“It is,” he says, leaning over and kissing my neck. “Not as good as you are going to be on that couch after this.”
“We are not getting on that couch.” I look over to the white leather couch. “With grease on our hands.”
He laughs. “Well, I won’t be here long.” He takes another bite of his burger and looks over at me. “I’m going house hunting tomorrow.” My eyes go big. “My aunt set up five houses for me to see.”
“Wow,” I say. “That is a lot of houses.”
He nods his head, taking a fry. “I want to discuss our relationship.” I look over at him, my stomach starting to burn.
“And what relationship is that?” I ask him, trying to get my heart to beat normally.
He looks over at me. “Well, I want to be with you,” he says, and I can’t help but smile shyly. “And from what you told me, you want to be with me.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Did I say that?” I look around, pretending to think. “I don’t know if I said those exact words.” I laugh.
“I’m going to tell my parents we’re together,” he says.
“Isn’t it going to be weird?” I ask him, wondering how they are going to take it.
“I don’t think it’s going to be weirder than this girl I met is having my baby,” he says, and I can’t help but laugh. “What about the baby?” His tone turns serious, and all I can do is look at him. “I don’t want to keep that we are having a baby secret.”
“Okay,” I reply, not sure of what he’s asking me.
“So I’d like to announce it on my Instagram,” he says, and my eyes go big. “I spoke with Candace, who takes care of my social media. She’s my uncle Evan’s sister, and she’s married to Ralph, who plays with me.”
“I’m going to need you to make me a family tree,” I joke, grabbing the water again and taking a sip while he laughs.
“I was thinking we can take some pictures and put out a statement on my page,” he says, and I let it sit in my head. “Or we don’t have to do it.” He takes it back nervously. “I just don’t want it to be a secret. I don’t want you to be a secret or the baby.”
I smile at him. “Well, when you put it like that.” Leaning into him, I kiss his neck. “Let’s do it.”
“I’ll speak with Candace,” he says, getting up.
“I’m going to tell Julia and my mother,” I say, and he nods his head.
“Also.” He holds up a finger. “We have dinner with each other every night when I’m home, and we can.”
I chuckle. “Okay, I’ll have dinner with you.”
“Second.” He holds up another finger. “And we sleep together.”
“I like that very much,” I admit to him. “I think that should be number one.”
He laughs. “Good, where do you want to sleep tonight?” He pushes off from the counter and cleans up where he was eating. “We can stay here, or we can go back to your place.”
“Since we are compromising,” I say, tapping my hand on the counter. “How about we alternate?”
“I’m going to be honest,” he says, leaning against the counter facing me, folding his arms over his chest. “I don’t give a shit where we sleep as long as you are beside me.”
“I think my panties just melted off.” I laugh at him, and he comes over to me, picking me up as if I weigh nothing. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to see how melted those panties are.” He carries me to his bedroom, where he gives me a thorough inspection.
I leave him in the shower, going to the bedroom wearing one of his T-shirts, when my phone rings from the kitchen. I walk out and look and see that it’s Julia trying to FaceTime me. I click connect, waiting for her face to fill the screen. “Well, well, well,” she says when she sees me. “If it isn’t my long-lost sister.” I throw my head back and laugh.
“It’s been less than twenty-four hours.” I look over at the clock on the wall and see that it’s been over twenty-four hours.
“Last time I spoke to you,” she says, sitting up on her couch. “Was when you said I’m going to take a shower and call you back.” I roll my eyes. “That was over thirty-six hours ago.”
“Michael showed up,” I admit, walking back toward the bedroom. The shower is still running from when I left him in there.
“Okay?” She waits for it as I climb into the middle of his bed.
I roll my eyes at her, ignoring the way my body is reacting to this news. Ignoring the beating of my heart. Ignoring the heat that is flowing up my neck. “I’m not in love with him.”