Page 48

"This is really good," Kieran says, and I can tell he means it.

"It's just eggs."

"Best eggs I've had in years."

That makes me smile despite the heaviness in my chest. "That's a low bar."

"Maybe. But I'm serious. This is nice. Sitting here with you. Eating something you made. It feels..." He trails off, searching for words.

"Normal?"

"Yeah. Normal. I haven't had normal in a long time."

"Me either."

We clean up together after, Kieran washing while I dry. The kitchen window looks out onto the backyard and I can see it's mostly weeds like he said, but there's potential. An old garden bed that could be revived. Space for a patio. Maybe a fire pit.

"What are you thinking?" he asks.

"That you could do a lot with that backyard."

"Yeah. I keep meaning to."

"We should plant something in the spring."

The word hangs between us. We. Like I'll still be here in six months. Like this isn't temporary.

"I'd like that," he says quietly.

We end up on the couch after, me tucked against his side, both of us exhausted from the day. There's no TV on, no music, just us existing together in the quiet.

"I should call my landlord," I say after a while. "Let her know I'm keeping the cottage but won't be staying there."

"You don't have to decide right now."

"I kind of already have." I tilt my head to look up at him. "I'm not going back there, Kieran. Even if this doesn't work out, I can't stay in that cottage."

"Then we'll figure out something else if we need to. But for now, you're here. And I want you here."

"Even though it's crazy?"

"Especially because it's crazy."

I settle back against his chest and let myself relax. Outside I can hear normal evening sounds. A dog barking. A car driving past. Someone's laughter carrying on the October air.

Community sounds. Life sounds. The soundtrack of not being alone.

"Kieran?" I say into the comfortable silence.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for this. For letting me stay. For making me feel safe."

"You don't need to thank me."

"Yeah, I do."

His arm tightens around me. "You know what I was thinking earlier? When we were unpacking?"