like that. Cole’s the one taking the risk here. I could go in there and rob him blind. I know the code to his alarm system, after all.”

“Ana, be serious please.”

“I am serious, Mom. And, Cole and I are serious. He’s not like anyone I’ve met before. He’s so honest and open. I know I can trust him. And if you want to drill him with questions like we’re teenagers and not adults, feel free. He’s going to come with me to help me pack up my stuff in a few weeks.”

“You might be an adult but you’re still my daughter. I’ll have the questions ready. And make sure you abide by your eleven p.m. curfew or else I’ll have to take your phone away.”

“Hilarious, Mom.”

“You get your sense of humor from me, don’t forget. How is everything else in New York? Are you writing?”

I prepare my lunch and fill Mom in on everything—except that Steven’s been here, sniffing around like a rabid dog who just can’t stay away. After getting off the phone with Mom, I take my lunch into the family room and eat while watching TV.

Being alone in the house during the day is nothing new. Being alone here at night…yeah…that’ll be a little creepy. I can’t deny that. I look around the house, feeling the sheer size of it closing in on me. There are so many places to hide, and there’s a good chance there’s a ghost in the basement. Maybe I should invest in a gun.

“Are guns even legal here?” I ask myself and do a Google search. Cole texts me, and his message shows up through iMessage on my computer.

Cole: It’s a shit storm over here and I feel like I stepped into a high school cafeteria with all the drama.

Me: I’m sorry, babe. Would a nudie pic help?

Cole: It would solve everything.

Me: Give me time to shower first ;-)

Cole: Dirty can be hot.

Me: Not this kind of dirty. I miss you already.

Cole: I miss you too. What are you up to today?

Me: Writing. Right now I’m researching weapons that are legal to have in NYC. Did you know cane swords are illegal?

Cole: There goes your Christmas present…

Me: LOL hurry and fix everything so you can come home

Cole: Home…where we both live :)

Me: About that…we need a cat

Cole: Thor?

Me: He’s too old. I miss him but couldn’t do that to him. Plus he’s an asshole.

A few minutes pass before Cole’s able to reply, and when he does, I can’t stop smiling.

Cole: When I get back, we can go to the animal shelter and pick out a cat.

Me: Really??

Cole: Yeah. I like animals. I never got a pet before since I was hardly home. But since you’re there, it’s a different story. I have to go into a meeting with these idiots…I’ll call you when I’m done. Love you.

Me: Love you too. Good luck.

I set my phone down and, instead of working, look up the animal shelters in the city. Five minutes later, I’ve decided that we need not one, but three cats and at least two dogs. And maybe that floppy-eared bunny someone dumped off in the shelter parking lot. This house is big. We have room for lots of animals here. And maybe even in years to come a baby or two.

Shaking my head at myself, but smiling as I do so, I close my computer and go upstairs to shower. I never thought I’d miss my vibrator while in New York with Cole, but with him away, I do. I’m in for a bit of manual labor then, because I’m fucking horny and missing Cole badly right now.

Keeping true to my word, I take my clothes off and snap a few pictures of my ass in the bathroom mirror before I’m satisfied enough with one to send to Cole. I add ‘I miss you’ to the image and text it to him, then get into the shower.

My shower?

Legally, I have nothing on this house, but it feels different now that I’m officially living here, and even more so knowing we want to get an animal together. I’m riding on a high, and enjoying the shit out of this moment.

Because it’s only a matter of time before it ends. What goes up must come down.