Page 80 of The Intimacy of Control

I glared at him. “That was different, Cal. You guys had been together for a few years before then.”

He shook a finger at me. “He was gone for a decade. It doesn’t count.”

I put my head in my hands, sighing. Forrest rubbed my back gently as he took over. “I think what Jack is saying is that this is a big step. It feels really out of nowhere, too. This is a really big ask.”

“I know that. I know it’s big. I think you guys are ready for big. I trust both of you, and the idea of selling Papa’s house?” He shook his head. “It’s too painful. There’s no mortgage attached to it, meaning you guys would simply own a house. No payments. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

To say I had commitment issues would be an understatement, yet Cal wanted me to commit to something like this so easily? Did he even know me? “Cal, I mean this with utmost respect, but why don’t you live there?”

“Because I’ve had my house for almost a decade, Jack. I’ve done so many renovations to it, and I’ve made a ton of pieces tailored to that house specifically… I don’t want to live there. I don’t want to sell it. I want to give it to two people I trust more in the entire world than anyone else.” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “You haven’t had this house very long. You haven’t done anything to it. There’s no love here. You’d be moving into a house full of love, just waiting for more love to fill it.”

A house full of love. Would it be like the Castillos’ house? The moment I’d walked in, I could feel it. Smell it. Understand it. I’d wanted nothing more than to be a part of their family and bask in the knowledge that I would be appreciated.

A fucking house full of love, just waiting for more love to fill it. Goddamn it, Cal. He had to go and make everything sound so nice.

Forrest seemed to be deep in thought as well. I wondered if he was thinking the same as me or if he was thinking of all the ways this could blow up in our faces. He grabbed my hand from under the table, giving it a light squeeze. “This is really what you want, Callum? You and Tobi both?”

Cal nodded. “It’s my decision, but Tobi supports it fully. I trust that you guys will take care of the house and the memories that linger in it.”

It sounded like we were both considering it, but the idea was a bit overwhelming. That was a lot of pressure to put on us all of a sudden. “Well, let us talk it over, and we’ll let you know what we decide.”

“Take your time. The last thing I’ll say about it is that you guys should think about this as the opportunity it is. Start your lives together, and we will all be there to help you through the transition. All the OG staff. You’re both a part of the family now.”

Forrest leaned his head on my shoulder once Cal had left and the front door had closed. “Part of the family, huh?”

“Yep. I need to take you to meet the rest of them.”

“Who all is a part of the OG staff?”

I leaned my head on his, closing my eyes and feeling his warmth against my skin. “Uh, let me think. I met them all for Christmas. Crew, Price, Callum, and Tobi, obviously. Willow and her partner, David, even though Willow never worked with them. She was Crew’s best friend and helped Price open Fire and Ice. Jesse, Liam, and Isaac are all dating. They call Jesse Golden sometimes, so you might hear that name for him. I think that’s it.”

“That’s a lot of people.”

“Oh, yes. A full house.”

He turned a little, peering up at me. “Do you think you could see us hosting a full house? In Callum’s Papa’s house?”

“Honestly? Yeah, I could. Probably Thanksgiving, since Christmas is Crew’s thing. But I don’t know. Doesn’t it feel weird? Like, basically inheriting the house of his grandfather who passed? I felt weird about selling my grandma’s house. I couldn’t imagine living there.”

“I think it sounds nice. Keeping his memory alive there, you know? He’ll never be forgotten, and he’ll always be celebrated. We’ll make new memories to add on to the old ones that are already there.” He sat up, shrugging. “I understand where he’s coming from.”

Oh, my beautiful Forrest. My beautiful, insightful, kind-hearted Forrest. I didn’t want to burst his bubble with my concerns, but I had to. “What about us, though? I know Cal was saying that this would give us the chance to start our lives together and all that, but don’t you think it’s a little soon?”

“No.”

I paused for a second, blinking at him. “Oh.”

He smiled, reaching over to cup my face. “I’m ready to go all in, sweetheart. I was from the start. There isn’t a hard-set timeline on this kind of stuff. We’re allowed to take it at our own pace.”

I guess he had a point. I’d been so caught up in the idea of control and rules and what we should and shouldn’t do, I hadn’t even considered it. We were already in love with each other for what I hoped would be the rest of our lives.

Why not take that next step?

“Unless…” Forrest started, glancing away. “Unless you’re not ready, which is perfectly fine. I’m sure Callum will⁠—”

“I’m ready.” I blurted the words out without a second thought. “I’m ready, babe. I’m ready to start my life with you. A new life. A life where everything is good and magic, and I get to wake up every morning and see your face. I kept you at a mental distance for too long. Longer than I should’ve. I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.”

“I don’t want to be apart from you, either, baby.” He pulled my head forward, pressing our foreheads together. “Let’s do this. Let’s move in together.”