Chapter 68

CHAPTER 68

SIMON

" A little buzzed?" I asked Rylee as we got into the back of the car.

She laughed. "A little. Not Italy drunk, though."

"That's good." I grinned, leaning over and giving her a kiss.

"Did you have a good time?" she asked.

"I did." I nodded. "I like them."

"They like you. It can take a while for them to warm up, but when they do, they are all in. You've just gained a big family."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, my hand gently rubbing up and down her arm.

"Does that scare you?"

"Not in the slightest," I replied, my thumb tracing a pattern on her soft skin. "I've always wanted a big family." I gave her a small chuckle.

Rylee smiled and looked at me, her eyes shining in the dim light of the car. "I'm glad," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

We fell into a comfortable silence as the car navigated through the city streets. Rylee leaned into me, resting her head on my shoulder. I tightened my arm around her, pulling her closer. "Thank you for tonight," she murmured, closing her eyes.

"For what?" I asked.

She lifted her head and looked at me. There was an earnest look in her eyes that made my heart beat a little faster. "For being there, Simon. For being patient with me. For accepting my friends even though they weren't exactly welcoming to you at first."

"I'm glad they protect you," I told her. "I like that."

Rylee and I got back to my house and settled in front of the fireplace. The evenings were getting colder, and I loved being snuggled up with her like this. The warmth of the fire and the comfort of her presence made everything feel right. It was truly the best moments of my life doing nothing at all but staring at dancing flames. While we were cuddling, my phone buzzed.

"Uh oh," she said.

I saw it was Lenny. The only reason he would be calling was to talk. That could wait.

"I'll call him back," I said, setting my phone aside. "I'm with my girl."

Rylee looked up at me, with a soft smile. "I love when you call me that."

I grinned. "You'd better, because I think you're going to be stuck with it forever."

She raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. "Is that a proposal?"

"Do you want it to be?"

She laughed, a light melodic sound. "Not yet, but I'm just telling you, when you ask, I'll say yes."

I chuckled, remembering how she had given me a similar heads-up when I asked her to be exclusive. "Noted."

We settled back into our comfortable silence, but I could tell something was on her mind. After a few moments, she began to share. "Karen opened up to me today. She's really pulling the trigger on moving to Kentucky."

I looked at her, concerned. "How do you feel about it?"

She sighed, nestling closer to me. "I'm not sure. I'm going to miss her like crazy. She's always been just down the hall from me and now? She's going to be almost a thousand miles away. But I get why she has to make this choice, and I want her to find her path. I just hope it brings her back here to Dallas."

I kissed her forehead, offering the comfort she needed. "It will all work out," I promised.

She sighed again, leaning into me. "I don't know what it means for the Big House," she continued. "Jameson bought it for us, but now that it's going to be empty, maybe it makes the most sense for him to let it go. For all of us to move on, you know?"

I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. The Big House had been a symbol of their friendship and shared history, and letting it go would be a significant change. But I believed in facing change head on and making the best of it. "Whatever happens, we'll figure it out together," I said, my voice firm with conviction.

"I told her she should do it." She sighed. "Not because I want her to go, but I understand that feeling she has. It's the way I felt when I wanted to go to Europe. It was this wild need to shake things up. She feels like she's in a rut. That's the way I felt."

"And she feels left out because you and the others have all found men, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, and it's true. We all have found someone special. But it doesn't mean that she's missing out on anything. She's just in a different phase of her life. I mean, look at me, I was certain I wouldn't find my person, and yet here I am, with you."

"Exactly," I said, smiling at her. "Sometimes the universe has a way of working things out. Trust the process."

She looked up at me and smiled. "You're right. I told her something similar. I promised her she'll find someone when she least expects it. Look at me and you."

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You strolled into my bar that night and I wanted nothing to do with you."

"Ah, but I wore you down." I laughed.

She giggled. "I can't tell you how many times I wanted to dump a drink over your head."

"But look at us now," I said, smiling at her.

She returned the smile. "Indeed, look at us now."

"When did it change for you?" I asked. "When did I finally wear you down?"

She thought about it for a second. "Honestly? It was the moment you walked into my bar."

"Really?" I asked, shifting to turn and look her in the eyes. "I thought you hated me."

"I did." She grinned. "I'm messy like that. It's funny, because my friends and I had just been talking about you and then you showed up."

"You were talking about me?"

"Yeah, you were on the cover of a magazine," she explained. "The guys had some opinions."

