“Incoming,” Trevor yelled before jumping on top of Stu and Lee for a group hug. I saw their youngest brother, Liam, standing off to the side and shaking his head at Trevor’s antics. Trevor shot him a look. “Get over here, Liam, before I drag you kicking and screaming. One of us is getting a uni degree, and I think I speak for all of us when I say no one expected it to be Stu. This is a momentous occasion.”

“Oi,” Lee scolded. “That’s enough, Trev.”

“What? I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.”

“It’s fine,” said Stu, raking a hand through his hair as he pulled away from his brothers and came to drape an arm around my shoulders. “If it weren’t for Andrea, none of this would be happening.”

“Aw, that’s so romantic,” said Trevor, nudging Liam vigorously. “Isn’t it fucking romantic? I think I’ve got a tear in my eye.”

Liam slapped him lightly on the back of the head. “Quit acting like a freakshow.”

“What? I’m feeling totes emosh right now. I’m not a robot. I can’t hold in my feelings like the rest of you non-feeling shrews.”

“Well, try,” said Lee before turning and taking Stu’s hand. “We’re all proud as fuck.”

“Can I second that?” came my dad’s voice as he approached with Mum.

We spent a few minutes chatting with my parents and then Alfie and Jamie arrived. The two of them had grown even closer these last few months, spending hours and hours locked up in Alfie’s bedroom. I couldn’t tell if they were getting it on or secretly plotting how to take over the world. Seriously, with those two you just never knew. They still hadn’t gone on their cruise, mainly because Alfie kept putting it off. I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen.

The party progressed, and we enjoyed ourselves. Lee made some fantastic food and everybody seemed to be having a nice time. Later in the evening Stu pulled me aside and led me out to his car.

“Where are we going?” I asked curiously.

“I was gonna wait a while to show you, but I don’t know, there’s something about tonight that feels right.”

What he said made me excited, but I tried not to let it show too much. “Okay.”

About twenty minutes later he parked on a quiet residential street not too far outside the city. Stu cut the engine and was silent for a minute.

“You don’t have to make any decisions right now. I just want you to know the option’s there.” He sounded nervous, which was way out of character.

“Stu, will you just tell me what’s going on?”

He inhaled a deep breath before pointing toward a nice-looking apartment building across the street. “You see that place?”

“Uh huh.”

“I just made a down payment on one of the top-floor apartments. I’m moving in next month.”

Now I turned to face him, unable to hide my smile. “That’s great news.” I knew he’d been finding it hard at home, especially with so many people under one roof. “Now you’ll finally have your own space.”

He scratched at his stubble, before blurting, “I want you to move in with me.”

I gaped at him. “What?”

“It doesn’t have to be right away. I know everything’s still very new between us. But just think about it, yeah?”

I stared over at the building again. It was way nicer than where I was currently living, and the neighbourhood was a lot better, too. Finally, I whispered, “I’m not sure if I can leave Alfie.”

“Luv, Alfie is family, so he can live with us if he wants. I’m used to having family around so it’s no big deal. There are three bedrooms.”

“Oh,” I breathed, my heart pounding in my chest. It was just so thoughtful and lovely of him to consider Alfie.

A moment of silence passed before Stu slipped his fingers through mine. I noticed a new set of keys in his other hand. “Come in and take a look around. Maybe it’ll help you make a decision.”

I let him lead me outside and a few minutes later we stepped off the lift at the top floor of the building. There was a long hallway with doors lining one side and a narrow window running all the way down the other.

Stu slotted his key in one of the doors and pushed it open to reveal a large, open-plan kitchen and living area. There wasn’t any furniture yet, but the walls looked newly painted and I liked the wooden floors. Stu pulled me farther inside and led me through all the rooms, giving me the grand tour. It was way bigger than Alfie’s and my flat, and certainly a lot bigger than the single bedroom Stu currently occupied in his family home.

I was looking out the window when he came and wrapped his arms around me from behind. His warmth soothed me and I leaned back into the embrace, enjoying the comfort his hugs always brought. He kissed the top of my head.

“Like I said, you don’t have to make a decision right away. I just want you to know the offer’s there if you ever want to accept it.”

I exhaled heavily and twisted in his arms. Stu stared down at me, looking all expectant and handsome, and somehow my decision was clear. I knew what I wanted. Between one breath and the next I pulled his mouth down to mine and kissed him with everything I had in me. Stu automatically responded to the kiss, his arms tightening around me, pulling me close, his tongue sliding along mine in a seductive dance. I broke away on a gasp and announced, “I’ll do it. I’ll move in with you.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Andrea,” he whispered, his eyelids lowered and his gaze searching mine.

“I’m not fucking with you, Stu. I want to move in with you. I want to wake up with you every morning and go to sleep in your arms every night. Life’s too short not to do what feels right in my heart.”

“Jesus, I love you,” he groaned, his voice husky as he pressed his lips to mine fiercely.

“I love you, too,” I replied and for a while we were lost in one another. About half an hour later we were in a state of undress on the floor, trying to catch our breaths.

“Well, at least the place has been christened now,” said Stu with a cheeky grin.

I smiled and elbowed him in the side. “Yes, at least there’s that. Now all I have to do is convince Alfie to move in with us.”

Stu chuckled. “Piece of cake.”