Epilogue #3
“Hold on one sec.” I didn’t care that she already knew. I still wanted this moment for us.
I hit play, and the music to our song, “Home,” filled the air. Nat stood patiently, smiling so beautifully.
“Okay, you can take it off now.”
Nat slid the blindfold down, and she took in the new couch, then slumped onto it before proceeding to bounce her butt up and down on it. To be fair, it was a perfect couch for bouncing.
I joined her on the other side of it. “What do you think?”
“I love it. And maybe now I’ll stay over for a movie night once in a while.”
I grinned. “I hope so. There are USB outlets.”
She grinned like I was talking dirty to her.
“Now for the rest. I won’t make you wear the blindfold, though,” I said, pulling her up from the cushions.
“The rest?”
Nat held my hand and followed me, and even though I knew she was playing into the whole act-like-you-don’t-know-anything thing, her sweet question made my heart flutter.
Our song followed us down the hall, albeit softer, as I opened the door to the once junk room, now turned into what I was hoping was a Natalie-approved office.
Nat’s eyes went comically big. So maybe Leo hadn’t revealed everything.
“Jack,” she breathed out and stepped into the room. We still held hands, so I was right behind her as she took in the restrained hardwood floor and the freshly painted walls.
Nat sat in the desk chair, ran her free hand over the curtains, and took in the outlets and shelving. I turned on the newly installed twinkle lights and the neon Naturegirlnat sign I’d commissioned, and she looked around, speechless.
“I know Leo told you. But I hope you like—”
She shook her head as she took in every minute detail. “Autumn asked for my home mood boards, which was a little strange, and Leo told me about the couch. But this… I didn’t expect this.”
I was beyond thrilled. “If you want more plants, they can go up here.” I indicated the custom shelves. “But we can always put in a skylight if you need more light later.”
“Later?” Nat was teary-eyed and happy, and I knew she knew where this was going, but I wasn’t ready yet.
I squeezed her hand. “Yeah, later.” I gently led her out of her new office and toward the bedroom. “Now what was it you were saying about getting frisky?” I teased, wanting to lighten the moment as I scooped her up and carried her over the threshold of our bedroom. “I’m sorry about your bunk.”
When I set her down, Nat reverently touched the new dresser. Well, it was a new used dresser I’d refinished last month and tucked away in storage for this week.
“Where will I sleep?” she asked, as if she’d slept a wink on that bunk bed since we became a couple. She was in her bed in Andromeda, or where she belonged, in mine. But it was cute.
I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous. “I’m hoping you’ll sleep here. Every night. With me.”
Nat opened a large wooden drawer to find it empty. She didn’t say anything for a moment, and regret flooded me. I should have had her pick out the new furniture. What if she hated the dark stain I’d used? Or worse, what if she didn’t want to live here again?
I moved to open the closet, cutting off those thoughts. I showed her the three-fourths vacant space while she processed the changes. “See? There’s plenty of room for both of us,” I said dumbly.
She turned back to me. Her face was unreadable, and it was killing me. “You want me here every night?”
I nodded back. “More than anything,” I confessed.
She turned from the closet back to me. “Every morning?”
My hands found her face and drew her closer. “Every minute,” I corrected. Nat kissed me and toppled us onto the perfectly made bed. I laughed and went down with her easily. “Move in with me, princess. I promise you won’t regret it.”
“You want me to move in here? Not to Hazel’s friend’s place, with the room to rent?”
She’d been worried about not having a place to live once the camp sessions started back up. I never wanted her to live anywhere else, but this wasn’t my decision to make.
“I want you here, in our home, more than anything. No separate beds or tape down the middle. One shared space for both of us.”
Nat nodded, peppering my face with kisses, telling me how happy she was. All the time I’d spent working for this moment had been worth it. She was excited. Giddy, even, as she hugged me. “Okay, Jack, let’s do it. And maybe this time around I won’t hate you.”
I barked out a laugh and kissed her sweetly. “Maybe this time I’ll tell you how much I love you, instead of how much I think I hate you.”
Nat pretended to scoff at me, and I booped her nose.
It was my turn to be giddy. All my bets were paying off.
All my previous skepticism and avoidance of love were entirely gone now that I had her.
The way she loved with her whole heart was more than I could have ever imagined.
Everything felt meant to be with my girlfriend, happy in my arms, in a home that belonged to both of us.