Bad Ideas (First & Forever 4)

Fortunately, Theo was as sappy as I was. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. And I know that coupon book is childish, but I just wanted to make you smile.”

“It’s sweet and was made with love, so I think it’s great,” he told me. “Actually, it’s on par with that giant sweater I gave you.”

“Which I adore and am going to wear all the time.” I pointed to the last package. It was wrapped in shiny paper with green Baby Yodas in Santa hats. “There’s one more thing to open.”

Theo grinned and said, “Your wrapping paper is almost as entertaining as your T-shirts.”

“If entertaining is a euphemism for immature, then yes.”

He placed the coupon book beside the signed paperback, then unwrapped a framed photo of a dead-looking tree. When he glanced at me with a question in his eyes, I said, “Okay, so this gift obviously comes with an explanation. I bought you that huge cherry tree at your favorite nursery, even though I know for a fact it’s way too big to fit into your yard.”

He flashed me a smile as he asked, “Did you really?”

“Yup. They’ve made a sign for it saying it’s the property of Theo Koenig and not for sale. I hope we find a place for it someday. If the building you buy for the clinic happens to have a yard, maybe we can plant it there and watch it burst to life with pink flowers every spring. Or if not, the nursery’s owner says it can stay there as long as we want. Forever, even.”

“It won’t be there forever.” He said that confidently. “In fact, we can make a point of finding a building with an outdoor space, which actually sounds like a wonderful addition to the community center.”

“There’s more to the story,” I said. “It might seem like a random thing to give you, but that tree is actually part of our history.”

“It is?”

I nodded and told him, “When you and I went to the nursery, you paused beneath that cherry tree’s empty branches and talked about bringing me back in the springtime to see it in bloom. You looked so gorgeous and wistful, and as I stood there totally in awe, I realized I was falling madly in love with you. And somehow, I felt like that tree needed to belong to us. It’s not just about that moment though, it’s also about our future. It’s my way of saying I want to spend every spring from now on with you, watching it come to life.”

He looked completely stunned as he whispered, “That’s so beautiful.”

I raised his chin with a light touch and kissed him, and we spent a long time wrapped up in each other. Eventually, he sat up and asked, “Want to get dressed and go have breakfast with your roommates?”

“Are you coming with me?” When he nodded, I smiled at him and said, “That’s fantastic.”

“I know how much they mean to you, so this is important. Besides, it seems less terrifying now than it did when we first got together. Actually, I feel like I already know them, given how much you talk about them.”

I kissed him again and said, “Thank you for doing this. I get that it’s a big deal to you, and I want you to know I appreciate it.”

Just a few minutes later, both of us were dressed in jeans and T-shirts, and I was sporting my new sweater. It almost reached my knees, but it was soft and comfortable, and I insisted on wearing it.

I texted Lark to let him know we were on our way, and when we went downstairs Theo retrieved a shiny, red box from the coat closet. “It’s a box of chocolates for your roommates,” he explained, “along with a couple of gift certificates for local restaurants that deliver. I thought all of you might enjoy some family dinners together.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, thank you. But it’s all of us, not all of you,” I pointed out. “You’re a part of this little family now too, Theo.”

He took a few moments to process that idea, and then he nodded. I could tell he didn’t really believe me—not yet. But he’d see for himself as soon as we got to the pink Victorian.

It was a gorgeous morning, on the cool side but with bright blue skies. Theo locked up behind us, and then he wiped his sweaty palm on his jeans before taking my hand. He was undeniably nervous, because this really was a big deal to him. He’d spent so much time alone, and now he was about to allow several people into his life all at once. I was touched and humbled by the effort he was making.

We decided to cut through Delores Park, and when we reached what looked like the exact center of that big, grassy rectangle, he stopped in his tracks. I paused too, still holding his hand while he swallowed hard.