THIRTY-NINE

Instead of driving into the city, Sidney turned the opposite direction and drove north. I glanced at the clock. It was almost two o'clock. Where could we possibly be going this late?

The highway was practically abandoned, so it was only a short time before Sid turned into the righthand lane and took an exit. I read the slightly familiar name on the sign and looked at Sidney. "Fox Chapel? What's in Fox Chapel?"

"You'll see," he replied.

I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. I hated surprises, especially when they involved some suburb I have never been to.

"Just relax, okay?" Sid said with a laugh. "We're almost there."

We were in a quiet, residential neighborhood now. We turned down a street and I noticed the houses got progressively larger the further we drove. "Are we going to visit someone?" I asked.

Sid only smiled in reply, never taking his eyes off the road. He eventually turned into a bricked driveway and parked outside of an impressive three car garage. We got out of the Range Rover and I studied the outline of the house. Although it was dark out, the moon reflecting off the blanket of white snow that covered the yard offered enough light for me to discern that we were standing in front of a large, two story brick home. Despite its size, it had a cozy charm to it.

Sid held out his hand to me and I intertwined my fingers with his. I loved that it felt so natural, like our hands were molded for each other. Suddenly, all the reservations I had about our relationship disappeared. I knew we were meant for each other. I knew that if I left him, I would never find a man who fit so well with me.

"Who lives here?" I asked as we approached the front door.

"We do," Sid replied as he turned the key in the lock.

"What?"

"I told you I was looking for a house. I bought this one a couple days ago."

"You bought a house," I repeated as Sid led me into the foyer.

"It was a little impulsive," he said with a shrug. "But I fell in love with this place as soon as I saw it. I knew you would like it, too." It stung that he thought of me when he was purchasing this home. A couple days ago…a couple days ago we weren't speaking. "I'll give you a tour."

He flicked the light on and lit up a high-ceilinged, airy foyer. Directly in front of us a staircase led to the second floor. There was a large chandelier hanging above our heads, and it sparkled like a thousand tiny diamonds. Sid led me into a formal dining room, and then through a doorway and into a modern, newly remodeled kitchen.

"We probably won't use this very often," he chuckled. I noticed his use of the word "we," but chose not to say anything about it. Sid led me back through the dining room and foyer and into the comfortable, large living room. A classy fireplace was positioned against the right wall, and tall windows on the back wall looked out to the yard. "This," Sid said as he walked across the living room and through a doorway, "is the best part of the entire place."

I followed him and caught my breath when I found myself in a long sunroom that ran the length of the house. The three walls and ceiling were made completely of glass, offering an incredible view of the night sky and backyard.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asked, striving for my approval.

"This is great," I replied, stepping toward the glass wall that looked out into the backyard. "Is that a pool?"

"Yeah, it's massive. The guys are going to love it. You can't tell because of the snow, but there's a patio that leads out of here and it runs the entire way around the pool. It's going to be great for barbeques."

"Wow, Sid. This place is beautiful. It's huge, but it somehow isn't pretentious. You know what I mean?"

Sid nodded and smiled. "That's why I love it. There's tons of room, but it fits my style. Let's go upstairs." We returned to the foyer and I followed Sid up the stairs. He showed me two bedrooms, each with their own small half bath, and then finally opened the door to the master suite. "This is our room," he said. I once again noted the use of the plural, but I was too stunned by the size of the room to comment. The bedroom itself was almost as big as my kitchen and living room. It even had its own fireplace.

"Wow," I breathed. "This room is huge!"

"Check out the bathroom," Sid replied, opening a door to my right. I stepped inside the bathroom and thought I had been transported to a spa. There was a Jacuzzi in the corner, a shower against the back wall, and a long counter with two sinks and tons of cabinet space.

I couldn't wipe away the huge smile that had appeared on my face. "This is…wow. Just wow."

Sid smiled at me proudly. "Did I do a good job?"

"You're going to love living here," I replied.

"So are you. Tell your landlord tomorrow that you're moving out."

"What?"

"I want you to move in with me." Sid stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. "This is going to sound crazy, but when I bought this house all I could think about was how it would look if you lived here, too. Everything about this house just reminded me of you…even when I was so mad at you, I knew every day when I came home I would think of you. And I wanted that. I couldn't let you go."

I sighed and leaned into him. He probably didn't know it, but pangs of guilt were attacking my stomach. I knew I meant a lot to him, but tonight it was really hitting me. All I had been thinking about lately was myself—how I felt because Sid was mad at me. How the promotion would affect my life. Now, I realized that my life was no longer just about me—Sidney was just as much affected by every decision I made as I was. He was my other half. When did that happen?

"Are you excited to buy furniture and everything?" Sid asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I hesitated. "Are you sure? Don't you want to decorate? I mean, it is your house."

"No, it's our house," he replied. "Besides, I'm hopeless. I'd have to hire a decorator." He paused and looked at me seriously. "You don't mind living in the suburbs?"

"Not in a house like this," I replied with a laugh. "I wish there was a bed here…I want to spend the night."

"We don't need a bed," Sid replied with a mischievous grin. In one swift movement, he lifted me by the waist and slung me over his shoulder.

"Sidney!" I complained as he carried me out of the bathroom.

He gently lowered me to the floor and lay down beside me. "I've missed you," he whispered, kissing me sweetly.

"I'm sorry," I said. And I was sorry—I was sorry I pushed Sidney away, I was sorry I ran to Montreal, I was sorry I had wasted so much valuable time that could have been spent with him.

"Shh." Sid's mouth moved along my jaw line, down my neck, and to my chest. "It doesn't matter anymore."