“She’ll be home soon.” Sarah did her best to calm my nerves. Since arriving at the house, Justin, Ian, and Sarah had reminded me a dozen times that the accident wasn’t my fault, but it didn’t stop the guilt. If Ally hadn’t come to make sure I was okay, it wouldn’t have happened.
“I know. I can’t help it.” How easily the night before had melted away, no longer seeming as dramatic or important.
“Ian and I are going to put the girls to bed.” Sarah picked up Adeline and called for Kenzie, who was playing with her dollhouse in the corner.
“I can help.” I offered, anxious to do something productive.
“I don’t think you’re the calm they need right now.” Justin laughed. “Just stay down here with me.”
He had a good point. I wasn’t in the right headspace for the girls.
“Come sit with me, Mags.” He patted the space next to him on the couch. I relented and sat, cuddling into him. “That’s better already.” Justin commented, kissing the top of my head.
“It is.” I titled my chin and kissed his lips. “This is much better.”
“You missed your flight, didn’t you?”
“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere today, anyway. Not after last night. I want more time with you before I go back home.” I hadn’t even thought about my flight home. When I woke up today, the only thing on my mind was Justin.
“When do you have to go back to work?” Justin played with a strand of my messy hair. I hadn’t even showered since the day before. It would have to wait until after Ally was back and all was right in our world again.
“Monday, but I can probably take a couple of days off. I haven’t used much of my vacation lately. I was too busy avoiding a certain someone to use it.” How ironic. I’d saved vacation by avoiding Justin only to have tons of it available to spending time with Justin.
“You didn’t have to stop coming around because of me. They’re your friends too. It’s not like I didn’t want you there. I did.”
“Are you sure about that?” I teased. “When I got here yesterday, you wouldn’t even look at me.”
“Doesn’t mean I didn’t want you here.”
“I’m glad we’re both here. As much of a mess as this whole thing has been, I’m happy we figured us out. Well, at least the fact that there is an us.” I guess we hadn’t really figured anything else out, but I’d watched Ally and Sarah balance their relationships, and the guys had always made it work. I wasn’t worried. We’d figure that out too.
“What do you mean?”
“Just that we know we’re together and that the how, when, and where will all come with time.” I clarified.
“Meh, I’ll just follow you around. Pussy whipped after years of being a player.”
“Justin.” I swatted his chest.
“I want a picture.” Justin stated, lifting his body enough to grab his phone from his pocket.
“Now?” My make-up had worn off, my hair was a rat’s nest, and I was wearing the same outfit that Ally had brought which was dirty from the accident. I was not in photo shape.
“Yes, now. Our first picture as a couple. Now smile.” He took the selfie and pulled his phone away.
“Can I see it?” I questioned, trying to look at his phone. He was busy typing on the screen.
“Just a sec.” I waited until he finished typing before reaching for his phone as mine chimed.
“Did you send it to me?” I asked curiously, getting off the couch to get my phone from my purse in the hallway.
“Sort of.”
“What do you mean sort of?” I unlocked my home screen to find the social media notification. Swiping open the app Justin and I’s image filled the screen. It wasn’t a terrible picture, Justin’s chin propped on top of my bright red hair. My eyes were bright green, even without eye make-up. He somehow managed a perfect first picture. “Did you tag me in this?”
Justin had posted the photo to his social media account with the caption ‘when the world brings you perfection, never ever let go’.
“Everyone is going to see this.” I exclaimed, shocked that he had outed us so quickly.
“That’s the point. Like I said, Mags, I’m in this one hundred percent. I’m not holding back.”
“We’re home.” Tim exclaimed as he and Ally walked through the door.
“Ohmygod! Are you okay?” I rushed to Ally, examining my thankfully still pregnant best friend from head to toe.
“I’m fine. A little sore, but not too bad. I heard you have more battle wounds than I do. I should be asking you if you’re okay.”
“Why? I’m good. I’m just glad everything is okay with the baby. That was the scariest moment of my life.” Even scarier than the last time she was in the hospital.
“Mine too.” Ally confided. “All I could think about was the baby but she’s doing really well. She’s healthy and everything looks normal. They’ll do some follow up, but nothing major.”
“She?” It was hard not to pick up on the distinct use of a gender.
“Three girls? Come on, Tim, can’t shoot one Y chromosome up there?” Justin joked, coming over to fist bump Tim and hug Ally.
“I’m going to be out-numbered for the rest of my life.” Tim sighed a happy sigh. No complaints from him about another daughter.
“As much as I would love to stay up and talk, today has drained me. I’m going to go kiss the girls and head to bed.” Ally hugged me gently, seeming to be aware of my bruising, and started toward the stairs.
“I’m assuming you’re staying downstairs with Justin, tonight?” Tim asked, watching his wife walk away.
“Uh, yeah, I guess so.” I hadn’t even thought about our sleeping arrangements, but I didn’t want to sleep without him.
“Do you want me to bring down your stuff?” Tim offered.
