19. Chapter 19

M arley came over every day. Before long, he started bringing clothes with him. And plants. Cat-safe plants. Little by little, more color was added to my condo. I would come home to find a hand-painted pot or a small statue in random little nooks on my entertainment center or in our bedroom. The crocheted duck I'd bought him at the market now lived on the bedside table that had become his. Each time I spotted something new, it made me smile. I never had much care for decorations; my furnishings were more about functionality than beauty.

He brought things into the house that made it feel brighter than it had been. Though Marley did that well enough on his own. The way he blasted into my life like a comet would never cease to amaze me.

Initially, I felt bad that we were staying in my place instead of his. I knew how proud he was of it and how much love he had poured into it. But he insisted that it was bigger, better for both of us, and he didn't want to uproot O'Malley, who was really the boss of the house. I'd had a small, raised garden built for him in the narrow strip of grass by the front door. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it would work in the meantime.

My long days were fewer. I tried to be more cognizant of my time in the office, knowing that Marley was at home. Sometimes this meant bringing work home with me. But even if I was on my computer, it was different, just knowing he was there. Casual touches, kisses on the cheek or the top of my head, the sexy distractions—it was all a hundred times better than working late, alone in my office.

He had plenty of his own long days. Special occasions, weddings, and, of course, Heartcraft, that kept him busy. But at the end of the day, we were there for each other, even if it was simply to collapse into bed together.

Marley also continued coming to the office weekly, bringing his fresh flowers, usually with at least one sunflower in the mix, which always made me smile to see. He had become well known and loved by all. The man was truly a force of nature, bringing beams of light wherever he went. I always felt proud when he came to the office, knowing that he was mine. Proud enough to close the blinds and lock my door, making use of my desk in many fun ways, to claim him as mine in any way I could .

As business continued to grow, I also took on a few smaller clients. I might not have the people skills that Marley did, but I had other strengths. Seeing how well he handled Bearclaw Blossoms made me want to help others like him. It started with Jasper, the son of my mom's friend. He had moved to the area and was looking to connect with the local artisan scene for his glass-blowing business.

I'd done some work for him to help him market locally, but what he really needed was the connections. Marley had shown me how far that could go, especially for small, specialized businesses. Luckily, I knew the perfect person to help me with that. I made arrangements for Jasper to meet me at Heartcraft.

Every time I parked on the street near the Grove Hills Library that hosted the farmer's market, the butterflies fluttered. I'd grown to love it here, even if I still wasn't much of a shopper. The atmosphere was special. Though getting to see Marley in his element and interacting with folks about his flowers was a treat in itself. He really was remarkable to watch. Sometimes I came to the market simply to eat and watch him like the stalker I was. But each time he noticed me and his eyes lit up, I felt like I'd won all over again.

Jasper met me at the entrance, wearing bell bottoms and a fringe leather vest. Each time I saw him, he wore something from a completely different era. I couldn't figure out his style beyond thrift store finds. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Marley's heart for lost and forgotten things had no limits, including clothing.

"Hey, Jasper, good to see you again."

The man clasped my hand. "Thanks, you, too. Wow! This place looks great!"

"Just wait. Come on, I'll introduce you to my boyfriend."

"Nice. I finally get to meet the infamous boyfriend, huh?"

I smirked. "Yup, you'll like him."

Everyone did. He was impossible not to like.

I led him through the Maker's Mall , over to Grower's Row . Jasper's head was on a swivel, trying to take everything in. Sure, he could have wandered around himself, but there was no better person to network with than the man I loved. We stopped in front of Bearclaw Blossoms where Marley was being hugged excitedly by a young man. When his eyes caught mine, he said his goodbyes and waved to the guy as he walked toward us.

"Who's that? A friend of yours?" I asked, not recognizing them. I'd gotten to know a lot of the folks here, especially his best friend, Harper, and a skinny, tall guy named Evan, both who were partnered with other vendors here.

"Oh, no. He's a customer."

Jasper laughed. "Looks like you two have great camaraderie. How long has he been coming to you? "

Marley looked back to see the young man bouncing excitedly and smiled that luminescent smile of his. "We just met, actually."

I grinned, threw my arm over Marley's shoulder, and kissed the top of his head. "Of course, you did, Sunshine."

"He's getting married, and I'll be doing his flowers."

"That's sweet. You must have made quite an impression for him to meet you and hire you right off the bat."

Marley simply shrugged.

