"So, when do you leave for New York?" Mike asked, looking from the ground beneath him to me.

Before I spoke, I licked my bottom lip, "I don't."

His eyebrows furrowed together, "Wait, what?"

I smiled slyly, "I'm not going to New York. I turned down their offer."

"What? Why?" He was still confused, but you could tell that he was relieved that I was staying.

I stood in front of him, "It turned out to be a lot of things. The main one being that they wanted me to write a column that wasn't music related. As soon as they said that, my mind was made up. You know that my passion is music journalism, not politics. Another reason was that I realized how lonely I was up there. Imagine, it would be just me there and I hated that. And, yes, I would get paid more, but rent for an apartment up there would take up all of my money.

Another one was that Southern California is my home. San Diego, LA, that's where everything I know is. All my family, friends, my amazing job, and of course, you. I don't want to leave all of that." I looked to him and a grin was there where a confused face used to be.

He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me, me doing the same around his neck. "Oh my god, you have no idea how happy I am you're staying. I thought I almost lost you again."

I looked at him and kissed his cheek, "Nope, you're stuck with me, Mikey."

He chuckled lightly then planted a kiss in my lips, "I love you, Lucy."

"I love you too, Mike."


Eventually, we made our way back to my living room and I explained everything to my brother, Brittany, and Brandon. They were so happy that I was staying and that I stayed for a good reason.

I loved my life here in California. I loved the weather and the chaos and the smog and the beautiful men and women and I loved that people considered this place the Promise Land; where dreams come true. I can see my future here. New York is incredible, don't get me wrong, but this is where I'm meant to be.

---

"Would you ever leave San Diego?" I questioned Mike as we were shopping around LA on a cold December day.

"Mmm..." He chewed in his bottom lip. "For where?"

"Here." I said, holding onto his warm hand.

"As long as you're involved, then yes. If it were anyone else, no." He looked down and shot me his pearly whites.

"Oh, shut up. Really?" A small was growing on my lips.

"Duh. Other than you and Ludo, I don't have another reason to be out here. Well, and our meetings with the label." I gripped onto my hot cup if coffee and took a small sip. "Would you ever go back to SD?" He asked.

"I mean, I don't know. My job is here, but I'm sure I could do that online or something. I love it here, though."

"I do, too."

We walked into a shoe store, the warmth hitting us as soon as we walked in. It was one that he wanted to go to and we looked around. I kept asking him what he wanted for his birthday and Christmas and he ignored me purposely so, I had no clue what to get him.

"I've been thinking, though." I began to say, turning his attention from shoes to me. I started to feel nervous, this was all too weird. "And you totally don't have to if you don't want too, no hard feelings. But, you've been spending a lot of time at my place since you've been home and even before then, and you have your own drawers and stuff and I was wondering if you, um, wanted to like m-move in with me?" As soon as I asked that I covered my face with my hands and cup, feeling my face turn beet red. "Oh my god, that sounded so stupid, oh my god."

He took my cup out of my hand and uncovered my face revealing a twinkle in his eyes and a gigantic grin. "You want me to move in with you?" He asked still smirking. I nodded innocently and still felt so embarrassed. "I would love to move in with you, Luce."

My eyes grew and my heart leaped into the air as I stood on my tippy toes and kissed him. "Really?"

"Yes! That was cute by the way."

"What was?"

"You were all nervous and shy to ask me. That was the cutest thing, baby." His nose scrunched up and he kissed me once more, then handed me back my cup of coffee.

I bit my lip, "That's a scary thing to ask someone! And what if you were like, 'Ew, no.' And I would've been like, 'Oh okay.' then cried." We both looked at one another and laughed.

"You're such a dork, Luce. I'm glad you asked, though. Because I would've just moved my shit in anyway." He winked at me and walked off to look at another pair of shoes.

I smiled at him as I watched him admire these shoes he's been wanting, then look at the price and put them back. Well, now I know what to get him for his birthday. I went up to him as he looked on at more shoes and kept talking about him moving in with me and whatnot. I was really happy because he seemed just as excited as I was.

We decided that we would go to San Diego and get his stuff after his birthday, so he could be moved in before Christmas.

"I'm so excited that you're moving in with me!" I yelled, jumping on my bed as Mike watched and laughed. He watched me carefully then when I wasn't expecting it, tackled me into a mess of kisses. Hips lips caught mine and he bit my bottom lip, begging for an entrance. Soon enough, his tongue danced with mine in rhythm. Before it got hot and heavy, Ludo jumped on the bed and started licking us both, causing a fit of giggles from each of us.

"Ludo! Stop!" Mike shouted through laughs, sounding like he was drowning in water.

I sat up and pulled Ludo off of Mike, holding him in my arms. Mike wiped his face with his shirt then asked, "Is that what having a kid is gonna be like?"

"What do you mean, freak?" I asked as I softly giggled.

"Like, when mom and dad try and get it on the kid is gonna come and interrupt us and jump on our bed?"

"Not if we lock the door." I winked, causing him to laugh.

I laid on my back and he did the same, moving his arm to be around me. Ludo was walking on top of us laying down on the blanket. "You know, I'm really happy that you decided to stay here. I know it sounds selfish of me but I just really wouldn't have known what to do if you would've gone." He admitted as he played with my hair. "I was really scared that this was going to be a repeat of the past."

"You know what the best part about being twenty-seven years old is?"

"What?" He asked in a scratchy voice.

"I can make my own decisions because I know what I want. That's the best part about being older."

"And wiser." He added.

"And just plain better." I finished off the quote that I so famously told him and looked up at his features. He was scruffy, growing his beard out and it was honestly so sexy. I loved when he had scruff going on.

He looked at me and kissed my head, his lips forming a smile. New York couldn't have given me this. It couldn't have given me the love of my life right here next to me, about to move in with me in a week. And that is the best part.

"What do you wanna do for your birthday, buggie?" I asked, flipping my body over so my chin was on his chest.

"Um, I'm not sure. To go hard because it's my last year in my twenties or to stay calm because it's my last year in my twenties?"

I giggled, "Go hard, duh."

"And that's why you're my girl because you already know what the deal is."

"I can't even focus right now because your scruff is turning me on, Mike." I said, softly touching his stubble.

"Oh really?" He cocked an eyebrow and tackled me onto my back, letting the games begin.

Notes

So, what do you guys think of this one? ;) I couldn't deal with another heartache between these two and in my head, she couldn't have not chosen what she actually did choose. AND WHAT ABOUT MIKE MOVING IN?

Leave your questions, comments, and concerns if possible.

As always, I love you all! Thank you so much for being patient with this story and reading it and getting involved. I appreciate it so much.

xoxo,
Amber