CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Friday, January 26th
Walking into the house, Carrick saw Audrey in the kitchen and felt a smile lift the corners of his mouth. “Hey, babe.”
“Hi, honey. You’re home early.”
“I sped through the paperwork I owed the rear admiral and hustled myself home.”
“We’re having a celebration dinner.” She walked over to the small desk in the corner of the kitchen and picked up her laptop. “I have something to show you.”
Stepping behind her, he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck. “What’s that?”
The screen lit up and she opened a document and pointed to the bottom of the page. “The end, two of the best words in the world.”
“Second draft is done?”
“Sure is.” Turning in his arms, she looked up and gave him a luminous smile. “Thank you for giving me a place to write; being here has been amazing and if it wasn’t for you this book never would’ve happened.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s all you, Audrey. I don’t think I had much to do with it.”
“You had everything to do with it because if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have come home alive. You made the trip possible and have given me a beautiful place to write.”
“Congratulations, babe. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” Stepping out of his arms, she walked over to the oven and checked the roast. “Let’s go sit on the patio and have a celebratory drink while dinner finishes cooking.”
“Go on out and I’ll bring our drinks out.”
“All right.”
When she gave him a smile and then walked outside, he took a deep breath and wondered if she was thinking of returning to New York. He sure as hell hoped not because now that he had her home, he didn’t want to let her go.
What they had created over the last month showed him in no uncertain terms that she was his future. Now all he had to do was see if she felt the same way.
He grabbed a beer, poured a glass of wine, and tried to think of words that would convince her she was home.
Once they were settled with their drinks, he lifted his glass. “Here’s to my brilliant girlfriend and the success of her next book.”
“Thank you for believing in me.”
“Always.”
“Finishing a project is always bittersweet because it means it’s time to start something new.”
“And what are you thinking that new thing is going to be?”
“The firm offered me a case that will start in a couple of weeks and I’m going to take it. I should probably look into flights and get myself ready for a New York state of mind.”
“What does that mean?”
Sipping her wine, she shrugged. “The hustle and bustle of the city, the snowy winter, and deadlines of a case. The grind, I guess, is the best way to describe it.”
“Not like California, with our almost year-round seventy-five-degree weather and relaxed vibe. Not to mention the beach a block away.”
“Don’t torture me. When I’m on the subway at seven at night returning from court, I’ll be dreaming of my time with you.”
“Or you could just stay home.” He watched her set her glass down and frown. “I want you to stay and make a life together.”
“Carrick, I don’t…”
“Audrey what we’ve created together over the last month has been amazing and it tells me that we could have all the makings of an incredible relationship.”
“My life is in New York.”
“It could be here…with me.”
“What are you asking?”
“To stay in California and…”
“I’m not licensed to practice law here and I’d have no way of supporting myself.”
Standing, he knelt in front of her and took her hands. “I love you, Audrey, and I want us to be together.”
“You love me?”
“Yes, with every piece of my heart. You’ve blown into my life like a fucking storm tearing the nails off all the walls I’ve built over the years. You’ve opened me up in a way I didn’t think was possible and I’m not going to let you go. We’ve got a happy ending and we’re not stopping our story until we achieve it.”
“You want me to be your happy ending?”
“You already are, babe. You think there’s a chance that I could be yours?”
She took his face in her hands and ran her finger against his cheek. “I do.”
“I may not love you perfectly, but I do so with all of me; all of my broken and all of my mended and I hope it will be enough.”
“It’s more than enough, Carrick. You’ve been inside my heart from the moment our bodies connected, and I tried to pretend otherwise because nothing has ever frightened me more.”
“I promise to protect you and take care of your heart as best I can; all I ask is that you stay.”
“I want to be together, but I have to figure out the practicalities of moving my life across the country. It’s going to take more than a minute, so I want you to be patient.”
“I can try, but I don’t want to over promise.”
The oven timer went off and she stood, taking his hand. “Come inside and let’s figure out a compromise.”
“I can do that.” He followed her into the house and felt his heartbeat crash against his ribs. She’d agreed to be together and all that was left were the details of how they could make it happen sooner as opposed to later.
***
Audrey stood in front of the table and decided she hadn’t forgotten anything. “I think it’s all here.”
“Sit, babe, it looks perfect. You’ve made one of my favorite meals and I want to enjoy it.”
“I didn’t know pot roast was one of your favorites.”
“Anything you make me is a favorite. No one has cooked for me since I left home at eighteen, and I’ve got to say I’m enjoying the hell out of it.”
“I like to cook and since you’re so appreciative of my efforts, it makes it easy. I love your big kitchen and how easy it is to get groceries.”
“It’s your kitchen and our house.”
“So, does that mean you’re never going to cook?”
