Page 71 of With Wine Comes War

Alex was on the Burrow Township relocation project now, so if the meeting had anything to do with that Grant would have surely asked Alex to be there.

What the hell does he want with me?

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ALEX

I didn’t push for any more information. I got ready for work like normal. We quietly ate breakfast as I thought about our conversation from last night.Should I really move in?This court hearing is really going to test our relationship. Picking a fight with my attacker will sound completely mental. Not just to him but to everyone and there’s nothing anyone can say to me to get me to change my mind. With my mind already made up maybe the best test of our relationship is for me to agree to move in. If we can get past my plans for Tanner, I’m sure there’s hope for our future.

“Roman, it’s fine, whatever it is, but are you going to take me to work and pick me up or can we just stop at my place and pick up my car? I’d rather just do that.” He seemed to snap out of whatever it was he was concentrating so hard on.

“Oh sorry, yes. We can stop and get your car. I mean, wait, I haven’t thought about how I want to do this yet.”

I was getting a little irritated with his protection plan, so I put my head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek as I batted my eyelashes at him.

“Take me to my car. I have shit to do and it’s going to require me to drive around and look at properties. I’ll have Darius with me, remember?” He still had a worried look on his face when he gave in.

“Okay.”

He pulled me into a firm hug and nuzzled his head in my hair. He seemed to groan a bit also and I pulled away gently, looking into those beautiful, but tortured, eyes.

“Please stop stressing. Whatever it is, just stop.”

“The problem is that I don’t know what it is.”

“Then it’s nothing. Plus, I’m going to need you to be ready to listen to my first day back at work stories when I get home. Our home.”

His eyes lit up and he said, “Seriously? Are you saying yes then?”

I nodded. I needed to get him out of this funk, and I knew this would do it.

“But we both have to have an out clause after the court hearing if things don’t go well.” He looked frustrated with me.

“Um, this is not a prisoner type deal so, yes, we can both get out of the arrangement at any time like a normal couple would if things don’t work out. Why would we need a clause? Are we putting it into a contract or something?”

I snickered. “Habit, sorry. Always negotiating when it comes to housing.” Thank God he laughed about it, because I was being dead serious. After this court hearing, he may not be too happy with me.

“How about after we take the kids back on Saturday, we go get some of my clothes? Or we can just wait until after the two weeks are up and decide then.”

“Nope, the sooner the better.”

Of course he wants everything now.

“Do you think I should sublet my apartment?” I wasn’t ready to make a permanent decision.

He said, “Or, I can just pay your early termination fee, and we can put your furniture in storage. You can also do whatever you want to this place. I had a designer here when I moved in, but if you want to change anything to make you feel more at home, go right ahead.” I hadn’t even thought about all my furniture. Even if things didn’t work out, I was thinking about buying a house anyway. This way, I could save some money until I decided what I wanted and where I wanted it. Would we be buying it together or separately? Oh no, too many questions in my head, this isn’t good.

“Alex, are you ready to go?”

Wow, that was overwhelming. Yes, get me out of here.

“Yes. I just need to grab a bottle of water and my things, and I’ll be all set.”

He kept his arm around me all the way to the garage and into the car. I noticed him looking around when we got into the garage though. Was he sensing that eerie presence too? In the car he leaned over and kissed me and said, “Thank you for saying yes to moving in.”

“You may change your mind about that.”

“We’ll talk about the rules when we get home tonight.”

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