Breathe Out (Just Breathe, #2)(6)
Forty Eight
“Hey, Sex Kitten,” Jared says.
“Hey,” I greet back with some grogginess.
Jared and Maggie are the only two people other than me with a set of keys to my apartment.
“The past few days really must have taken a toll on you if you’re sleeping at noon.”
“Shit. Is it really noon?” Shock consumes my brain.
“Yeah. What time did you lay down?” he searches.
“After we talked I showered, had a smoothie, started laundry and read for a little,” I answer, deliberately leaving out the details about Joe. “Wait. Where’s Pop-Pop and Nathan?”
“They’re back in Santa Monica,” informs Jared as he snuggles more into me and Sadie.
“Why didn’t they come with you?” I question not sure why they wouldn’t.
“Because I knew you were serious about wanting downtime . . . and . . . ” he begins “. . . and . . . I wanted to talk to you.”
Jared never wants to just talk — not like this with that inflection in his voice. Something’s up.
“About what? What’s wrong?” I say, sharing my obvious concern and sitting up in bed.
“Nothing’s wrong,” he chuckles. “I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“What?”
Jared’s peaked my interest now and I’m wide awake.
He coaxes me to lower my body back down on the bed. Taking my hand, he kisses the back of it. “I just wanted you to be the first to know . . . .”
“Know what?” I ask, practically cut him off.
“Nathan and I are moving in together,” he offers with a slight wince to his face like he’s scared about how I will take the news.
My body relaxes instantaneously. “I’m surprised you haven’t done it sooner,” I mention in earnest.
“Seriously?!” Jared says, shocked at my response. “Wow. I thought you’d react differently.”
“Truthfully, I knew it was coming and I highly doubt you could shock me any more than Maggie has with a wedding and now being pregnant,” I comment calmly.
“Yeah,” Jared agrees. “But, I wanted to make sure. I know it wasn’t easy when we both moved out of the old apartment.”
“So, no wedding yet, right?” I check with lightness in my voice.
“No,” he assures us both. “But, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Thanks,” I reply graciously, appreciating his intent. “But I’ll be good either way with you two. You have history . . . so, it’s not a surprise for me. You know?”
“Yeah.”
“What about Pop-Pop? Is he still moving out here?”
“Yeah. He’ll move in with us.”
“Wow. Poor Pop-Pop,” I tease.
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Jared feigns hurt feelings.
“Living with you and Nathan . . . having to deal with the sex-capades.” I eye Jared.
“He’s just going to stay until we find him a place in Santa Monica. He likes it there and I like having him close by.” Jared has a look in his eye that can’t be explained.
“If you say so,” I comment jokingly.
“Very funny,” Jared contends, tickling me until I surrender.
After sometime snuggling, Jared and I make lunch and hang out like we used to in our old apartment. We sing. We dance. We wrestle. We review the funny things that happened during Maggie’s wedding. We chat and hang out like we always do.
By the time I take Sadie out for her walk after dinner, Jared heads back to Nathan and Pop-Pop. I jump in the tub, knowing that Sadie and I are in for the night. I’m surprised at how tired my brain and body feel after the past couple of days with sleeping as much as I did today.
Jared texts that he made it home as I get out of the bath. Once I’m curled up on the bed with Sadie for a movie, the phone rings.
“Hey, beautiful,” Joe’s voice sings and tingles my body.
“Hey,” I return comfortably.
This doesn’t seem too awkward.
“Did Jared come over?”
“Yeah. He left about forty minutes ago.”
“Have a good day?” Joe sweetly checks.
“Yeah,” I offer with a smile. “You?”
“Good . . . especially this morning,” he states sinfully.
My cheeks redden at his reminder.
“What are you up to?” he inquires.
“Curled up with Sadie. We’re going to watch a movie and then bed,” I explain with a yawn.
Joe laughs. “You sure you’ll make it through the whole thing?”
“No . . .” I return.
“What are you going to watch?”
“Not sure yet.”
“Well . . . enjoy the movie,” Joe hums in my ear.
“Thanks . . .” I comment with another yawn.
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
I hear the smile in his words and it makes me smile too.
“Goodnight, Joe.”
Forty Nine
Monday and Tuesday are back to normal for me with the ebb and flow of my daily routine and work. Jared checks in on me, but doesn’t come over. Maggie finally texts back late Tuesday after I send her a Happy Birthday message. Nathan is focused on the custom pieces for Chris’ premier while Diane handles the main workings of Nathaniel’s. Joe and I talk and text on occasion, but nothing beyond the usual.