Page 116 of Apex of the Curve

“Now, as for storage for pieces waiting to get fired and that, you could keep those down here but the rest of your shelves can go up into the loft in the barn. Come this way.” He towed me back outside and down the new path to the foot of the stairs outside the barn. We went up those stairs and he led us both in to the doorway at the top and into the freshly swept and cleared out loft at the top with its windows and high ceilings.

“I figured you could keep finished pieces up here, maybe do the online shipping thing for a while. You know, still work for yourself but on a smaller scale with little overhead. No rent, no mortgage. Just supplies… Little Bird likes taking pictures. Maybe you could set things up all artsy on the old stump out back. Could look really nice for like an Etsy shop or something. You could sell local on the weekends to build a following – hey! Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong?”

I covered my mouth with my hands as my eyes spilled over and I stared at him speechless.

“No, no, no, babe! Don’t cry!”

He folded me against him as I let myself be overcome with all of the feelings.

“You did all this for me?” I asked, and he held me tight, smoothing a hand over my hair.

“Yeah, of course I did. I want you to be happy but more important, I want you to be with me. Here… I want you to do whatever the fuck you wanna do.”

I clung to him and looked up at him and he smiled down at me, caressing the side of my face.

“I don’t know what to say,” I murmured.

“Say yes. Although, I want you to keep your money. Build yourself a ‘fuck-off fund.’”

“A what?” I asked laughing.

“A ‘fuck-off’ fund, a big enough chunk of money that if shit goes sideways for you in any way. If this… stops working,” and he almost visibly flinched at the idea, “you can take yourself anywhere in the world if you wanted to.”

I shook my head. “There’s no place in this world that I would rather be, than right here with you,” I said fervently.

He looked me in the eyes and asked, “Is that a yes? You’ll move in with me?”

“That’s a yes,” I murmured. “There’s no place I’ve ever felt so at home than here.”

He swept me up into a big bear hug and I shrieked, laughing as he spun me around.

“Oh, my God!” I cried, and he said to me, “Not yet. That’s later tonight. Come on, let’s get this part of the move over with.

“Okay,” I said, hushed, and I led him down the stairs, excited to start down this new path in life. With him.

* * *

It took considerably moretime to unload and set everything back up where it needed to go than it had to load everything up. By the time we were through, it had started to rain again and we were all crowded around the two picnic tables under the shelter of the back overhang. The food had been unreal, the mead and home brewed beer had flowed a plenty, and I had thoroughly enjoyed the mead part of things.

I’d never had it before and especially liked the variety where they’d added fresh blackberries from bushes surrounding the farm. It’d enhanced the honey flavor with a tart berry richness and I was easily drunk by my second glass. Nobody warned me that mead could be so potent, but then again; I was home, so who cared?

I sat straddling one of the picnic table benches, leaned back against Fenris, his arms around me as he casually rocked me back and forth. The guys were all varying stages of intoxicated around us, all telling stories that had every one of us in stitches. No one would be driving home. Some would be on the couches or up in the guest bedroom on the second floor, that I hadn’t known was there, which made me smile now.

Some would likely be passed out in the barn by morning. All in good fun, until the hangovers hit.

“You ready for bed, baby girl?” Fen growled in my ear and I smiled.

“Mm-hm.”

“K, come on.”

He got up and helped me to my feet and both of us slipped off into the house, no one paying us any mind.

Up in the bedroom – our bedroom, the candles were lit, the music playing softly, and once again, Fenris pressed himself to my back, his lips to the side of my neck after pulling the collar of my thick sweater away.

“You are so fuckin’ beautiful,” he growled sweetly in my ear before lightly kissing the shell.

I spun in his arms and put my arms around his neck.

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