Page 107 of True Sight
“Well we’re glad we know now and we’re very happy for you.Bothof you,” Kolbi says, looking first at Conrad and then at me.
“Thanks, I’m happy for us too,” he says, looking down at me with a smile. Then, in a turn of events I didn’t expect, he leans down and kisses me in front of everyone. When we look up again, all seven pairs of eyes are on us—smirks on everyone’s faces.
“I’m really happy for you, man,” Hank says, moving across the room and pulling him into a hug. His other two friends join him quickly and squeeze him hard. The rest of us laugh as the four of them share an embrace.
“Okay, that’s enough of that. I’m done, get off of me,” Conrad says, wiggling free and brushing himself off.
“Seriously, how do you put up with him? The guy doesn’t like to be touched and avoids talking about his feelings like the plague,” Malcolm scoffs.
Conrad takes a seat in the chair he’s slept in and holds my hand, looking at me. I chuckle to myself, thinking about how he used to be like that with me too. But over time, I was lucky enough to crack the tough exterior he wears like a shield and get to know the real, softer side of him that many people never get to meet.
“Call me crazy, but I’ve never felt like I was putting up with him.” I smile at him and he smiles back. “Must be something about me he can’t resist.”
When I wink at him and he rolls his eyes, I know that everything’s going to be okay. With him by my side and the two of us together, there’s nothing we can’t handle. I’d do anything for him just like I know he’ll do for me.
42
HENRY
While recovery is a bitch, I’d rather have to go through it than the other option that could have been my fate. Every doctor, surgeon, and physical therapist I worked with told me I was lucky to be alive and I wasn’t going to take that for granted. I wasn’t an overly spiritual human, but I know that I’m still here because of Gran. She always watched out for me and I knew she was still watching out for me, even now.
After several days of observations and testing, I was finally released from the hospital the day after Christmas. Conrad and I had agreed that I would stay with him while I regained my strength and since he had a car, he would drive me to my physical therapy appointments. There was no chance in hell I was getting into the back of an Uber anytime soon.
His friends were waiting for us when we got home and had decorated his apartment to the nines for the holiday. Twinkly lights were strung up around the walls, a full Christmas meal was sitting out waiting to be consumed, and the most beautiful Christmas tree was lit up with fully wrapped presents waiting to open. Someone had bought Annie a holiday collar with a bow on it and she proudly ran around from person to person to show it off. My usual Christmas was just me, Ellie, and Jordan once he came around but this year I was surrounded by an entire group of strangers who were starting to feel more and more like family every day. Even Alex and Ellie were there to welcome me home. It was the best Christmas of my entire life.
The opening of the studio had to be pushed because of my accident which was the hardest thing to come to grips with. I had worked so hard to get it up and running on time and to not be able to open the doors as planned hurt worse than my leg did at my physical therapy sessions. But I knew we couldn’t move forward with it until I was fully healed and Alex offered to continue to teach classes online until we were ready to open officially. I knew I had the best community of students out there before the accident, but the outpouring of love and understanding once they heard about what happened makes me emotional anytime I think about it too long.
Conrad was incredible throughout my recovery. Everyday he would make sure I had everything I needed, and would help me get from one spot to the next. Even when I graduated from crutches to a cane, he would watch me like ahawk as I moved throughout his place. When I had physical therapy, he, Annie, and I would load up in the car and after he dropped me off he would use that time to take her on a walk and be back in time to pick me up and take me home. More than a few times I would tell him how sexy he was as a nurse and revel in how he would roll his eyes and blush just enough for me to notice. Even with a bum leg and a delayed studio opening, I was the happiest I’d ever been in my life.
“There he is,” I hear his warm voice call out as I take a step outside. I’ve just finished another physical therapy session and I’m already sore from what Rayna put me through. We’re hoping I’ll be well enough to start teaching classes by March and have ramped up my exercises to try and get me there. Even if I have to teach while sitting in a chair I will because come hell or high water, the studiowillbe open come spring. “Go on, Annie, go get him.”
I lean on my cane to greet our four-legged girl who’s always happy to see me. Once I give her a kiss on the head, I push myself up and wrap my arm around his neck when he’s close enough. Pulling back from our embrace, he kisses me happily.
“How was it today? Still hoping to get back to teaching by March?” He helps me to the car and opens my door for me before loading Annie up in the back.
“That’s the plan. I still have five weeks to get there but I feel stronger each day so, I’m hopeful,” I reply once he’s in the driver’s seat next to me. We both buckle ourselves in but he doesn’t start the car up. His eyes are forward and he’s gnawing on his bottom lip like he does when he’s trying to muster up the courage to say something. Reaching over, I touch his hand and grab his attention. “Something wrong, love?”
“I want you to move in with me,” he announces quickly after taking a sharp breath. My lips pull into a tight smile as I look at him, knowing that this is probably something he’s been thinking about for days if not weeks. Ever since leaving the hospital, I’ve pretty much lived with him already but a few nights here and there I’ll stay at my place. Those nights are few and far between because when we see each other the next day we both lament about how we hate sleeping alone.
“I already kind of live with you,” I start, cocking my head to the side with a smirk.
“No, you’restayingwith me and that’s not enough. I want you to move in with me, to live with me, for good. I want to wake up in the morning with you next to me and I want to know you’re going to be there next to me when I fall asleep. I want to watch you come up with new dances for the studio and to help you cook dinner because we both know I’m a terrible chef.”
“It’s sweet to watch you try though,” I interject with a laugh before reaching over and cupping his cheek with my hand.
“I want my place to be our place. You, me, and Annie,” he says and we both turn to look at where she’s sitting in the back seat. Her ears perk up when we both look at her. “I love you, and I want to be able to start a life together, in the same place, officially.” He glances at me again and leans into my hand.
“I love you too. Let’s go home,” I agree resolutely. And after one more kiss, he starts the car and takes us home so we can start the next chapter of our life together.
43
CONRAD
“We’re so late, the guys are going to kill me,” I groan under my breath as I pull into Kolbi’s driveaway.
“Only by ten minutes, I doubt they’ll even notice,” Henry says from the passenger seat. He, Annie, and I are here for another week of D and D with my friends.
“No, you don’t understand. Gameplay starts at seven thirty and it’s nearly seven forty-five. They’re going to raze me for being late because…well because I’m typically the one to do that to them,” I explain hastily before jumping out of the car to open his door for him. When I reach it, I offer him my hand to help him out. While he has started to teach again, modified and with a chair, he still has trouble standing without assistance. The studio opened two weeks ago as planned, and he and Alex are busier than ever. With spring rolling in, they expect to need to bring on a third instructor to help with the influx of membership signups.
