I should have left the call unanswered.

But knowing Tasha that would have only made things worse. The screaming started as soon as I said hello.

"Why didn't you tell me that you and Nick were moving in together?" Tasha yelled on the other end. "And a matter of fact, why did Nia have to find it out from Lavender who had to find it out from Sam who's best friend told him directly? After almost a decade of friendship, you're keeping secrets from me--from us! Nia had to do some weird school thing, but I know she's pissed off too!"

Once I was sure the yelling was over, I put the phone back to my ear. "I was going to tell you guys." Nick tiptoed around the minefield of boxes, hearing the tail end of Tasha's yelling he gave me a thumbs up for support. I glared at his retreating form this is all his fault he should have waited for me to catch up before spilling the beans.

She scoffed. "When? Once he was already moved in or once you two had gotten married."

I rolled my eyes, she's so dramatic. "Tasha, I was going to tell you when I got the chance. Everything is just happening so fast I haven't had a chance to tell anyone about anything." Sitting on the edge of the bed.

"So tell me what's been happening? I'm all ears."

"Nick's dad is moving to Italy, and he doesn't want to stay in his house, so I told him he could move in with me."

"He's leaving right before the holidays?" she asked surprised.

"Yeah, he's a total asshole," I huffed, "He offered me money to break up with Nick."

"How much?"

"Tasha."

"I'm sorry, that was a shitty thing for him to do. It's just so insane; his house...is he going to sell it?"

"Yeah, we're packing stuff up right now." I nudged a box with my foot it seemed endless. Too much stuff and too little time.

"Where is Nick, anyway?"

Falling back on the bed, I sighed, "I don't know, he could be anywhere." He could be in any of the ten rooms in this giant house.

"When is he moving in?"

"He's going to start this weekend."

There was a long pause. "Just between the two of us, when you and Nick get married will I be your maid of honor?"

"Have you lost your mind?" I laughed.

"Come on tell me, I won't tell Nia or Lavender," she promised. "I swear."

"I'm not going to tell you that." I had never put any thought into it. They might have to flip a coin for it. "It'll be a surprise."

She hummed, unsatisfied. "I don't think I like surprises anymore."

I chuckled. "Too bad. How's Crystal?"

"She's great, beautiful, as always. She finally told her parents that she's into girls. According to her, it was pretty anticlimactic. I wish it would have been the same for me." When Tasha came out, there was a lot of family conflict not so much from her brothers, but her parents, her mom mostly, they just didn't get it.

"Tasha, I have something to tell you." Well, there's no time like the present.

"You and Nick didn't get married already, did you?"

"No, we did not," I assured her. "Why do all things lead back to marriage with you?"

Nick is only seventeen, so we couldn't even if we wanted too. Which we don't. At least not right now.

"Then what is it?"

"Crystal and Nick used to date." When she didn't respond I went on. "They dated for a really long time, and no, I had no idea about it before she came out to him and then we connected the dots."

Still no response. "Hello...Tasha, are you still there?"

Suddenly, her laughter came through the other end of the phone. She cackled, loudly, "Why am I not surprised that my girlfriend's ex-boyfriend is in love with my best friend?"

"Nick and I thought the same thing?"

"So I guess that means no double date then?"

"Oh, no, now we have to go on one. Now I want to meet her." I want to see the person who has gotten the two people I care about most to fall for her. She has to be something spectacular.

I could hear the smile in her voice. "Okay, I'll plan everything. Don't worry."

I have no doubt in my mind that she will.

"Not anything too formal, maybe we can get coffee or something."

"That sounds boring but fine," she said unimpressed. "I'll see if I can schedule a coffee date for the four of us. Let me know when you can fit it in your busy schedule."

"Will do."

Nick came back into the room holding two bottles of water.

"Oh, that's Crystal calling. I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up, I tossed my phone to the side. Closing my eyes, I felt the bed dip under me as Nick laid next to me. All this planning and moving has really worn me out.

Nick threw his arm over me. I leaned into his embrace, smelling him. He always smelled so good.

"Nick," I said with my eyes still closed.

"Yes, my love."

My nose wrinkled when he called me that, but deep down I liked it. I liked all the pet names he had for me, even if they made me squirm.

"I'm tired."

"Well, let's go home," he said propping himself up on his elbow. He gently caressed my face. I blinked up at him, his beard was growing back, his jaw was covered in blonde scruff again.

"But we have so much to do here," I yawned. "We can't leave now."

"We can do it tomorrow. There's no rush to get it all done today."

I frowned. "But we haven't even started on your room yet."

"We will come back tomorrow," he said again. "We will come back day after day until it is done, and if we stop feeling like doing it we will hire someone. Right now you're tired, I'm tired, we should go home."

I didn't have the energy to fight him on it. "Okay." I ran my hand over the prickly hair of his jaw. Complimenting him, I said, "You are so handsome."

"You think so?"

I nodded sleepily. "I could stare at you all day."

He smiled, chuckling, "Okay, you definitely need some rest."

I could feel myself getting more delirious with exhaustion by the second. "Take me home, handsome."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Will do, Gorgeous."