In The Heat Of Los Angeles [H.S.]

You're My Home (Billy Joel)

"Umm." I wiped my cheeks and felt tears. "I guess I am."

"Why?"

"I have no fucking clue. I guess I am emotional at you telling me that I am what makes your house feel like home." He pulled his car over to the side of the road and put it in park before leaning over to me and wiping the tears off my cheeks.

"So will you move in with me? Harold and I would like to have you there."

"Of course I'll move in with you."

"I'm glad you answered with that or the rest of this trip would've been really awkward." I started to laugh before I leaned forward to kiss him. As our lips broke I heard the voice in my head that would normally be filled with panic, instead it was trying to decide if I put the condo on the market or if I kept it and let Ty and Eliza keep living there. "You're thinking about something that has you making the crazy face."

"I'm not doubting my decisions...our decision. Just trying to decide if I sell the condo."

"Would you really consider that?"

"Yeah, I would."

"What about Ty and Eliza?" Harry asked as he put the car in drive again and pulled back onto the road.

"Well, they can find somewhere else to live. I mean I will probably talk it through with Pops and Mom first."

"Would you need to do that?"

"Technically speaking the downpayment on the condo was a gift from them. So I feel like they should be okay with me selling."

"Which do you think you should do?"

"I don't know. I mean having real estate is a good investment but also it's a pain in the ass if it's friends that are living there. I'd need them to find two roommates to cover the difference in the mortgage payment because currently I'm eating the cost of Kammi's rent now that she's moved out. I of course always paid more than everyone else because it's my condo and I had the master bedroom. But what they pay me won't even half of the mortgage. Kammi and I both paid more because we made more, we just never told Ty and Eliza."

"That's a lot of stress for you to have. If you want to sell it I'm okay with that."

"You realize me living with you, especially if I sell, means that you need to start letting me help around the house with stuff."

"I do realize that. I also think I'm finally okay with you helping with that and not feeling like I need to do some super manly caveman dance about paying for everything."

"Well, fuck me, I'm so proud of you for that." He started to laugh. "You've had a caveman reaction to me buying you fucking coffee. Letting me help pay for shit at the house, that's a big step."

"I know. I'm trying to be a grown up."

"You're doing great. I will likely sell. It's just gonna be difficult to explain that to Eliza and Ty. I mean if worse came to worse and it sold fast they could stay with me while you're gone until they find a new place."

"I sort of predicted that thought out of your head." I laughed. "I would be okay with that but when I come home after the movie they need to be out. I want us to have our own place. Hell, we could look for and buy a house together rather than just live in my place if you wanted. I just want somewhere that is ours and not you plus multiple roommates. We are adults in a serious, committed relationship and we shouldn't have a bunch of other people around all of the time. We need a place where we can be us without everyone else."

"I agree with that. I'd rather have them not ever live with us but I also don't want to kick them out on the street without somewhere to live."

"I get that and obviously we have the space. But when we are living there together they need to have somewhere else to stay. I'm being an asshole for saying that aren't I? I mean I lived with Ben and Meredith for almost two years."