Timmy leans over and kisses my temple, his lips lingering as he whispers, “You are.”
The warmth of his affection washes over me, making the flicker of doubt dim, at least for the moment. “He’s like wearing rose-tinted glasses,” I tell Paulo. “But they’re for me. Everything I do makes him happy. Every story I tell, every fact I share… he loves it all.”
There’s a long pause on the other end of the line. “Well, as long as you’re happy…” his voice trails off, the care in his voice unmistakable. “This is just… quite fast, isn’t it?”
I roll my eyes fondly. “Yes, Paulo. It’s very fast. I know it’s quick,but it’s not about the timeline… sometimes when you know, you just know. It’s about how you feel in these situations, and I feel amazing!”
“Alright,” he says, but there’s a cautious edge to his tone. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again, that’s all.”
“I know,” I reply, the weight of his words sinking in. Paulo has always been there, through every breakup and misstep, not piecing me back together so much as quietly observing. He’s not trying to ruin my happiness—he’s just trying to protect me, like he always does.
Timmy squeezes my thigh, reassuring me.
“Thank you, Paulo,” I say, my voice gentle. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Margaux… just be careful, okay?” His words carry a quiet warning, one I choose not to dwell on.
“I will.” I promise, meaning it.
“I promise I’ll take really good care of her,” Timmy calls out.
I hang up, tucking my phone back into my bag. The car is quiet for a moment, the hum of the road beneath us filling the silence. I exhale, willing myself to stay present, to stay in the warmth of this moment with Timmy.
“You okay?” Timmy asks, his thumb brushing small circles on my leg.
“Yeah,” I say, smiling at him. “I’m more than okay.”
He grins, his joy radiating around us as he gives my leg a playful squeeze. “Good. Because I can’t wait to start the rest of our life together.”
And just like that, the flicker of doubt extinguishes—for now, I let myself sink deeper into the love bubble, savoring the feeling of being seen, cherished, and so intensely loved. Sabre is still at the quarantine station for a little while longer, so it’s just quality time with the two of us. No worries in the world. Well, except for paying this exorbitant rent without a corporate job. But I’ll worry about that later. Now is my time to just… feel. And be in love. And be loved.
Because for the first time in a long time, I feel like I belong somewhere. And that somewhere is here, with Timmy.
38
THE THIN SHROOM LINE
The day continues so innocently—a mix of Timmy’s childlike excitement, and a hurried announcement to his boss.
“We’re engaged!” he exclaims.
She quirks a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Engaged? How long have you two been dating? Like 24 hours?” She glances at me and says “Congratulations!” But there’s a question mark in her voice, almost a look of sympathy.
“Ten days, but when you’re in love, you’re in love! Plus,” babbles Timmy, “she gives me twenty blowjobs a day.”
“Twenty!” smirks his boss. “That’s quite a lot of daily blowjobs.”
I feel myself turn red, in disbelief he’s discussing BJs with his boss. Definitely a no-no from an HR perspective, but I guess that’s not for me to worry about. “He’s exaggerating,” I add, awkwardly.
“Am I, though?” He winks at me. “I think yesterday it might have actually been twenty.” He turns to his boss. “Oh my god, and she’s a really, really good cook.”
Once we leave the office, Timmy gets even more excited. “Ooh, let’s have an engagement celebration!” He starts texting friends, and even invites his manager and her husband.
He kisses me, a long one with tongue that takes me by surprise. “We’ll go to Dock Bar where we first met in person! It’ll be romantic!”
I’d hoped for a quiet, intimate evening, but he keeps texting more and more people, clearly hoping some will join to share our excitement.
“Okay,” I laugh. “I don’t have anyone to invite, though.”