Page 58 of Rival Hearts

“Yeah,” Jett said, “in the future or something.”

“I don’t know,” Riley said. “We’d probably have to live together officially for that to work out.”

“Well yeah,” Jett said and Riley’s heart raced, “I’d love for you to officially move in with me. Like forever.”

Riley felt nervous for just a minute before she smiled and looked to Jett, “Like properly? Like all of my stuff? Like I give up my apartment?”

“Absolutely!” Jett said. “I have a two bedroom house. There is loads of space for your stuff,” Jett waved her hand around as if to indicate all of the space for Riley’s stuff.

Riley looked around Jett’s kitchen. Since staying to care for Jett, she had felt totally at home here. She hadn’t missed her apartment once, but there was something she had missed. “Yeah,” she conceded, “you are right about that. But if we do this properly, we’re keeping my bed.”

“Deal,” Jett said with no hesitation. Riley didn’t think she would argue that. Riley had a really great massive bed.

“Which couch though?” Jett asked.

“Oh, I don’t care,” Riley said. “I’m not emotionally attached to my couch.”

“I’m not either,” Jett said. “But you know what I’ve always wanted?”

“What?” Riley asked.

“One of those couches with the pull-out bed,” Jett said. “It would be great if Natalie came over to stay the night or something or even Emma, as she gets older. Or if we just wanted to watch TV lying down.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept on one before,” Riley said.

“They’re great,” Jett said. “We used to have one in my house when I was growing up until it broke. It was an ugly plaid, but me, mom, and Brody would pull out the bed on weekends and nights we didn’t have school and just watch movies all night until we all fell asleep.”

Riley smiled and felt warmth running through her body. “That sounds fun.”

“Oh it was a blast.”

“When would we get a cat?” Riley asked suddenly and Jett took her hand and smiled at her. “Well, we are both free tomorrow, we could go to a rescue and maybe meet some cats? And we could get stuff wrapped up with your apartment and sort out the move, if you are ready of course?”

Jett’s beautiful brown eyes were warm and full of love as she looked at Riley.

Riley pulled her baseball cap off and leant in, kissing Jett tenderly.

“I’d love that,” she said.

16

JETT

Jett fixed Riley’s collar in the parking lot of the conference center while Riley laughed.

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” Riley said. “I thought a tie would look nice and fancy, but it definitely did not.”

“It definitely looked like you were trying too hard,” Jett agreed before tossing the tie into the backseat of her car, “but you still look gorgeous without it.”

Jett couldn’t get over how Riley blushed lightly when she complimented her, and a part of her hoped that she never stopped reacting that way.

“You ready to go in?” Jett asked after closing the door.

“Sure am,” Riley said and smiled at Jett, blushing slightly. Jett knew what she wanted, so she held out her hand. Riley took it, and the two of them started to walk toward the front doors together. Jett was excited and nervous.

This event that the hospital and fire department were putting on was the first time that Jett and Riley would be together somewhere publicly as a couple. Jett knew that the gossip at work and at the hospital was going to skyrocket, but she didn’t care.

She was happy to be happy with and through someone that she cared about, and she knew that Riley felt the same. She knew that she could handle the personal and professional challenges that were thrown at her, and she had been through too much not to allow herself a shot at happiness.

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