“Of course, it matters.” Ember stood between Eva and the board. She vacillated between sitting next to her and trying to illustrate her equation. “Be honest with me. Did you want to turn it down or did you do it because I told you I wanted to go to Notre Dame?”
“Em, come on.”
“Tell me, Scout. It’s important.”
“I can work at St. Mary’s. There is nothing wrong with that school, and we’ll be together. That’s what I want.”
“You can work there, but you want your old job back. I know you do. I know you never wanted to leave there. I saw you in the bar right after you found out. I watched you in that office as you had to say goodbye, and then you had to do it again, and you hated it. That place is important to you, Eva. I know it is. I know if I wasn’t in the picture, you would have accepted in a heartbeat.”
“But you are in the picture, Ember. I love you. I don’t want to have to figure out long-distance scenarios. So, I will work at-”
“You’ll work here,” Ember told her.
“You can’t make that decision for me. You were the one that wanted us to buy a house together and-”
“I’m going to school here, Eva.” Ember motioned to the wall. “That’s what this equation is about.”
“What are you talking about?” Eva said with an exasperated sigh.
“That’s where I’ve been the past two days. I went to Northwestern for a campus visit and babe, it was amazing.”
“Em, you’re going to Notre Dame. You loved it. I can’t just-”
“You didn’t.” Ember decided to sit down next to her girlfriend. “I did. I never considered it before because you were leaving, but when I found out that you wanted to stay, I sent them an email. They asked me to visit, and I did. Eva, it’s perfect for me. It has everything I want, and it’s in Chicago. I never wanted to leave this city. And I know you don’t either.”
“I can’t let you choose a school here just for me, Em.” Eva placed a hand on top of Ember’s and pulled both into her lap.
“You’re not listening,” Ember said and pointed to the wall. “I ran the scenarios last night. I like MIT and Notre Dame, but I love Northwestern. I’m actually really excited about this. Eva, I promise this isn’t for you. If you weren’t in the picture, I wouldn’t even be thinking about school right now, but assume that wasn’t true.” She paused her ramble. “Assume I had thought about it and I’d researched every school I could attend. I’d choose Northwestern.”
“You would? You promise? I can’t have you resenting me later because-”
Ember pressed her forehead to Eva’s.
“I swear. Eva, this is what I want. I want you to call Doug back and tell him you want the job.”
“He probably already found-”
“He didn’t. I went by the offices yesterday to check. I asked Kayla. She was packing up. I feel terrible for her, but she said the job’s still available.”
“You-”
“Please call him and tell him you’ll take it.”
Eva was smiling. Ember was relieved because during the game, she’d been worried that she’d never see that smile directed at her again.
“Okay,” she replied after several moments of silence.
“Okay?”
“Yes,” Eva told her.
Ember wrapped her body in her arms. After a moment of laughing while hugging, they both pulled apart. Ember leaned in to kiss her. It was a brief kiss and when she pulled back, Eva looked disappointed.
“Call him now,” Ember ordered.
“Now?”
“Yes, I want to make sure you get the damn job, Scout.”
Ember grabbed Eva’s bag off the floor and handed it to her. Eva pulled her phone from it while Ember moved to the kitchen. She pulled a couple of things from the drawers and listened to Eva as she talked to Doug about accepting the job. Ember smiled the entire time, and when Eva hung up, she returned to the living room carrying something.
“I’m going back to work,” Eva told her and sat the phone down with shock registering on her face.
“I sent my application to Northwestern before the game this morning. I’ve already heard back from Dr. Ramirez. She said she’s going to run it up the chain, but that I’m in.”
“That’s amazing, Ember. I’m so proud of you.”
Ember placed an item on top of Eva’s phone causing Eva to look down and pick it up. It was a napkin with the words, “I love you, and I still want you to move in with me” written on it. She tossed another napkin on top of the phone. Eva looked at her for a moment and then back down and picked up the second napkin. It read, “in a house that we own.”
“I think all of our major milestones should be done via a napkin,” Ember told her after Eva continued to stare in surprise.
“You really want us to do this?”
“I do,” Ember told her. “I’ve been looking at places. I’ve found some I want us to check out together.”
“This is a big step, Em.”
“I want to take it with you. We can wait. If you want to wait, we can. I do want us to move in together though. House or no house, I want to live with you. I hate waking up alone now. I want you there every morning and every night. I can move in with you or you can move in here or we can find a place together and sign a lease for a year, but you know that this is right.” She paused and took in Eva’s eyes that were welling with tears. “I never thought I’d do this whole thing with anyone; and with you, it feels like not doing it is wrong somehow.”
“Did you run the numbers on that?” Eva smirked at her.
Ember walked over to the chalkboard. She wrote something in big white letters and turned around.
“No, because that’s the only thing that matters.”
Eva looked behind her girlfriend and saw the words, “I love you, Eva Dash” written over all the numbers again. She smiled and set the napkins down on the table. She walked to the kitchen, grabbed a pen, and returned. She did something to the napkin that Ember couldn’t see and walked over to her. She handed it to Ember and Ember smiled. Eva had written “yes” on the napkin and then again under “in a house that we own.”
