Olivia spun around so fast she nearly toppled over. “Jenny!”
Her girlfriend, ridiculously hot in cargo shorts and a Wonder Woman T-Shirt, leaned against the doorframe with a big smile on her face.
“What are you doing here?” Olivia walked across the room to her.
Jenny kissed her, long and slow, and Olivia’s temperature rocketed. “Well, I kinda have something to ask you. I know we weren’t supposed to see each other until tomorrow but…” Her gaze darted anywhere but on Olivia, and her hands twisted together in front of her.
“You want to sit down?” Olivia pointed at the couch.
“Sure.”
Olivia followed Jenny across the room, her own nerves ratcheting up at Jenny’s demeanor. When they were seated, she willed herself to appear casual and waited for Jenny to speak.
“So, the thing is.” Jenny swallowed. “Did you hear back about that apartment yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Okay. Well.” Jenny ran a hand through her hair. “Jeez, this is way harder than I thought it would be.”
“My love, just tell me. Please. You’re making me nervous.”
“All right.” Jenny sat up straighter and took Olivia’s hand in hers. “The thing is, the reason I’m asking this is because Carl dropped a bit of a bomb last night. He’s going to be moving in with Solomon very soon.”
“Oh! Oh, that’s lovely. I’m so happy for them.” Okay, that was good news, right? So why did Jenny still look so nervous?
“Yeah, it’s great.” Jenny cleared her throat. “And it got me thinking. I’d be living on my own then. And although I could keep doing that, or maybe even get another roommate, I had another idea.” She gazed into Olivia’s eyes. “I know you wanted to branch out on your own after living with Broderick, and I will totally understand if that’s still what you want, but…” She licked her lips. “How would you feel about moving in with me, instead?”
Olivia’s heart missed a beat. Moving in together? Already? They’d only been dating about six months. Okay, they were far slower than the stereotypical lesbian U-Haul on the second date. Even so, it wasn’t that long, was it? Sure, being with Jenny made her happier than she’d been in a long, long time. She was in love with Jenny, completely and utterly. And yes, she had to admit, the one or two nights they spent apart each week didn’t feel right.
We could be together every night. I would wake up next to her every day.
The thought thrilled her. Who cared if they’d only been together for six months? The only time measurement that mattered right now was the time they could spend together in the future. “Yes. I’d love to.”
“Last one!” Solomon called from the hallway and appeared a moment later in the living room with a box labeled “Cookbooks” in his arms.
“Over there, please.” Olivia pointed to the newly installed bookshelf near the door to the kitchen.
Solomon nodded and set the box on the floor.
“Thanks.” Jenny gave him a big smile.
“My pleasure. After all, you had to carry a lot more when he moved in with me last week, so it’s only fair.”
“I know! I had no idea he’d accumulated so much crap in that room.”
They’d all laughed as box after box of stuff was packed up from Carl’s room and stacked in the hallway the previous Saturday. By the time Carl was finished, Jenny had been wide-eyed.
“I had no idea your room was that big!” she’d said, staring at the space left in his room. “I’m redecorating and we’re making this our bedroom.”
Olivia had wholeheartedly agreed, and they’d spent a fun Sunday repainting the room in a calm, restful shade of green.
Jenny’s old room would be turned into an office space they could share; her bed would go, having already been secondhand when she moved in, and they’d use Olivia’s bed from her rooms at Broderick’s to furnish their new bedroom.
Tamara, Carl, and Roz were busy reassembling it right now, having insisted on contributing something useful while Solomon worked his muscles lugging boxes.
Olivia sidled up to Jenny and slipped her arms around her waist. “Is it time for the fizz?”
Jenny looked at her, her heart full at the sight of the beautiful woman who would, from today, be living with her. Then she kissed Olivia softly. “I think it should be. The others will be finished soon.”
Olivia squeezed her, then stepped away and walked into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with a tray containing six champagne flutes—her gift to herself for moving in—and set it on the coffee table. Then she went back to the kitchen and reappeared with a bottle of real champagne.
The sound of the popping cork pulled everyone from wherever they were in the apartment, and soon, four eager faces watched Olivia pour.
Each of Jenny’s friends stepped forward to take a glass and then stepped back to stand with their partners.
Carl held hands with Solomon and kissed his nose; Roz cuddled up behind Tamara with one arm around her belly.
Jenny looked at them, and her eyes filled with tears.
Olivia came back to Jenny with her own glass and, once again, slipped an arm around Jenny’s waist; it seemed to be Olivia’s favorite way of holding her when they were standing, and Jenny wasn’t about to complain.
Tamara was the first to raise her glass, and the others swiftly followed suit. “A toast. To a new home and to new beginnings.” She turned to look directly at Jenny. “And to our baby girl, who is now, definitely, all grown up. My friend, I am so happy for you. What you and Olivia have is so perfect for each of you.” She directed her gaze at Olivia. “And thank you, for making her so happy. Welcome to the family.”
Jenny’s tears fell freely then.
Olivia turned into her, her glass raised. Her eyes were damp. “To us.”
“I love you.” Jenny’s voice was husky.
“And I love you.”
They clinked glasses and sipped as their gazes locked.
Jenny’s heart pounded and her hands