“I can heat up a can of soup and nuke whatever you want, but I’m probably never going to be great in there.”
“Would you want to take a cooking class together?”
“Would it make you happy if we did?”
“I think that means no.”
“Can I do all the house repairs and take care of the yard instead?”
“That sounds pretty sexist.” She started to fill his plate and shook her head. “Maybe I’m really handy and like to mow the lawn.”
“Maybe, but I called it first, so you’re out of luck.”
“Fine.”
He lifted a roll and broke it open and grinned. “I’m never going to be able to do what you do in the kitchen and I have no desire to put you through the misery of what might happen if I try.”
“All I ask is that you learn a couple of basics, like scrambled eggs and toast.”
“You’ve got it. Make a list of ten things and I’ll master them.”
She watched him begin to eat and nodded. “What would you like me to learn how to do?”
He tilted his head and then wiped his mouth. “Nothing I can think of. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
“That is a load of bull and we both know it. Come on, Carrick, think of one thing.”
“How do you feel about sex swings?”
Covering her mouth as she started to choke, she felt his hand tap her back. Once she had recovered, she stared at him. “Really?”
“No, I just wanted to see your reaction.”
She took a sip of wine and studied him. “I don’t buy it. I think you want to spice up our activities in the bedroom and this is your way of introducing the subject.”
“We’re pretty spicy, Audrey, and I don’t have any crazy shit that I want to try.”
Folding her arms, she tapped her foot. “I don’t believe you.”
“How did a discussion about living together turn into this? I love you, Audrey, and our sex life is off the charts as far as I’m concerned. I couldn’t be happier and hope to hell you feel the same way.”
“I am happy, but if you have needs, I’d like to know about them before it’s too late.”
“Jeeze, this discussion went off the rails. I tried to make a joke and it bombed.” He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her skin. “Babe, you’re always going to be more than enough for me.”
“But, you’ll tell me if it changes, right?’
“It’s not going to.”
“I love you, Carrick, and it scares the hell out of me because I think it’s fatal. You’re not the type of man a woman gets over.” Feeling like she couldn’t breathe, she scooted her chair back and took a couple of deep breaths.
“Babe…”
She waved her hand and shook her head as she tried to get herself together. Her feelings for him were overwhelming and she felt like she was drowning. For the first time in her life, she was out of control and she hated it.
Pulling her chair close so their knees were touching, he took her hands. “This love thing is daunting, and I don’t think it’s unusual for us to feel terrified. What say we make a pact to get through it together?”
Nodding, she ran her thumb over his finger. “I’d like that.”
“Think of me as your strongest ally, biggest cheerleader, and most steadfast defender, and I will do the same with you. If something comes up that you can’t handle, let me know and we’ll do it together.”
“And you’ll think of me the same way too?”
“Absolutely. We have a lot to learn about each other and how to make our relationship work, so if we’re on each other’s side, I figure all we can do is succeed.”
“I think you’re right. I was letting myself get freaked out by how big my feelings are for you and I shouldn’t.”
“You can get freaked out all you want, just tell me what’s going on, so I know what we’re dealing with. The fact that you’ve got big feelings for me is freaking awesome and if you want to lose your shit for a minute while you get used to them, go on ahead.”
“Why are you handling this so well?”
“Because I’m not as emotionally literate as you, and I’ve had longer to get used to the fact that you fucking own me, body, heart, and soul. I had a pretty good idea I was in for some serious shit with you back in Turkey, so I’ve had several months to get my mind wrapped around it.”
“Well, that’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, babe. You know that as well as I do.”
“So, I own you?”
“Absolutely.”
She moved into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned. “I kind of like the idea of that.”
“I figured you would because it will make you feel safe. If you own me then there’s little risk in showing me all of you because you know I’ll accept you, no matter what.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of sexual favors, but we can go with the whole emotional intimacy thing if you want.”
Letting out a bark of laughter, he held her close. “God damn, woman, I love you.”
“I love you too, Carrick, and I might as well confess that you own my heart, body, and soul too.”
“I know what a privilege it is, and I promise to do my best with all three.”
“I never would’ve guessed that I’d fall in love with a Republican, but I suppose it’s our differences that will make us stronger.”
“Just think, we get to cancel out each other’s vote for the next fifty or sixty years.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Thought you might.”
She crawled out of his lap and took her chair. “I’ve let our meal get cold.”
Standing, he took both their plates and stepped into the kitchen. “Don’t worry, I got this.” He put one in the microwave and hit the button. “I’m already learning to cook.”
“That you are,” she replied with a laugh.
When he gave her a wink, she felt her heart expand and knew there was no better match in the world. Carrick Young was the finest man she’d ever met, and she would be lucky to call him her own. In fact, she might see how quickly they could make it happen.