Page 76 of Keep You Close

On the nights when we didn’t want to stay in, we played our favorite little game of driving around aimlessly until we hit a restaurant we’d never heard of before, and gave it a try.

Sure, the results were mixed, leaving us ordering in or making frozen pizzas when we got home, but it was a fun little adventure.

We did spend most of our time at home, though, sometimes with Atlas’s laptop sitting on our legs as he scrolled through furniture sites, wanting my opinion on some additions to make to the house.

It occurred to me after we were done, though, that he’d left the decisions almost entirely to me.

An insecure part of me was concerned that he was letting me decorate because he didn’t intend to be around long-term.

I worked hard to squash those thoughts, though, as the days passed and he showed no intentions of leaving, of even talking about getting on the road again.

Most days, while I was at work, he was at physical therapy. Sometimes, he would stop at the doggy daycare to bring me lunch, or drop off coffee if he was getting some.

Other days, he was home all day by himself, and I would come back to find he’d worked on some random project.

Painting the faded hallway. Regrouting the tub. Once, I came home to find he’d built a little picnic table out of scrap wood and turned it into a feeding station for our friendly neighborhood squirrels to eat without getting trapped in the bird feeders.

We’d even ordered a Christmas tree and decorations for outside.

The holiday season was coming up fast.

I found myself wondering what I could get him that he would like. And if, maybe, just maybe, he might be getting me something too.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been given a gift.

Way back at the beginning of our relationship, Joss did get me things here and there. But, looking back, it was really gifts for himself. Cookbooks. Kitchen gadgets. A stationary bike, so I could lose weight for him.

It was never anything I would personally enjoy, something that he saw and thought of that might bring me happiness. It was just for his own desires.

“Earth to AJ,” Ella called, making me snap out of my thoughts, finding her standing there in front of me, pulling a pink hat with a big pom-pom on top onto her head.

“Oh, sorry, what was that?”

“I know that look,” she said, suddenly leaning over the desk, resting her arms on it, her smile girlish. “Does your distraction have anything to do with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy?” she asked. “And don’t you dare try to tell me that the man is just your landlord,” she said.

“He’s… not just my landlord anymore,” I admitted.

“I mean, duh. My landlord has never brought me lunch to work. Granted, my landlord is an ancient widower who I’m pretty sure can’t even see me properly, but still. Spill.”

“You need to get home to your girls,” I reminded her.

“The big one is going to a movie with her friend. The little one is at karate. The only things at home for me are a sink full of dishes that has been side-eyeing me for two days and a radiator that is spitting out so much hot air that we have to crack all the windows and walk around without pants on. So… again, spill.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted, realizing I’d never really discussed a relationship with a friend before. Since I never really had any friends.

“I mean, I think the pressing question is: does he fuck like he swaggers?”

“He isn’t swaggering. He’s wearing a walking boot,” I said, getting an eye roll from her.

“You haven’t answered the question.”

“I… have no complaints,” I said, but there was no way to stop the smile that spread across my face.

“Oh, that is the face of a woman who is getting it good and often,” Ella said, eyes bright. “You seem so happy,” she added.

“I am,” I admitted, feeling my heart swell at just the mention of Atlas and how I openly felt about him.

“Awww,” Ella said, pressing a hand to her heart. “Listen, I know you haven’t wanted to share, but I know you’ve had… a dickbag in your past too,” she said. “So, I’m just really happy you have a good guy now. It gives me hope.”

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