Chapter 34 #2
“Babe.” A soft smile graces her face. “Why would I be mad? You’re in love, and you want to spend every day together.
I’m happy for you. No, I’m thrilled for you.
You two are meant to be together, and who am I to be mad that you’re trying to follow your heart?
After everything you two have been through these past couple months, you deserve this. ”
“But that means we won’t live together anymore?” It comes out more like a question than a statement.
“Well, good luck getting rid of me even if we are apart. I know your parents left you, but you’re stuck with me, babe.
For life. We’re still going to talk every single day.
I will sleep over here and kick Kane to the couch, and you’ll come stay with me.
This doesn’t change anything, just addresses.
” She squeezes my hand as tears well in my eyes.
Morgan has always seen me more than anyone else. The second we met freshman year of high school, she got me. We have been each other’s person since, and the thought of being so far away from her is hard to comprehend.
But the thought of moving in with Kane of sharing our life together—I want it so much.
“Thank you for being supportive of this. It’s a big step, and, well...I’m scared. After the past few months, what if we don’t make it work?” I grasp her hand back, resting it between us on the table, food long forgotten.
“I think it’s normal to be scared, but it also means you’re doing the right thing.
Change is scary, but change can also be exactly what you need.
You two are meant to be together. You talk, communicate, and if he closes himself off again, well, I took karate in sixth grade, and I think I could take him,” she proposes while coming around to hug me while I bury my head in her chest. Her ample cleavage almost suffocates me as I let her hold me. She pulls back and stares at me.
“Thank you for being here. For being my best friend,” I blubber as my face is smushed between her boobs once again.
“Ditto, babe.” She strokes my hair.
“So what do we do next? Kane and I need to start looking for what’s available to rent in the area.” I watch her walk around and grab her dish along with mine, then put them in the sink.
She comes and sits down across from me. “Why doesn’t he just move in here?”
“Morgan, I’m not kicking you out of your own house,” I reply astonished.
“You’re not kicking me out. Besides, this house just suits you two. The built-in bookcases, the original 1930s build. It was practically made for you.”
“But what about you? Where will you go?” I pick at my fingers as I think of displacing her from her own house.
“I want to look around and be sure. Maybe I’ll move into Kane’s room in the meantime while I look.” She throws it out like it’s nothing.
I freeze at the mention of her being willing to move in with Marcus.
“You want to move in with Marcus?” I hesitate.
“I mean, not particularly. Do I want to potentially catch whatever he’s caught? No. But it’s cheap, and I really don’t want to keep relying on my father. I want to try to make it on my own. There’s this cute storefront on Main that I have been eyeing. Maybe it’s finally time I open the bookstore.”
Morgan has always dreamed of being surrounded by books. She and I bonded over our love of romance and someday meeting our Prince Charming. We always have Tuesday night book club, just the two of us, which is just us discussing the books we read that week and laughing.
“Morgan, you should! You’ve been saying for years you want to, and your trust is enough to get it off the ground,” I squeal, excitement coursing through me at the idea of my best friend getting to live out her dream.
“Maybe. It’s a lot to think about. And with Queen Olivia getting married, it might be nice to have somewhere familiar to stay.”
Queen Olivia is the nickname we gave her older sister Olivia—the golden child of the family who can do no wrong. Morgan, meanwhile, has been labeled the black sheep for wanting out of her family dynamic.
“Are you sure? We don’t have to rush anything. You can stay here until you’re ready.” I search my best friend’s face, hoping she’s being honest. The thought of finally getting to live with Kane has butterflies erupting in my stomach.
“I’m more than sure. I’m excited for you. And I can survive Marcus for a few months. Plus, it might be fun to move in just to fuck with him a bit. Cock-block him constantly or something.” She smirks as she says it.
I laugh at her and Marcus’s nonstop antics. I can’t wait until she finally admits she has feelings for him. Those two have been dancing around each other for years, the push and pull tension so evident even someone with vision impairment would be able to notice.
“How do you feel?” she asks, thinking I won’t notice her change in subject from herself.
“I’m excited,” I beam. “I think this is everything I have ever wanted. I can’t imagine waking up with him every morning, knowing he’s mine and that this is the life I get to live.
It feels bigger, moving in together, even though we usually don’t spend a night apart.
We’re going to adopt a dog too. Did I tell you about Roo?
” I ask, taking out my phone and going to my ever-growing album of shelter dogs.
The forty photos I took of Roo today fill my screen, and one of him attacking Kane quickly became my new background photo.
This tall, tattooed man being taken down by the cutest puppy is almost too much for my heart to handle.
“Shut up! Roo is the cutest puppy I have seen in such a long time. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this, you know. You deserve to hold onto this happiness and ride it out. You’ve found someone who is obsessed with you, who would do anything for you,” she finishes wistfully.
“I’m going to miss you, though. We had some amazing years in this house.” I reach over and grab her hands.
“We did, and this isn’t over. We have so many more memories to make together,” she says back to me, both of us misty eyes.
We both laugh and get up from the table.
I send a quick text to Kane that I’m going to stay here and spend time with Morgan tonight.
We sit on the couch and turn on our favorite reality show at the moment, the ridiculousness of the plot making our stomachs hurt with how hard we’re laughing, filling the room between us and reminding me just how full my life is with all the family I have been able to surround myself with.