Page 54 of Green
“You absolutely have a say in this, you just aren’t saying how you really feel out loud. To me.”
“Says who?”
He got up and went over to pick up the messenger bag that I had not noticed was on the ground by the door. He pulled out a journal that looked exactly like one that I owned, and held it up as evidence.
“This is not a list of reasons why we should be just friends. This is a list of reasons why we’re going to be the greatest couple ever.”
I blinked. Twice. It took me a moment to process this.
“You went into my room and read my journal?!”
“It was right there on your bed and it’s notthatkind of journal.”
“It wasnoton my bed.”Oh shit. I did leave it on my bed.I never left that journal out when I left my room. “Whatever—you went into my room without my permission and read my private journal without my permission when I wasn’t home.”
“You go into my room and smell my jackets when I’m not home.”
“It was one time and one jacket!” I huffed. That was not the same thing. At all. “I didn’t write that for anyone else to read.” I swiped the notebook from him.
He shook his head. “So that’s how you’re gonna play it…Okay. I’m going to make this happen. I’m tired of fighting it. I’m going to stop seeing other women—I already have. I’m going to take vacations with you and we’re gonna get a hammock for the back patio and we’re going to take naps in it. Together.”
I had fantasized about lying in a hammock with Theo on more than one occasion, but all I could say was: “There isn’t room for a hammock.”
“I will make room for a hammock, just watch me. There’s nothing I can do about the impressive size of my dick, but I promise not to split you in two.”
I covered my face and groaned. I couldn’t believe he’d read that in my journal. “Please just kill me now.”
“But seriously, there isn’t a lot I can do about being out of town for work. I’m going to be traveling internationally, a lot more in the near future, so that’s a non-negotiable. However, I am one hundred percent committed to spending more time with you. We’ll work it out.”
“I don’t want you to not be out of town for work.”
“Good. Because you go out of town for work sometimes, obviously. That’s life. We’ll make time in our schedules to fuck each other—that’s relationships.”
“That’s your definition of a relationship?”
“That’s my definition of a good relationship.”
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes at him. “This is too messed-up. I need to live on my own. I’m gonna crash with Chloe and Ethan first, but then I’ll find my own place.”
“Why don’t you just move in downstairs? Or keep your room and I’ll set up offices downstairs. I can fly my team down here to work sometimes, that way you’ll have the upstairs to yourself more. And I’ll hire you to design the offices.”
“Theo, I…I can help you with the offices, but I need to live away from you.”
“Why?”
“Because I need my own space.”
“I can give you all the space you need.”
“Says the guy who texts me nonstop and just drove two hours to see me after reading my journal.”
He took the journal from my hand, tossed it away, grabbed me again and playfully threw me back down onto the bed, straddling me and pinning down my arms, his face hovering over mine.
“I need time to think about this.”
I have never seen a smiling face look so serious.
“Go ahead. Think of it as Gemma & Theo version 3.0. All the capability you’ve come to love and rely on plus added features.”
