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“I know what you mean.”
“If not for my mother, I could stay here.”
“We can stay if you want to. We could fly your mother here. Roxanne could visit whenever she wants. She and Adrian look close, so I don’t think he’d want her gone for too long.”
Chloe stares back at me as if I just landed from the moon with a parachute. “You’re actually being serious?”
“Of course, if it would make you happy.”
“You’re just…”
I brush my shoulder against hers. “I’m what?”
“Unbelievable. But in the best way possible.”
“That’s good to hear.”
She finishes the last of her food and sets her empty bowl next to mine. Then she positions herself so she’s facing me.
“I’d love to escape to this beautiful country with you, but it might be a little too much too soon. Besides, don’t you have your gorgeous home in the Hamptons?”
“I do, but I still kind of feel like a nomad.”
“Really?”
“I know it’s weird. Home for me is just a place where I live, so that could be anywhere. What about you?”
“Maybe it’s the same for me. I just haven’t thought about it yet.”
“I hope you enjoy living at my place when we get back.”
She giggles. It's the best sound. “Of course I will.”
She didn’t have much to move in, so I brought her stuff over the week before the wedding.
Because she’s been back and forth between the hospital and the restaurant, we’ve hardly had that time together in my home—our home.
Her mother should be in the hospital for another two weeks, but then I suppose Chloe will want to spend time with her at her old home.
“It’s going to be hard going back to New York after this.”
“Well, I might have something that might make it a little easier.” I have another present for her. I was going to wait until tonight to give it to her but I may as well do it now.
“What do you have for me?” Her eyes twinkle with excitement.
“My wedding present.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a door key. It has a little pink bow on it.
“A key? Thank you. What does it open?”
“Do you want to guess?”
“Nooo.” She starts laughing. “I suck at that game.”
“Okay. I’ll tell you, then. It’s the key to your very own studio.”
She sucks in a deep breath and her skin goes pale. “What? You didn’t…”
“Mr. Corbin, the owner of the building, was delighted to sell it to me. When I told him it was a wedding present he threw in the section leased by the accountancy firm. It just so happens that the owner of the firm is moving to New Zealand, so the entire building is yours.”