Ember knew that this was one of those moments she would never forget. She knew they’d buy that house and have the room for Eva’s books and the room for Ember’s walls, and that they’d go on that vacation together and then many more after that. She knew they’d have fun nights with their friends and that they’d have even more together. She knew that they’d visit Eva’s family and spend more time in that tree house and that they’d start spending more time with Ember’s own family. She knew that those relationships would improve and a big part of that was because of the woman standing in front of her right now.
“I love you, Scout,” Ember told her.
“I love you too, Nerd.” Ember scowled. Eva lifted an eyebrow at her and smiled. “I had to try out a new nickname.”
Ember smirked and kissed her gently.
“How about we go to the bedroom and you think of some other nicknames to call me?” she suggested.
“Is it time for that religious experience I was promised?”
Eva pulled on Ember’s shirt and directed her toward the bedroom.
“Yes. Yes, it is.”
Ember followed willingly.
EPILOGUE
“I was just thinking. We never really set an official anniversary, but I kind of feel like it’s Valentine’s Day or maybe the 15th,” Eva said.
“I told you I loved you from the moment I threw that napkin in your lap, so let’s just pretend you were not on a date with another woman and call that our one-year anniversary.” She paused and kissed Eva’s forehead. “We’ll definitely never forget it that way too.” She smirked.
“We should do something to celebrate, right? I know we’ve been busy lately with school and the move. We probably should have waited to get a house until the summer when we’re both off.”
“No way. We wanted this one and it would have b
een gone by then for sure.” Ember ran her finger along Eva’s hip bone. “And I’ve already kind of planned a thing.”
“You planned something? For Valentine’s Day?”
“Yes, I planned a night for us.” Ember slowly slid her finger under the fabric of Eva’s loose-fitting sweatpants, pulling them down ever so slightly, so that the indent achieved from Eva’s workouts was more visible. “I thought we deserved a little celebration. We did the whole family thing over the holidays and before that we had two weddings, and that was after the first one we went to. There’s also been work and school. It’s been a lot. We haven’t had a night to celebrate us.”
“You are perfect.”
“I am, huh?” Ember’s finger slid across Eva’s body toward her center and hovered just above it. Eva smirked but did not make any indication that Ember should stop. Ember used her hand to pull the sweats down further so that she could see her pale pink bikini briefs underneath. “It’s nothing too big. I just wanted us to have a special night.”
She pulled the sweats with her hand until Eva lifted herself off the bed so Ember could pull them down past her knees. The movement made it easy for Ember to then slide on top of Eva and hover over her while Eva attempted to kick the pants off her body entirely. Ember lifted the tank top that Eva had put on after her shower high enough to reveal her soft perky breasts.
“I thought you were exhausted,” Eva said as Ember’s mouth met her nipple and she began to suck it into her mouth.
“I was, but then I felt your body and I couldn’t help myself. I gotta tell you, I love you no matter what, but woman, your body is irresistible to me.”
“Not so exhausted anymore then?” Eva teased her. “Because I was hoping that we could maybe break in our new bedroom on our first night here.”
“You were?” Ember tried not to appear too eager as she removed her own shorts, sliding them down and then kicking them off.
It didn’t work. Eva laughed wildly.
◆◆◆
“Em, what is this?” Eva asked as a black car pulled into the driveway of their house.
“Our ride obviously,” Ember replied.
“Babe, we have a car. It’s in the garage.”
“I wanted tonight to be special. Just go with it, Scout.”
“Fine. Fine,” Eva acquiesced and allowed Ember to pull her by the hand toward the vehicle where a man dressed in a suit and a black hat emerged from the front and opened their door. “Em, this is too much,” Eva pointed out as they climbed into the back.
“It’s a car, Eva. It’s so we can just enjoy ourselves and not have to worry about parking or taking the train, okay?” Ember kissed Eva’s palm and then pulled Eva’s hand into her lap.
It was Valentine’s Day, and Ember was the happiest she’d ever been. She’d been planning this night for two months. She knew how busy they’d both been and would continue to be and she wanted Eva to know how much she loved her, how much she meant to her.
“Okay. I trust you,” Eva told her. “You look gorgeous, by the way.” She kissed Ember’s cheek.
Ember had chosen a navy cocktail dress, and despite the cold weather outside, she paired it with some strappy sandals. She had her dress coat over it, so she rolled her eyes at Eva’s comment. “What? I saw you get dressed. I know what’s under there.”
Ember stared into her deep gray eyes because somehow Eva had understood her thoughts without Ember needing to voice them.
“You are also gorgeous tonight, Eva Dash.” She kissed Eva’s temple. “Okay, so we have kind of a strange agenda tonight, and logistically, it doesn’t make much sense, but I hope you’ll trust me.”
“What do you mean logistically it doesn’t make sense?”
“You’ll see.”
The car pulled up, parked, and Eva looked out the window.
“We’re at the restaurant.” Eva turned to Ember.
“I called in a few favors and got us a reservation.”
The door opened, and the women climbed out of the car. The driver, who had introduced himself as Nick, closed the door behind them and then climbed back into the front seat.
