Page 163 of As The Shifter World Turns

I will. Love you.

Love you.

“Pizza is served.”

“Let me order for Ivor. I’ll be right back.” I raced to the counter, happy to see they did have the chocolate things. When I got back to the table, Daire had served up a slice for each of us.

“This looks amazing. What a great idea.” I took a bite. Better than great.

“I have a lot of them, like you moving into my place.”

“Ivor said it was fine depending on the rent.”

“I love that you asked him already.” He bent his slice in half. “It’s 10% higher.” That didn’t sound like enough, but I was going to take it.

“Done. Are you just swapping with us?” That would be a nightmare to arrange, but doable if we stacked things in the hallway carefully enough.

“I was thinking I would take Seb’s old place.” Not that it had been his place for long. “It’s move-in ready and then I can work on 2A. Paint and carpets, of course, but I was also toying with the idea of redoing the kitchen. Maybe fancy it up a bit... add a bit of equity.”

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking a lot about this.”

“I have. I mean, if I can build up a business that is worth selling, why can’t I build up Sunshine Manor, too?” he said and I nearly dropped my pizza. “Not to sell it, but to show my parents that I have a clue.”

“Sometimes I really don’t like your folks.” That was out of my lips before I could stop myself. “I mean they’re nice to let us… run and all, but they’re pretty shitty to you a lot of the time.”

“They do the best they can.” He shrugged. “And part of it is I care about what they think. And that’s on me. But I’m trying not to let their disapproval limit me from reaching my goals anymore.”

Daire leaned in closer and spoke softly, “Micah and I will still look for a buyer for our company and if we find one I might start investing in more rental places. Like, Sunshine Manor will be my home, but perhaps I could look at some other apartments or houses in the area when they turn up. Micah and I stage homes—that’s our job—at least for the moment until we find a buyer for the company, so I get a first glimpse of what’s on offer. What do you think?”

“I think you can do anything you put your mind to and if this is something that will make you happy, you should do it. Is it what makes you happy?”

He took another bite of his pizza, chewing softly. He was thinking about it—really thinking about it.

“I love plants and my videos, and while I make great money, my parents don’t think it’s a real job.” He put his hand up as I started to speak. “I know, I know. I’m not letting their opinions influence me.” He chewed his pizza. “But it’s nice to have something else other than making my videos, and I think I can have both.”

“Then you deserve both, but I have to let you in on a little secret.” That caught his attention. “A three bedroom apartment is worth more than 10% of what we’re paying now.”

“But a new start is priceless. For me and for you and Ivor, and that kind of feels like what this is.”

We finished eating, the conversation veering towards things like movies and video games. We ate the entire pizza and by the time they called me for Ivor’s order, we were ready to burst.

“Good thing we walked.” He grabbed one of the boxes. “I need to work some of this off.”

“But doesn’t sitting down on the couch and falling asleep to a movie sound about perfect after a meal like that?” I let out a yawn because yes, I was that full.

“It does. Can you call your boss and see if you can take the afternoon off?”

“You know what? I think I can,” I teased. “Hey me, can I be a slug and watch the new vampire movie? Why yes, me, you can.”

It was a slow enough day and I hadn’t really been getting much done anyway. If Daire needed time with a friend, I was there for him. He’d been there for me more times than I could count. And now that the whole business with Seb and my ex was done and dusted, we were back to where we’d always been. Friends.

“My boss said yes.”

“Perfect. Let’s go be slugs.”

67

MOVING DAY

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