Early mornings have been my worst enemy during my pregnancy but throughout this small trip to Texas I couldn't help but get up with the sun. Zay had an adorable little balcony that was perfect to sit on with your coffee and watch the sunrise. The day is warm, I think it was supposed to get to almost eighty degrees and there isn't a cloud in sight. I let out a hum of contentment as I bring my decaf to my lips and take a sip. "I've found you out here every morning since you got here" Zay chuckles, opening his sliding glass door and stepping out onto his porch.
I look up at him and smile. He was only wearing a pair of boxers thus his body was almost on full display and admittedly Vanessa was a lucky woman. "Morning."
"Are you daydreaming or planning your escape?" he chuckles, taking a seat beside me.
"Haha" I laugh dryly, placing my coffee on the table beside me. "I'm just thinking Zay. I mean, Josh and I just bought a house and yet" I sigh, placing my hand over my belly.
"And yet you wanna move here?"
I look over at him and nod. "How totally horrible is that?"
He chuckles. "Honey nugget it's not selfish. You bought a house because you were doing what you thought was expected when that test came back positive."
"We were already moving Zay."
"Yes but you were moving with the idea that that house would be your family home. You got in a serious relationship and you took the next step. At the time you thought that it was what you wanted but now it's not. Just sell the house and if you have trouble selling it, sublease it until you get a buyer."
"But Josh just got a job and the baby-."
"Okay, okay" he nods. "Then get through the terrible twos with the kid in New York. If in two years the thought is still in the forefront of your mind then move. That way you know that it's something you really want and not just something you're doing because you're afraid that you're going to lose me and Riley."
I stare at him in awe. How did he just come up with a solution so easily? "I'll talk to Josh" I reply with a soft smile. "Thanks for the advice Zay."
"Hey" he shrugs. "What are friends for?"
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"So, what are you and Lucas planning on doing with all the spare rooms?" I ask Riley while I'm helping organize their bookshelf in the living room.
"One is going to be an office so that I have a space to grade papers in peace and Lucas can run an emergency line for the clinic" she explains. "Then the other three" she shrugs as a smile takes over her face, "those are just gonna be kid's rooms" she explains making my eyes widen.
"Three bedrooms for kids? How many are you planning on having?" I chuckle.
"I don't know" she replies nonchalantly. "At least three but probably more. I want a huge family and Lucas does too. In fact, we're not wasting any time, as soon as we're married we're gonna start trying" she admits.
"Hm" I hum, "if only you had a ring" I tease.
"Shut it" she insists playfully as Lucas saunters into the room with a box in hands.
"Riley this box is literally filled with throw pillows" he says with a slight tinge of confusion in his voice. I swore men would never understand women's obsession with throw pillows.
"Oh I was looking for that box" she exclaims, running over to him and taking it from his hands. "Thanks babe" she adds, leaning up to give him a quick peck.
"Yea no problem" he chuckles. "You girls having fun?"
"Is that really a question?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him making him laugh as he shakes his head.
"Of course not. Carry on" he smiles as he slips out of the room, leaving us alone once again. Riley begins unpacking the pillows and placing them strategically on the couch while I glance over at the clock and sigh.
I had to leave for the airport in less than an hour. I really wished I didn't have to go home. Of course I missed Josh but I would really miss it here and I'm really going to miss my friends. "You're thinking too loud" Riley complains, turning to face me. "What's wrong Peaches?" she asks, taking a seat on her couch.
"I'm just gonna miss you" I admit as tears form in my eyes. "Ugh I hate crying" I complain, wiping furiously at my eyes. Riley smiles softly as she moves to join me on the floor and pulls me in for a hug.
"I'm gonna miss you too Peaches" she says sweetly. "But we're gonna talk every day. And you know I'll be there when he's born" she adds, pulling away and placing her hand on my belly. "We're best friends, a little distance isn't gonna change that."
"I love you Riles" I smile, pulling her back in for a hug.
"I love you too Maya" she replies, squeezing me tight. "Now come on or you're gonna miss your flight" she adds, pulling away and standing up to help me.
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The plane ride back is unbearable. At least flying to Texas I had my friends with me but being alone was kicking my anxiety into high gear. I try to nap during the flight and I succeed for a little while but inevitably I end up awake for most of the flight and when we finally begin or descent onto the runway I let out a sigh of relief and hop out of my seat.
I walk through the terminal and into the main lobby of the airport scouring the huge space for the pair of sparkly blue eyes that I fell in love with but I can't seem to place him-. "Ehm" I hear behind me accompanied by a tap on the shoulder and I quickly spin around and come face to face with Josh.
"Josh" I yelp, throwing my arms around him and wrapping my arms around his neck. "I missed you so, so much" I gush, loosening my grip on him and stepping back to look at him.
He looks good. He looks like he's finally gotten some sleep and he looks sexy as hell in his pair of black skinny jeans and his white v-neck. Suddenly my hormones are in overdrive and I want to show him just how much I really did miss him. "I missed you too" he smiles, reaching forward to fix my hair that had gone wild in my excitement. "How was your trip?"
"It was incredible. You know how much I love it there. I got up with the sun and spent time with all my friends every minute of my trip. I honestly wish I could've stayed forever but I did miss you. Hell if I didn't have you I probably would've stayed" I admit with a chuckle.
