Page 94 of A Minute More

“I’m fine. I’ve been doing well.”

“School’s going good?” I ask and he nods, peeking over at me.

“Yeah, it’s going really well. And I’m still in therapy. Still working on things.”

“That’s really good,” I say and then reach out and grab on to his hand, squeezing it. I just love being connected to him.

Simon. My Simon.

“What are you doing out here? Where are you working? Another sandwich shop?”

“Hell no,” I say with a snort and then feel myself growing serious. “I work at a trauma center. It’s a nonprofit.”

Simon’s breath catches.

“I work with kids who’ve lost their parents to drugs or alcohol.”

Simon’s mouth parts and he stares at me. Fuck, I don’t know how he’ll feel about it. But he has to know. He has to.

“I should have told you—”

“No, no. I’m…do you like it?”

“I love it,” I say and then pull his hand to my mouth, kissing his knuckles. “I did it because of you. Because you told me I was good at something and it gave me ideas. And with my degree…well, it just worked. When I saw the ad, I knew it was a sign.”

Simon lets out a breath and scoots a little closer to me.

“I’m so glad. I am. Are you…are you going to stay?”

“Well, I have a lease on my apartment that’s up in September, and I was hoping to have another place to stay by then.”

I’m hinting, and Simon’s blinking up at me, obviously not getting it.

“I was hoping to find you. And move in. With you.”

Simon nods and then scoots even closer, his ass nearly on my lap.

“I’d like that.”

“Yeah? You’re not over me?” I ask and he shakes his head furiously.

“No. Never. I’m…I’m not. I’m very into you.”

I smile at him and then pull him in for a kiss.

“Okay, then we take it slow for now and see how it goes.”

Simon bobs his head and then kisses me softly. “Stay the night,” he whispers.

“Fuck yeah.”

* * *

“I want to take you on a date,” Simon says the next morning, his cheeks flushing prettily. He looks bashful, and I love that look on him.

“Do you?”

He squares his shoulders and nods his head. “Yeah. Tonight.”

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