Blended Love

Chapter 12: The Lady Den

After all the excitement from the gender reveal, Christmas and having my family over, things started to settle back to normal.

As normal as things can be when New Year's Day is right around the corner.

Convincing Steve and the kids that I had to leave was another ordeal in and of itself. Steve's persistent offers and persuading coupled with the kids' puppy dog eyes were hard to say no to, but I had to. I couldn't just leave Alanna alone there.

"You know we're really gonna miss you," Steve said outside as he carried my bags to the car.

"I'll be back soon. I'm just going home for a day or two."

Steve sighs. "Why though? There's no reason to go back there."

"Um it's my apartment and I have my things there and Alanna," I point out with a roll of my eyes.

"You said your lease is almost up, you can move your things here and Alanna isn't going to stop you from moving in with me. She would probably advise that you do."

He was right. She would advise that and has.

I watched as Steve put the last of my things in the back of my car.

"Seriously Christian, move in with us," He says.

I sigh, resting against the car and looking up at the sky.

"Fine I'll stop." He says with his hands up.

"No!" I groan, "I don't want you to give up."

He laughs dryly. "You just like to hear me beg?" He asks incredulously.

"No, Steve. It's not about begging me, I didn't mean it like that."

"Well then if it's not about begging or bribing you- which I've done, then what is it? And don't say Alanna."

That is exactly what I was going to say.

"It's your choice. I know I've been really pushy about the subject, but if you decide you want to move in, all you have to do is say so. Don't renew your lease, we'll figure out how to help Alanna and make sure she isn't homeless, and I'll do whatever I can to make this home yours."

I nodded my head mulling his words over. "Okay."

I leaned forward to hug Steve. He held me tight into his chest as he took a deep breath. 

"I love you," he whispered into my hair.

"I love you too."

We let go of each other. Steve opened my door and I slid into the driver's seat. I rolled the window down after starting the car. 

He peered down at me from the outside of the car.

"This feels so wrong," he whispered. He took another deep breath through his nose. "Drive safe. Call me when you get to your other home. I'll DoorDash you guys some food."

"My other home, Steve," I implied with a smirk.

"Yeah. This is your home. That place is your lady den."

"I cannot with you." I scoffed. "I'll call you when I've gotten to my lady's den."

He gives me a kiss before I drive out.

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Alanna and I are sitting in the living room eating the baby's favorite food in the world, pizza.

"Omg, I'm so happy I asked Steve for 2 boxes," I said as I finished my 6th slice.

"Yeah baby mama, you were hunnggrryyy. Damn I've never seen you put down that much food before," she said.