Page 42 of Love In London: A Steamy Standalone Instalove

I see Dean’s eyebrows raise over the call. If he wasn’t convinced about how serious I am already, then this surely has to do the trick. He knows me. He knows how much my work means to me.

Giving it up, even only in part, is a very big gesture – and one that I know he will have to recognize.

“You’re going to meet her in her college dorm, are you?” Dean asks. I can see what he’s doing now. Testing the edges. Making sure that everything works, that there are no vulnerabilities. Even one, and he’ll know that his daughter isn’t safe with me. That it could all come crashing down.

And realistically, it could. Relationships end. I know it happens.

I just don’t see how it could possibly happen to us. Not with the depths of how I feel. Not with the way she looks back at me. Whatever comes up, it couldn’t possibly be stronger than us.

“No, I don’t think that will be necessary,” I say. We haven’t discussed this yet, and it’s a bit of a risk, but I’m willing to take it. I have a feeling that Gabby will agree, anyway. “Gabby can move in with me.”

“With you?” Dean repeats, looking at me and Gabby both with incredulity. “You’re going to have her move in with you after a week? In your penthouse?”

There are two parts to that question, and the good news is I’ve thought about them both. “I know it’s fast, but that’s how committed I am,” I say. “I’m not backing down from this. So long as Gabby is happy too, she can live with me.”

“Of course, I am,” Gabby says immediately, squeezing my hand. There’s a slight flush in her cheeks, a flush of happiness. “It’ll give us the chance to spend as much time together as possible. I’m not afraid. We’ve already been on top of each other all week – staying in the same place, I mean. I don’t think we’ll annoy each other so much that it becomes a problem.”

I laugh slightly at her phrasing, though I quickly clear my throat and brush it off, hyper-aware of the fact that Dean is watching us. “And as for the penthouse being too small, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

“Of course, it won’t,” Gabby agrees warmly. She gives a half-laugh. “It’s not like I have much stuff here with me, anyway. I won’t take up much room.”

“No, that’s not why,” I tell her. I vary my glances between her and Dean, aware that I’m telling them both the news at the same time. “I wouldn’t make you live like you’re only half here. We can arrange to have your things couriered over, just like you would for college anyway. More than that, even. You can even bring your furniture over if you want. I’ll pay for it.”

“Where would it fit?” Gabby asks, but then she blushes, glancing at the screen. “I mean, I’d be happy to have my things. I just don’t know where it would all go.”

“That won’t be a problem,” I say. A grin escapes my lips, something I’m not able to hold back. I can’t wait to tell her this. I’m so excited about it myself, I can’t help it. “The thing is, while I’ve been away from work, my assistant hasn’t had much to do after rearranging all my meetings. So, I gave him another task to do. He’s been looking for homes that might possibly work for us – somewhere we can live for the longer term. Somewhere we might be able to bring up a family.”

“Oh, wow,” Gabby breathes.

“You think a London townhouse is going to solve all of my concerns?” Dean asks, frowning.

“No,” I say calmly, looking back at the screen. “That’s why I haven’t been asking him just to look in London. He’s been looking in all of the locations where Gabby’s been considering going to college, as well as closer to the family home. Wherever she wants to live, that’s where we’ll go.”

“You’d give up London for me?” Gabby asks, her eyes wide. “But… you love it here. You’re so comfortable.”

“Yes,” I say. “But I love you more. Wherever you want to call home, that’s where I’ll be. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Oz,” Gabby whispers, her eyes saying everything she can’t. The love, the awe in response to what I’m offering. I give it all back to her in my own gaze. Nothing else matters except this. Even if Dean doesn’t approve, in the end, it means nothing. I only want to make one person in the whole world happy, and I’d burn the rest of it down in order to do that. Gabby is the only one that matters now.

Dean coughs again, awkwardly, like he doesn’t want to watch our private moment. We turn back to the screen, and I’m heartened to see his face. His eyes cast down like he can’t quite look at us. His expression has softened.

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