"Well I'm glad I was enough to warrant your return" he smiles. "You look good though. Happier and glowier if that's possible."
"I had a good time" I nod. "But I'm glad to be back with you. God, two days away from you is much too much."
"Two days? I think one is quite enough" he argues making a blush rise on my cheeks as I reach up and press a kiss to his lips.
"I love you" I murmur, caressing his cheek as we pull apart.
"I love you too and I really wanna take you home so, are you ready to hit the road?" he asks, picking up my bag with ease.
"Yes" I nod enthusiastically. "I do miss my bed if I'm being honest" I add as he wraps his arm around my waist while we make our way out of the airport. He chuckles, glancing down at me.
"Is sleeping all you think about?"
"Um that and sex" I reply with a smirk making his eyes widen. I laugh, shrugging my shoulders. "It's just an idea."
"Mhm" he hums as we approach the car. "Get in the car troublemaker" he teases making me giggle as I duck and get into the car while he's busy loading in my bag. Once he climbs into the front seat he puts the car in drive and glances over at me with a smile. "Let's go home babe."
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I unpack while Josh is making dinner and the distance only serves to drive me crazy. Since getting back to the house I had made it obvious that I'd like to just hop into bed and make up for the two and a half days we were apart but he was keeping his distance.
I toss my final top into the laundry basket and walk my bag back to the front hall closet and stuff it inside before wandering into the kitchen where Josh is furrowing his eyebrows at a complex step in the recipe he was following. "Hi" I greet him, sliding onto one of the barstools.
"Hey gorgeous" he replies without looking up from his cookbook. "All finished unpacking?" he asks as he turns his attention back to his ingredients.
"Mhm" I hum. "Is there uh-did I do something wrong?" I blurt out making him raise his gaze to me in intrigue.
"What?" he questions. "Baby what are you talking about?" he asks confusedly.
"I'm talking about all the not-so subtle hints I've been dropping all afternoon about wanting to have sex" I reply honestly. "I mean I thought I wasn't being subtle."
He chuckles, smiling at me demurely. "Sweetheart I got the hints. I figured you'd be tired so I didn't push it. I thought once we got here and you laid eyes on our bed your dirty thoughts would evaporate into an overwhelming want to get some sleep."
"Well I'm not tired" I argue. "In fact now that you've made me wait I'm kinda pissed off and want to rip your clothes off even more" I smirk.
"But dinner-."
"The choice is yours" I smirk, sauntering off and heading towards our bedroom. It only takes about five seconds for Josh to catch me and wrap me in his embrace.
"Dinner can wait" he breathes down my neck causing the skin on the back of my neck to stand up in anticipation of what was to come.
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Dinner is absolutely incredible...either that or I was just starving. I get up for seconds and return to the table meeting my boyfriend's inquisitive stare as I take my seat. "What?" I ask with a soft chuckle. "I'm eating for two."
"What's this?" he asks, sliding my phone across the table. I glance down and find a text from Zay that must've come through while I was getting up for seconds.
ZAY: Talk to Josh yet about what we talked about?
"Um" I stutter, reaching forward to take a sip of my water. "Zay sorta helped me come up with a solution to our moving struggle."
"I didn't realize we were having a moving struggle. I mean you've voiced your opinion on moving but I didn't realize we had decided."
"We haven't" I agree, shoveling a forkful into my mouth.
"Then what is this?" he presses. I sigh, taking another large gulp of my water.
"That is the result of our conversation in which he suggested that since we did just move into this house and I am pregnant that we should wait a couple years to make a final decision. After he turns two we'll reevaluate and see if we even still want to move and if we do then by the time he's three I'd like to be in Texas but if we decide that moving isn't something we want to do then we'll stay here."
"Two years? You think you'll be able to handle that?" he asks skeptically.
"I'll be a new mother. I'm going to be caught up with our son. Do I miss my friends already and wish they were closer? Of course but I've been selfish enough. I'm not living for myself anymore. Every decision I make affects our family and I think that right now this is the best idea."
Silence falls around us for a long moment until finally he concedes, nodding his head in agreement. "Okay. Yea, I think it's a great idea. I think it's better than making a rash decision that we'll just grow to regret and plus I think that you'll find that having our family close when our son is still an infant will be a blessing."
"Then we're decided" I smile. "Two years here in New York and then we decide."
"It's a plan" he nods. "Now finish up. I'm gonna go do the dishes."
"Mkay" I hum, smiling brightly as he leans down and pecks my lips before standing up and heading towards the kitchen.
I continue my dinner, enjoying the pleasant evening back at home with my boyfriend. Suddenly my phone vibrates and I look down to find a blocked number. I furrow my eyebrows and bring the phone to my ear. "Hello?"
"Miss me?" Derek's voice rings though the speaker causing my eyes to widen and I hastily pull the phone from my ear and hang up. I'm breathing heavily as Josh walks back into the room.
"Everything alright babe?"
I look up at him and clear my throat, nodding my head. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" I ask nervously, pushing my plate away.
I was no longer hungry and by the sound of Derek's voice on that call, I wasn't safe either.