After Lefting Me on the Bridge, He Lost His Mind novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Not Yet

On the second of January, I signed a lease on an apartment a short drive from Quinton's house.

It had one bedroom, one window that faced a live oak, and a kitchen so small the oven door hit the dishwasher.

It had my name on it.

Only mine.

I stood in the empty living room with the key in my hand and the afternoon sun on the bare floor, and I thought of Washington Heights, where the lease had two names and one of us had paid for both.

Renee had helped me find it. Renee's husband had lent me a folding table. Renee's daughter had drawn me a welcome card in purple marker and written Sabina's House across the top.

I had pinned it to the wall with a thumbtack.

At six, Quinton knocked.

He stood in the hall in his canvas coat with a grocery bag in one arm, and he looked around at the nothing.

"Wow," he said. "You've really committed to minimalism."

"My things come Thursday. The doorman in Washington Heights boxed them himself."

"The one who stopped Bryce grabbing you?"

"He wouldn't take a tip, either."

"I like him."

He set the bag on the folding table and pulled out two cartons of takeout, a bottle of wine, and a candle.

"A candle."

"Renee's idea."

"Of course it was."

We ate on the floor with our backs to the wall and our knees touching.

The wine was good.

The room was quiet, and it was ours for as long as we wanted it to be, and I could feel the question coming.

He put down his fork.

"Sabina."

"I know."

"You don't know what I'm going to say."

"You're going to ask me to move in with you."

His ears went red.

"How did you..."

"Dorothy told me you cleaned out the closet. She said you took four trips to the donation bin."

"My mother has no discretion."

"I like her."

"I'm aware."

He turned the wineglass slowly in his fingers.

"My house is too big for one person, and it has a quilt on the bed you already like. I thought you could stop paying rent. Save up. Take your time."

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