“When was the last time you ate here?” Eva asked as Ember took her hand and ushered them toward the front door.
“When I quit,” Ember said. “I ate this stuff nearly every day for most of my life. It was a nice break, but I’m ready for it again.”
“This is sweet, Em.”
“This is where we met.” Ember kissed her gently and they proceeded past the hostess podium to seat themselves. “Last year, you got a crappy table. This year, I thought you deserved one of our best.” She motioned toward a two-top table that had a white tablecloth on it while all the other packed tables were plain.
In the middle of the table, there was a single long-stemmed rose in a clear vase, and there were two place cards where plates should be. Eva turned with a smile that showed her adoration for her girlfriend.
“I love you,” Eva told her for probably the hundredth time that night.
Ember pulled out her chair as she always insisted on doing. Eva understood it was one of the few things she’d gotten from her father. She’d seen him do it for his wife at many of their Sunday family dinners. Ember sat down across from her and looked down, encouraging Eva’s glance to follow.
“I had a special menu prepared. Mikey’s back there, and he’s a great chef, so I sort of trusted him to tell me what I should order.”
“It looks great, babe.” Eva reached across the table for Ember’s hand without looking up from the menu.
Ember slid her hand over Eva’s and she marveled at how Eva just reached for her without even looking up, knowing that Ember would be there. She smiled at the thought and at the touch. They enjoyed their meal, and Jack even stopped by the table to say hello before taking off for the night. When they were ready for dessert, Ember stood and took Eva’s hand.
“Come on,” she said and beckoned.
“I thought we were having dessert.” Eva looked confused but stood anyway.
“We will, later. I want to take you somewhere else first.”
“You are lucky I trust you because the dessert you put on that menu sounds really good and I haven’t been eating a lot of sugar lately, so I’m craving it.”
Ember laughed as she pulled Eva out of the restaurant and back to the car where Nick held the door open for them. A few minutes later, they pulled up to their second destination. Ember got out first and pulled Eva out while telling Nick to remain in the car.
“We’re here,” Ember told her.
“We’re at the bar?” Eva asked.
“Come on.” Ember opened the door and they walked in together. “Zack usually closes the bar on Valentine’s Day, so he and Grace can have the night together.”
She motioned for Eva to sit on a bar stool and then moved behind the counter.
“Babe, this is-”
“At the restaurant, there was something about you that drew me to you, but I had to leave. Plus, you were there with someone else.” She paused and started working behind the bar. “I thought I had lost you forever and then, the next day, you showed up here and completely changed my world.”
“You really do have the best lines,” Eva said with a smile.
Ember smiled back and placed a glass of water on the bar along with a full shot glass. She poured a shot for herself and set it across from the first one.
“I was flirting with you like crazy. You walked away. I thought I’d lost you again. I hated myself for just letting you walk out like that. I wanted to follow you and ask you out, but I was nervous. I thought about you so much that night.” She nodded to Eva to take the shot glass, which she did. “I poured you a shot that day.”
“I remember.” Eva smiled at how amazing her girlfriend was to do all this for her.
“I thought we could come here and have another shot together.”
“Cheers.” Eva lifted the glass and Ember clanged her glass against it.
A little of the liquor spilled over the side, causing them both to laugh silently. They each took the shot. Eva gulped down some of the water Ember had poured her before sliding the glass in Ember’s direction for her to do the same.
“I’m going to do what I didn’t do that day, okay?” Ember slid a napkin across the bar.
Eva read it to herself.
“You’re asking me out on a date?” She laughed. “We live together, Ember.”
“I said what I didn’t do that day. So, will you go out with me?” Ember persisted.
“I will happily go out with you.” Eva leaned over the bar and Ember matched her movement, so they could kiss for a moment before Ember pulled back.
“Let’s go then.”
“What? Now?”
“You agreed.” Ember was so enthusiastic and endearing that Eva couldn’t resist her.
She allowed Ember to pull her along back to the car while she laughed with abandon and slid inside the car next to her.
“This is crazy, babe.”
“Just one more stop, I promise.” Ember leaned in. “I was kind of hoping we could make out in the back seat since we’ve never done that.” She leaned in further.
“You just asked me out, and now you want a make-out session? What kind of a woman do you think I am?”
“You’re the woman I love,” Ember replied smoothly. “Little kiss for now then?” She hovered over Eva’s lips and was granted a sweet kiss.
The car pulled over again, and as Eva climbed out, she was very confused.
“Em, we’re back at the restaurant?” Eva realized.
“Not exactly.”
“Yes, exactly. It’s right there.” She pointed at the restaurant.
“We’re going up there.” Ember stood next to her, placed one hand on the small of Eva’s back and the other pointed at the apartment upstairs. “This is the illogical part of the plan, but I wanted things to be in order. We met at the restaurant and then I saw you at the bar. Technically, I saw you at Windy’s next, but I couldn’t convince Grace’s dad to close down just for me because they host this singles event every year and it’s a big money maker. But after seeing you at Windy’s, the apartment was next. Come on. After this, I promise I will take you home, Cinderella.”
The Best Lines Page 33
