Right Place, Wrong Time

72. Endings and Beginnings

Though Lauren was sure they would encounter some bumps, the plans seemed to sail smoothly through after their apartment visit. She discussed it with Julia, who couldn't have seemed more eager to get rid of her — though Lauren knew it was out of love — and quickly found another roommate, leaving Lauren free to go wherever her heart desired. And that was Joey. They signed the lease together for the place they viewed. While he finished out his last few weeks of school, she tied up her loose ends in New York, packing up her stuff ready for the drive out to LA. Her life was falling into place.

Now, she was back in Ann Arbor for Joey's graduation, the last step. And she'd switched her flight to an earlier one so that she could surprise him.

Her cab pulled up outside his and Brian's apartment, and she let herself in with the key that she didn't really need given how few chances she actually had to visit, but was grateful to have been given anyway. Brian walked into the living room, looking confused for a second before he smiled at her.

"Who gave you a key?" he teased.

"Good to see you, Bri," she said, smiling.

He was looking over her shoulder as she turned to close the door, so she looked behind her too, but there was nothing there.

"Where's Joey?" Brian said.

She clicked the door shut, frowning. "Is he not here?"

Brian gave her a blank look. "He went to pick you up."

"What?"

"Yeah, he left like ten minutes ago."

"He's a fucking dumbass," she said, and Brian laughed. "I didn't tell him to do that. I changed my flight to surprise him."

She pulled out her phone so that she could send him a text, hoping he'd check it as soon as he got to the airport and drive straight back.

"But you told him what time your original flight was?" Brian said.

"Yeah," she said, still typing away.

"And you thought he wouldn't go pick you up even without you asking?"

Lauren looked up at him. "I'm the dumbass."

They both laughed this time, and she sat down on the couch with him to wait for Joey to get back.

"Sorry about messing up your plans for LA," she said lightly, hoping there were no real hard feelings.

"Don't worry about it," Brian said. "Joey's ten step bedtime routine drove me crazy, I couldn't deal with it."

Lauren laughed.

"He's so happy about moving in with you," Brian said seriously.

"I'm really happy too."

"I want you to know I was rooting for you guys since the start."

"Thank you," she laughed.

A key turned in the door, and Joey walked in. Lauren got up, smiling sheepishly. He shook his head at her, a huge smile on his face, and barrelled over to hug her.

"I cannot believe you," he said.

"It was supposed to be a nice surprise," she murmured, face a little smushed against him.

"I love you," he said.

He let her go only when Brian stood up from the couch too.

"I have some errands to run," he said. "I'll see you guys later."

"Do you think he really has errands?" Lauren asked once the door shut behind him.

"Absolutely not," Joey grinned, leaning down to kiss her. She found herself backed up against the couch, her body curving into his, kissing him as though she hadn't in years and not just weeks.