Page 40 of When I Found You

“Great. I started the therapy with the little boy I assessed last week. He did so good today.”

“That’s awesome! How often will you see him?”

“Once a week for the foreseeable future. We do a reassessment after the ten-week mark to see how the child is progressing with the therapy. For some kids, music helps them process other things. Some get lost in the music. In my experience so far, the kids that benefit the most are usually onthe autism spectrum. I’ve had some kids who are completely mute, and they use the music as a means of communication. It’s really fascinating, and I love getting to work with each and every child that needs my help. I’ve thought a lot about leaving the songwriting behind me and opening a practice to focus fully on the therapy side of music, and I may still do that. Build up a nice cushion from the royalties on my songs, and then open a therapy clinic in a few years.”

“Sounds fascinating. I’m sure you would rock at it. Would you stay in Nashville and do that, or do you foresee yourself ever wanting to move back home and be around your family?” I ask her, just as the timer on my phone goes off, signaling it’s time to flip the steaks.

“Nashville has become home to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love going home and seeing my family, but I don’t see myself moving back anytime soon.”

“Would you ever leave Nashville for somewhere else?” I ask, curious if our relationship was to move forward and I was to get re-stationed, what would happen.

“I wouldn’t say never, but it wouldn’t just be a quick decision. If I stick with songwriting, I can do that from almost anywhere. I’d just have to be willing to travel sometimes when necessary. As it is, I already have Skype writing sessions with clients when they’re out on the road or when they don’t want to come to Nashville to meet up. When Reese was in Indianapolis with Austin, we’d Skype her and work on songs. It’s not the same as being in the same room together, but it works when needed.”

“So, theoretically speaking, if this,” I say, motioning between the two of us, “was to go somewhere and I was to get re-stationed, would you consider moving with me?”

“If we were serious, then I don’t see why I wouldn’t. If you got orders tomorrow, I’d like to say I would, but that’s kinda fast, don’t you think?”

“I agree it is, but do you believe that we all have a soulmate out there somewhere, and when we find them, everything just clicks into place? That, when our worlds collide, things just fit perfectly?”

“I guess so,” she says, biting that lip once again.

“I’m the last guy on earth that thought he’d ever be talking about soulmates and forever with a woman, but look at me now. Meeting you a few weeks ago completely changed my world. You came in and flipped me upside down. All it took was one look at you and my heart was pounding harder in my chest. And it wasn’t a physical attraction, not that I don’t think you’re drop-dead gorgeous, because I do. But I feel it to mysoul, Stacey.” I close the distance between us and take the beer from her hand. I place it on the railing of my balcony and then grab both of her hands in mine. “I can’t even put into words what I feel with you, here,” I tell her, tapping my chest.

“I’ll agree with you that what we have is something special and different. Does that mean that we were destined to meet and be together? I have no freaking idea, but the idea of you not being in my life isn’t something that I want to ever have to know.”

“Is it too early for me to tell you that I love you? Because I do. I love you so fucking much. Being away from you this past week sucked so damn much. I had to stop myself every day from driving to your place after I got off work each night. I hated not having you in my bed each night, and in my arms.”

“I hated it, too. And I love you, too, Peyton,” she says and the words wash over me.

I capture her lips in a searing kiss, only breaking apart when the timer on my phone goes off again, signaling that it’s time to take the steaks off the grill. If it wasn’t for that damn timer, I would have completely forgotten about our food and taken her back to bed. After we both just expressed our love for each otherfor the first time, I’m so full of love for this woman, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to eat.

“Let’s eat, then we can ravish each other again,” she suggests as she breaks our connection.

“If you insist,” I tease her, dropping a peck to her forehead before I step away and remove the food from the grill.

We head back inside, where we dish up, then take a seat at the small table in my kitchen. We eat quickly, just happy to be in each other’s company again.

An hour or so later, we’re lying together on my bed, sated from love making, and just enjoying the comfort of being back in each other’s arms.

“Have you ever considered moving off base?” Stacey asks, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two of us.

“Not really, why?”

“Well, I was just thinking. Since neither of us really wants to be apart all the time, what if we got a place together, somewhere around halfway between here and Nashville? The lease on my condo is up soon. That would give us time to find a place, and give you time to give your notice or whatever it is that you have to do to move off base.”

“I would absolutely move off base if that meant I got to come home to you every night. I’d just have to notify base housing that I’m moving and go through the normal checkout process. Then, I’d get a housing allowance to help me pay toward rent, utilities, et cetera.”

“So, is that something we want to pursue, then? I’m required to give my landlord a sixty-day notice, so if we want to do this, I need to give my notice when I pay my rent at the beginning of the month.”

“I’m all-in, babe. If this is something that you’re ready to take the huge step toward doing, then let’s do it.”

“I’m all-in. I love you, Peyton,” she says before she kisses me.

Chapter Thirteen

STACEY

The past sevenweeks have flown by. After my first weekend visiting Peyton and the decision being made that we were going to move in together, we both began working toward that goal. That weekend, we started looking at what towns between us would be the best to look at, and settled on one as close to halfway as we could get. We found a cute little two-bedroom house to rent and the day has finally arrived for us to get the keys.

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