I cringed. "Ah, that stupid interview. For the record, I didn't sit for that photo. They hijacked it from an old shoot I did for a company promo. How bad did you guys roast me?"

She laughed. "You're too easy to roast, that's for sure! But honestly, we were just joking around about you being a big shot and all. And maybe a little arrogant and rude."

I shook my head, smiling at her description. "Well, I'm glad I ended up wearing you down in the end. Even if it did take some time. I hope you all don't think the same. I feel like a different person now. That was pre-Rylee. I'm in my after-Rylee phase. I happen to like being in this new phase."

"I wouldn't change a thing. I love that we met this way, Simon. It's like we were always meant to be together."

I looked into her eyes, feeling a wave of warmth spread through me. "I couldn't agree more," I said, leaning in to give her another kiss.

As we settled back into our cuddle, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the path that led us here. When I walked into her bar that night, I wasn't in a great place.

"Hey," she said gently. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I was just thinking about how truly miserable I was before I met you," I said. "I had just had the big fight with my family. My mom was pissed at me. They were all pissed at me. I was feeling pretty alone. I walked in there feeling down and walked away feeling hopeful, even if you made it clear you hated me."

She chuckled, still remembering that night. "I was just having fun with you, Simon. I never really hated you."

"It was a good kick in the ass," I said. "Because it landed us here, snuggled up in front of the fire."

Rylee nodded, running her fingers through my hair. "Yes, we are," she said softly. "And I'm glad you walked in that night."

We sat like that for a while longer, enjoying the warmth of the fire and each other's company. Eventually, we decided to head up to bed. We brushed our teeth side by side at the his-and-hers sinks. I watched her as she washed her face, admiring the way she moved, the simple grace of her actions.

She caught me staring and locked eyes with me in the mirror. "What?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I meant what I said about forever," I told her, my voice soft but sincere.

Her smile widened, and she turned to face me. "You'd better," she said, a teasing note in her voice, but I could see the depth of her emotions in her eyes.

I walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I love you, Rylee," I said, kissing her gently.

She kissed me back, her hands resting on my chest. "I love you too, Simon."

We climbed into bed with her curling up against me. Her head rested on my shoulder. I held her close, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing. I knew there would be challenges ahead, but when we were like this, it was hard to imagine anything going so wrong that we wouldn't have this.

"Move in," I blurted out.

"What?"

"Move in with me," I said with a certainty I felt in my very soul.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "That seems fast."

"Do you not want to sleep with me every night? Wake up with me every morning?"

"I do but are you sure?" she asked. "I don't want to crowd you."

"You are not crowding me," I assured her. "This is what I want. I want to be with you. Like I said, you're stuck with me forever."

"Okay," she said with a bright smile. "With Karen moving to Kentucky, I guess it makes sense."

I could feel her body relax as she allowed herself to embrace the change. The thought of sharing our lives more fully with each other was both exciting and a little daunting.

"How much stuff do you have?" I asked her. "Whose furniture is it?"

"It's kind of a joint thing," she replied. "I don't have much. Just clothes. Lots of clothes."

"Good thing I've got a big closet," I teased. "And a spare room if that's needed."

"I just might need it!"

I hugged her tightly. "I can't believe you're moving in. Now, we can buy new furniture together. You can make this place into a home."

"That's very exciting." She laughed.

"Yes, it is." I nodded. "We'll have to get you some things to leave at the Houston house as well for when we go there."

"It's all so much," she said.

"Too much?"

"No," she replied. "It's perfect. It's the dream. It's a fairytale and I can't believe I'm in it."

I kissed the side of her face. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we're giving my credit card a workout. We need to get some furniture in this place. I've been waiting and now you're here. It's time."

"That sounds very exciting." She laughed.

The next morning, I woke before she did. I watched her as she slept, her face peaceful and serene. I felt a surge of gratitude for having her in my life. She made me so happy. Beyond happy. It felt almost unnatural to be this happy.

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Good morning," she murmured, smiling up at me.

"Good morning," I replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "How did you sleep?"

"Perfectly," she said, stretching and yawning. "And you?"

"Best sleep I've had in a long time," I admitted.

"Yeah?"

I kissed the tip of her nose. "Yes. I feel settled. I'm hopeful."

"For what?"

"The future," I said. "It looks good. I'm so looking forward to a future with you. It's going to be good. Amazing."

Rylee gazed at me, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I feel the same way, Simon. I can't wait to see what we do together."

I leaned in to kiss her, feeling a surge of love and contentment wash over me. I felt like I was finally living my life to the fullest, with a partner who understood me in ways no one else ever had.