Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Who wouldn’t be?” Jamie asked.
In the next photograph, Edgar lay on his stomach on the rug in Allie’s living room, and Nour lay on their stomach atop him. They fit precisely into the curve of his spine, and their rosebud face was turned toward the camera, helpless and trusting in sleep.
“Oh lord,” Edgar said when he saw it. He laughed, wiping at his eyes.
“So good, right?” Jamie said.
“So good.” Edgar scrubbed at his eyes with his sleeve. “Look at that little nose.”
“It’s so fucking tiny.”
The final photograph stood on its easel just before the door to Jamie’s house. It showed two generations of Lovejoys piled on top of one another on Allie’s couch. It was a little blurry since they’d been in the process of falling off the couch when Jamie snapped the photo. But they all looked joyful, even Nour, who looked like they might have been in the process of pooping when everything went down.
“They all love you so much,” Jamie murmured.
Edgar pulled Jamie close. They could feel the tremble in his deep breaths and squeezed him tight.
“Damn,” he exclaimed thickly. “This is the best unhaunted house in the whole world.”
“There’s one more bit. Um.”
Jamie swallowed hard, throat gone tight with nerves, and led Edgar to sit on the bench under the crepe myrtle tree spangled with fairy lights while they tried to get their nerves under control.
Now that it came down to it, Jamie realized how desperately they wanted Edgar to say yes. How much they wanted their life together to start now.
“Edgar.” Jamie took his hand and cleared their throat. “I love you so much, and I want to spend all the time with you that I can. I know it can be a huge deal to share your space with someone, especially for you, since it’s your sanctuary. But I promise you that if you would consider living together, every day, I would—”
Jamie found themself swept up in Edgar’s arms and in his lap.
“I didn’t really finish my—”
Edgar kissed them.
“I have points to make,” Jamie said.
“Yes,” said Edgar.
“Okay. First of all, I know that—”
“Jamie, yes. Yes. I want to live with you.”
Then Edgar kissed the hell out of Jamie, and they forgot the speech they’d worked so hard on.
“Holy shit,” Jamie said when Edgar let them go, weak with adrenaline, relief, and excitement. “I can’t believe this is really happening.”
Edgar gaped back at them, appearing as overwhelmed as Jamie felt. Then he kissed Jamie softly and got them both to their feet. It was getting cold.
“I can’t believe you did this for me,” Edgar said as they walked back past the photographs on their way to the guesthouse. “I do have one complaint though,” Edgar said.
“Oh, okay, sure,” Jamie said, trying to switch their mind out of addlepated schmoop mode and into editing mode.
“You didn’t include the biggest unhaunt.”
Jamie ran through all the ideas they contemplated and discarded as imperfect. “Which one do you mean?”
“Jamie.” Edgar pulled them close. “There should be pictures of you everywhere.”
Jamie bit their lip and closed their eyes, overwhelmed by the pulse of love that suffused their entire body. Then Edgar kissed them, and they decided not to think anymore.
Epilogue
Edgar
Two Months Later
It was the day Jamie was moving in with Edgar, and Jamie had sent him to Allie’s for the day so he didn’t have to deal with people tramping in and out of the apartment, for which he was grateful. Allie had made pancakes for breakfast, and he’d spent a pleasant if overstimulating day hanging out with Nour, Poe, Allie, and three kittens hell-bent on world domination.
Allie had just lain down for a nap with Nour, and Poe was making marinara sauce in the kitchen. Now, Edgar was awaiting the all-clear text from Jamie that meant he could return to his apartment—their apartment.
“So what’re you thinking?” Edgar asked Poe. “Are you going to stick around?”
Edgar and Allie had discussed Poe, and while they both wanted him to stay in New Orleans, neither of them could tell if he would. Poe had been suspiciously nice lately, and Edgar couldn’t help but think that soon the other shoe would drop.
“For a while,” he said noncommittally.
“How long’s a while?”
“Why, you sending out wedding invitations or something and don’t wanna waste a stamp?”
This comment had done something funny to Edgar’s stomach, but this wasn’t the time to interrogate it.
“I was just wondering if I should get used to having you around or if you’re gonna disappear again,” Edgar said.
Poe tasted the sauce, the tomato scent thick with herbs, then put the lid on. The timer went off, and he swore, silencing it immediately and glancing toward the bedroom where Allie and Nour were napping. They both stayed silent for a moment, listening. When no crying (Nour) or embittered swearing (Allie) was forthcoming, they relaxed.