The days had begun to blur together in a haze of routine. Leah had been living with Emily for nearly a year now, ever since her last serious relationship had crumbled beneath the weight of unspoken words and unmet expectations. Emily had been a lifeline, offering her a place to stay without hesitation, and while Leah had found solace in the comfort of their small but cozy apartment, there was a restlessness inside her that she couldn’t quite name.

  She wasn’t unhappy. She had a steady job as an editor, a best friend who doubled as her roommate, and an apartment that smelled perpetually of vanilla candles and freshly brewed coffee. It was a simple life, but lately, it felt like something was missing. Like there was a part of herself she had tucked away, waiting for the right moment to unfold again.

  And then, there was Derrick Hastings.

  Their chance meeting at the art gallery had been nothing short of cinematic, the kind of encounter she usually scoffed at in romance novels. Yet, despite her skepticism, Leah had found herself caught in the gravitational pull of Derrick’s presence. There was something about him—an effortless charm, an intelligence that wasn’t just for show, a way of looking at her that made her feel like he saw more than just what was on the surface.

  Their dinner the next night had only deepened her curiosity. Over candlelight and a bottle of wine, he had asked her questions that made her think, had listened as if her every word mattered. He was unlike anyone she had met before, and for the first time in a long time, Leah felt like she was waking up from a sleep she hadn’t realized she had fallen into.

  But then, reality settled back in.

  She was still living with Emily, still entrenched in the routine of work, still unsure if she was ready to let someone like Derrick into her life. He was magnetic, yes, but he also felt like a disruption to the quiet life she had carefully rebuilt.

  Emily, of course, saw things differently.

  “So when are you moving in with him?” Emily teased one evening as they sat on their small living room couch, their legs curled under blankets as an old sitcom played in the background.

  Leah nearly choked on her tea. “Excuse me?”

  Emily smirked, her dark eyes dancing with amusement. “Oh, come on. You guys have been practically inseparable for weeks now. Dinners, late-night calls, him sending you flowers at work—romantic much? And don’t think I didn’t notice that you stay at his place way more than you stay here.”

  Leah sighed, setting her mug down on the coffee table. “It’s not like that.”

  Emily raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Oh? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks exactly like that.”

  Leah chewed on her lip, unsure of how to explain the tangle of emotions inside her. Yes, she had been spending more time with Derrick. Yes, he made her laugh in a way she hadn’t in years. Yes, she felt something for him—something that scared her, if she was being honest. But moving in? That was too much, too soon.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “I like him,” Leah admitted finally. “But I don’t know if I’m ready for… whatever this is turning into.”

  Emily softened. “I get it, Leah. I really do. You’ve been through a lot, and I know how hard it was for you to start over. But maybe—just maybe—you’re allowed to be happy again.”

  Leah looked at her best friend, the person who had stood by her side through every heartbreak and every misstep, and for the first time, she wondered if Emily was right. Maybe she was holding herself back from something good out of fear. Maybe Derrick wasn’t a disruption but an opportunity.

  The following weeks passed in a whirlwind of moments that blurred the lines of Leah’s carefully constructed world. She and Derrick fell into an unspoken rhythm—dinners turned into breakfasts, evenings stretched into mornings, and somewhere along the way, his apartment began to feel as familiar as her own.

  It wasn’t a conscious decision at first. It started with small things—her leaving a book on his nightstand, a spare toothbrush finding its way into his bathroom, a set of pajamas tucked into a drawer. Then, gradually, it became more. She started staying over more nights than not, waking up wrapped in his warmth, drinking coffee in his kitchen, working from his couch when she had manuscripts to edit.

  It was easy. Easier than she had expected.

  One evening, as they lay tangled in sheets, the city lights casting shadows against the walls, Derrick traced lazy patterns on her back and said, “You know, you basically live here already.”

  Leah stilled, her heart picking up speed. She had known this conversation was coming, but hearing it aloud made it real.

  She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. “I still have my place with Emily.”

  He nodded, his fingers trailing up her arm. “I know. And I don’t want to rush you. But I also don’t want you to feel like you have to split yourself between two places when you could just be here.”

  Leah exhaled slowly. “It’s not that simple.”

  “Why not?” His voice was gentle, not pushing, just curious.

  “Because…” She hesitated, trying to find the right words. “Because moving in with you would mean admitting that this isn’t just something casual. That I’m really… in this. And that scares me.”

  Derrick studied her, his expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, he said, “Leah, I don’t want casual. Not with you. And I think you know that.”

  She did. She had known it from the moment he had first taken her hand at the gallery, from the way he looked at her like she was something rare, something worth holding onto.

  Still, it wasn’t just about her and Derrick. There was Emily, too.

  Later that night, Leah sat in her car outside the apartment she shared with Emily, staring up at the familiar windows. The thought of leaving their place felt bittersweet. It had been a sanctuary, a place where she had healed, where she had rediscovered who she was. But was she ready to move on?

  When she walked inside, Emily was sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine. She looked up and immediately read the expression on Leah’s face. “So… it’s happening, isn’t it?”

  Leah bit her lip. “I think so.”

  Emily smiled softly. “I knew it would. And I’m happy for you.”

  Leah’s throat tightened. “I don’t want this to change things between us.”

  Emily waved a hand. “Please. You think you moving out is going to stop me from barging into your life? I give it two days before I show up unannounced.”

  Leah laughed, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over her. “I love you, you know.”

  Emily grinned. “I know. Now, go start your next chapter. Just don’t forget to visit.”

  And just like that, Leah realized that maybe, just maybe, she was ready to turn the page.