“I can get it.” Justin stated. “I’ll get it now so that you and Ally can rest without us making any noise.” He took off on his mission, leaving me alone with Tim.
“You have a good one there, Maggie. He might be hard to crack, but he’s worth the work. Don’t hurt him.” It was a warning as much as it was a plea.
“I won’t.”
Justin was back downstairs with my suitcase in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t late, not even eight o’clock, but the house was quiet. Ryan had left early that morning, Sarah and Ian went outside after putting the girls to bed, and with Ally and Tim upstairs, it was just Justin and me on our own.
“Do you mind if we go to bed?” I hated to waste the evening, but I was tired and with Ally back, the adrenaline from the day was wearing off.
“Not at all. I’m ready to hold you in my arms all night.” I followed Justin and my suitcase to the basement, stripped naked, and climbed between the sheets. My eyes closed the instant my head hit the pillow.
It was weird laying in bed with Justin under Ally and Tim’s roof. Weird in a good way. I’d been in his room before, so it wasn’t completely foreign, but I never stayed in there long. We no longer needed to rush. We no longer needed to hide. It would take a while to adjust to our couple status.
“Magdalen, huh?”
“What made you think of that?” It had been more than forty-eight hours since the drama with my mother and Justin hadn’t mentioned my full name at all.
“It didn’t seem important to bring it up earlier given everything else, but now I’m curious.”
“You didn’t realize Maggie was short for something else?” Justin’s grin gave me a reason to smile. He really was perfect for me.
“Of course, I did, but for like Margaret or something. Magdalen sounds like you’re from the 1800s.”
“And that would be why I don’t like it when people use my full name. Well that and the fact that it makes me think of my mother.”
“That’s too bad because I think I kind of like it.” Justin tilted his head to the ceiling, licked his lips, and then proceeded to say “Magdalen” several times in different tones. “Yep, I like the way it sounds. Doesn’t really suit you, but that just makes it that much more fun.”
“Oh god. Please no.” I covered my face with my hands, knowing Justin was just given ammunition he could use for life.
“Oh yes, my Magdalen. My, my Magdalen.”
***
“Magdalen!” I groaned, rolling over in bed. “Wakey, wakey. Rise and shine.”
“Five more minutes.” I pleaded, covering my face with the pillow.
“No can do. The car’s waiting for me outside and if I don’t leave now, I’ll miss my flight.” With my eyes still covered, I could hear him set a glass of chocolate milk down on the side table. Cool air shocked my body as Justin ripped the covers off.
“How long this time?” I shivered, wishing he’d just kiss me goodbye and leave me to sleep in his warm, comfortable bed that I’d come to love.
“Not quite a week. I’ll be back in time to meet you outside the airport when you land next Friday.” His hands covered mine, prying my fingers away from the pillow still pulled tightly around my head.
We’d fallen into a normal routine during the past six months. I’d kept my job in Texas, wanting to hold on to my independence and until I figured out a way to do my own thing when living with him. From time to time, he’d fly to me, but most times we opted for me traveling to him. It was easier for me to travel without being noticed, and with his crazy schedule as is, I didn’t mind giving him a break.
“I’m going to miss you Mags.” I released my grip, allowing him to remove the pillow. My eyes squinted, adjusting to the bright light. “God, I’m going to miss you so fucking much.”
“We would have been apart anyway.” I pointed out. We usually were for the weekdays.
“I wish we weren’t.” He pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
“Someday.” My lips moved under his, before asking for a deeper kiss.
“Soon! You’ll move in soon, right?” He questioned gazing into my eyes for a few seconds before pulling away. “Ugh, I really have to go. Love you.”
“Love you too!” I watched him go while nursing my glass of milk. I took my time showering, then threw on sweats and a tank top and made the phone call I’d been dying to make from the moment he kissed me good-bye.
“You ready for us?” Ian answered his phone on the first ring.
“I am.”
“I’ll let them know.” He hung up the phone.
Thirty minutes later a knock on the door signaled that the time had come. I shook off any last-minute nerves and swung open the door to Ian, Sarah with baby Eric strapped to her chest and two men carrying moving boxes.
“Where do you want these?” The gruffer of the two strangers asked huffing as he carried a box marked ‘clothing’.
“Just stack everything in the living room. I’m unpacking it today, so I’ll make sure it’s in the right spot.” I pointed to the empty area of the living room, the space I’d cleared by pushing the coffee table to the side of the room, specifically for this purpose.
“Does he have any idea?” Sarah asked, as she wrapped me in the tightest hug she could manage with the baby between us.
“Not even the slightest. He left this morning moping when I didn’t respond about moving in. He’s going to be floored.” How I’d managed to keep the move a secret was a miracle. Between closing-up things with my apartment in Texas, packing boxes upon boxes for weeks and selling off my furniture, I was sure he would figure it out.
“And you’re sure he won’t mind that you did this without telling him?”
“He never really gave me a choice when he forced his way into my life. It’s finally time I return the favor and force my way into his.”