I introduced them. "Jasper, this is my boyfriend, Marley. Marley, this is Jasper. He's the glass blower I was telling you about. Kiss My Glass ."

Marley shook his hand. "Oh my God, that is so cool, and I love the name. We have someone that does stained glass, but we've never had a glass blower."

"I was thinking you could show him around, introduce him to folks. He's new to the area."

"Sure, I'd be happy to. Let me just grab someone to watch my booth for me." A few minutes later, with his booth covered, we started making our way through the market. Marley and Jasper walked side-by-side as Marley filled him in on the way the market worked and stopped to introduce him to each of the vendors they passed. I followed along behind, the shadow to his sun. I didn't mind, though. I was happy to let him shine and bask in his wake .

He and Jasper chattered about everything. Within minutes of meeting, Marley had learned more about him than I had in the months since we'd been working together. He was magic that way.

As we approached the end of Grower's Row where it meets Food Alley , they stopped at a booth with beeswax, pollen, and honey-based products. I picked up a tube of lip balm and read the ingredients as Marley and Jasper got caught up in a conversation about bees with Gio, the beekeeper.

After a few minutes, we moved on through Food Alley , where Marley introduced him to Dash, with his homemade jerkies and cured meats, and Jason, who made the best pies in the valley. Every person he encountered seemed thrilled that he'd stopped by for a visit. Every person until we came to the woodcarver's booth. He seemed apathetic to our presence at best.

Marley was excited, though. "If you plan on doing any kind of demonstrations, Theo is the guy to talk to. On holidays, he sets up an acrylic cage and does live chainsaw carving. It's really phenomenal to watch."

Jasper stepped into the booth. "Really? That's badass! I'd love to hear about your set-up. I wonder if I could blow glass here. It's kind of a PITA, but the wow-factor brings the buyers."

The man lifted his head from the chunk of wood he was whittling. He wore a beanie and looked a few years older than my thirty-eight. Though he had a haunted look in his eyes, like something that had aged him more than his physical years. "A Pita?"

"Yeah, a real pain in the ass, but almost always worth it. I'm sure it's the same for you."

He gave a slow nod. "Yup. ‘Bout the same."

Marley left them alone to show me around his booth. He took me to a table where there were varnished wooden bowls and vases. "Theo's the one that made the vases I got for your office. He is so talented. I'm just amazed by the things he can make."

As I admired one of the bowls, I leaned close to Marley and whispered, "He's not really a friendly sort, is he?"

"Oh, Theo's fine. He just doesn't deal well with people."

"Seems a strange place for him, then." Not that I had any right to say anything, I wasn't much of a people person either. Luckily, I had a very extroverted man who handled all of that so much better than I did.

Marley pulled me toward a table further away from the woodcarver. Small wooden animals were on display. "I never get much out of him when we talk, but I feel like Theo might be grieving. He seems a little lost."

Tilting Marley's chin up, I kissed him softly. "I love you and your beautiful heart."

His eyes twinkled with affection. "I love you, too. "

I picked up a cat whose wood grains reminded me of O'Malley's stripes, and I showed it to Marley, whose smile grew

"Oh my God, that's adorable. It looks just like him."

That was that, then. It had to come home with us. I'd never been one for knick-knacks, but it was cute, and it made my man happy. I took the cat over to Theo. Jasper was no longer talking with him but busy admiring his work. "I'd like to buy this."

"Sure." He tipped his head toward another table. "I have a whole family there, if you're interested."

Glancing where he indicated, I saw a variety of cats of all different sizes and poses. They really were incredibly detailed. I stuck with the single statue, but a family? That had a nice ring to it.

With my bag in hand, we left the booth. Jasper hugged Marley, thanking him for the tour, and he shook my hand, promising to be in touch. I walked my boyfriend back to his booth, holding hands, with our fingers entwined. Before we got to Bearclaw Blossoms , I paused and turned him toward me.

Cupping his cheek with my hand, I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. "It wasn't that long ago that I was a little lost. I just didn't know it."

Marley leaned into my touch and offered me a sweet smile. "You're not lost anymore. "

I shook my head. "No. You found me. My sweet, amazing, wonderful finder of lost things."

His hand folded over mine as it rested on his cheek. "Maybe I spent so much time saving lost things because I hoped one day I would be found. And here we are. You found me, too, Derek."

"We found each other, and now I'm right where I always was meant to be, right where I belong. With you."