Chicago Love ✔️

Chapter 65: Back to Molly's

The rest of the afternoon was rather tame, with Hailey showing Alex a couple of her other favourite spots around town. Of course, as expected, just like the night they met, they wound up back at Molly's for some drinks together.

"I hope I'm making your trip to Chicago worthwhile and better than the fun you could be having in Colorado with your boys," Hailey comments as she sets a drink in front of Alex. He just looks over at her with a smile and a nod. He never would've thought about missing their yearly trip before, but yet here he was sitting in a bar in Chicago with her instead. He thought he'd feel weird about it, but yet it felt more comfortable than he thought possible. "If you want to call it short and go spend time with them, I get it to. I'd hate it because truthfully, I am so glad that you kept your promise and came to Chicago to spend some time with me. I don't say it enough but I am glad that you are in my life. I am glad that we are spending all of this time together." 

"There's no way that I am leaving Chicag-" he starts, only to be cut off with a kiss of satisfaction by her. That was the only acceptable answer in her mind because she knew she'd be crying and upset if he would have decided to leave. 

"I love you so much. I do have one way that we can leave Chicago. How about we do so together?" He looks at her a little puzzled, wondering as to what she meant by that. Part of him wondered if this was her officially ready to move away, as that had come up during the day with conversations. He could not forget the words she said at the diner. Was this really happening? 

"Are you serious?" She nods her head as he takes her hand with his. "I want more than ever to spend every single day with you. I want more than ever for you to call home together with me. I want to wake up seeing you every single morning, smelling your coffee, kissing your lips. But I want that for us if you are ready." 

"I am ready, Alex. I am ready to leave Chicago and move to North Carolina with you. I am ready to call North Carolina my home if that means spending more time with you. I never thought there'd be a thing in the world that would make me leave this beautiful city but Alex, you are everything to me. I cannot bear to be apart from you anymore. I want this." She looks down at their hands locked together with a smile. "I want to be with you all the time. I am truly ready for this now." 

"Then let's do this. We can spend this week packing everything up and have it shipped down to my place - if you want. Or you can just take some stuff with you and keep a home here. I will gladly accept having you at my - our home." She smiles back in return, leaning in for a kiss. She had thought about keeping the condo for when she wanted to visit, but then knew up-keep and looking after everything would just be another worry about. Besides, they could always stay with friends if they came to town.  Friends.....

"Just make me one promise, please. Make me a promise that we can come back and see my friends as often as possible. I don't want to lose the friendship that I have with Kim, or Trudy for that matter." Alex nods his head, accepting, having seen how close she was with both in just the small time she had been in town. Truth be told, he would also add the boss to the list.

"I have not a single problem with that. I mean, they are also welcome to come to any race they want or come stay at our house to spend time in North Carolina with us, too. I wonder what they are going to say when you tell them...." Hailey takes a deep breath as she glances over to where Kim and Adam sat together, joking with Kevin about something. She could already picture the variety of reactions from the crop when the news was revealed. She just hoped it would go all positively, but knew someone would have something to say if Adam's reaction yesterday was a clue. "If I have to guess, Trudy and Hank will be overprotective about things. I think Adam may give me the snake-eye again. Kim will be worried about losing her sister, but happy for you. Jay, who knows...." 

"I think Jay and Erin will both be happy for me. Jay told me that he hoped I found someone that was as special to me as Erin is to him, and wanted to see me happy. I can truthfully look at him in the eyes and say that I found that in you." She then takes a deep breath as her eyes did not leave the table of her fellow detectives. "Trudy may give you a bit of a warning that if you hurt me, she will kick your ass - or Hank for that matter. I think Adam learned from the first time. Kim? She'll be over the moon excited as she predicted that happening after I came back from a weekend with you. I think it will go over better than you think it will. But we have to tell Hank first. He deserves to know as my boss." 

They both smile in knowing what the days ahead held, both excited for the future that was ahead of them together. Fingers staying locked together as their eyes focused one each other, leaning in for a kiss to be shared.