The blaring of Billy's alarm and an empty bed startled me awake.

"Morning." Billy ducked his head out of the bathroom as he dried his hair with a towel.

"You're up early," I said through a stretch.

"I've been getting up at 5:30 am since Viv started school. No alarm necessary."

"Impressive."

"Good morning," he added again, as he leaned over and gave me a lingering kiss.

"Sorry for my morning breath," I mumbled as my eyes surveyed him.

He was only wearing black pants and still drying his dark, wiry hair as he stood up. My eyes clung to his arms, then his collarbone, before coursing down his torso to where his pants hung low on his hips.

"Will you stop staring at my pasta pouch? You're making me self-conscious."

"I can't help it; it's so cute!"

"It's gone. I'm losing the pouch," he grumbled as he tugged on a black t-shirt.

"No, I love it so much." I popped out of bed and wrapped my arm around him. "Please."

"Sorry, it's gone."

"What if I stop mentioning it?" I pleaded.

"No, I'll still catch you eyeing it. Get dressed. I gotta get you home," Billy shot before slipping out of the room.

I quickly dressed and followed the smell of coffee to the kitchen. Billy slumped at the kitchen counter, reading the newspaper. His shoulders were rolled in the poor posture that defined him, the person he hid from the world.

"Hello, again," I murmured as he slid an arm around me and pulled me to his side as the newspaper fell to the counter.

"Morning, again."

I downed the last of his black coffee before leaning in for a kiss.

"You ready?" He asked as he rested his head on my chest for a moment.

"I suppose I have to be, or I'll be late for work. I wish I could stay here with you all day."

"Me too, Lil," but he pulled himself from his stool as he spoke.

I leaned against the island and watched as Billy poured the rest of the coffee into a to-go mug. It felt normal, quiet, and soothing. It was the little things I had missed most: helping me with my coat, taking my hand as he slowed the pace of his long legs so we could walk together, and holding doors for me. Tailoring his life to me was like breathing for Billy and oxygen for me.

I leaned into him as he drove. My body was growing comfortable with the console pressing into my ribs. It meant I was that much closer to Billy, like a flower reaching for the sun.

"How are we doing now?" I murmured.

"Hey, that's my question," he let out a croak of a laugh.

"I'm happy," I sighed with contentment.

"Me too," he agreed. "Can I see you tonight?"

"Of course, but don't rent out a movie theater or anything," I cautioned.

"You have something in mind?"

"Quiet night at home?"

"Yeah, we can do that. I'll pick you up on my way home from work."

Billy paused at Mary's front door and pulled me close to him. "I had a great time last night, Lil."

"Me too. Thank you for renting out all of Duluth," I teased.

He leaned in and gave me a lingering kiss. "I'm looking forward to tonight."

"You're coming in, right?"

"Mmhmm, but I don't think this will be a leisurely breakfast." He nodded toward the open garage door. "Tim is here."

I let my head drop to Billy's chest and sucked in a heavy breath of the cold Duluth air. It stung my lungs but cleared my mind from the stupor Billy's presence caused. "I was hoping you'd take care of that at the studio."

"Thanks," he muttered as he pushed open the doors. "Ma," he called out.

"Why do you announce yourself that way? You could take your shoes off and go to the kitchen where you know she is," I shot.

As if on cue, Mary called out, "morning, we're in the kitchen."

Billy just shrugged at me and helped me with my coat.

"I'm going to shower. I'll see you in a few," I quickly said before bolting for the stairs.

"Coward," he called after me.

I hastily showered, mostly to steal a few more minutes will Billy before I had to work. But my plan was foiled when I found Tim sipping his coffee on the bottom step. I slumped down next to him.

"Hey, Timmy."

"Don't 'hey, Timmy,' me."

"Timmy," I whined, letting my head fall to his shoulder.

"Lily, I'd love to believe you guys can make it work, my best friends finally getting together, but that's a promise I've heard too many times."

"Have you ever heard it from me before?"

He paused over my question. "Tell me again how it'll be different."

"Well, for one, you keep saying it won't work, and you know how Billy and I love to prove you wrong."

Tim didn't respond; he just gave an annoyed look.

"And," I started again, "I'm moving here."

He lifted his eyes to mine in surprise.

"We're going to keep my place in Portland for when we visit, and I have to go to work, but I'm going to buy a place here too."

"Not stay with Billy?"

"No, not yet. We want to give the kids some time to adjust. And us. And you."

"You're doing this?"

"I am; we are. I'm not afraid of losing myself in him anymore. I have my career in a good spot, and losing myself a bit in Billy sounds nice. I want to be loved like that."

"Like what?"

I leaned in close and, in a low voice, explained, "if I could tell how I feel in Billy's eyes, it wouldn't be special." I let my head rest on Timmy's shoulder. "Thank you for caring about us."

"Which of us are you referring to, you and Billy or me and you?"

"Yes," I let out a giggle.

"I missed you, Lil. Tess missed you. Mary missed you. This isn't just you and Billy."

"I know. We're going slow and talking about all the things."

"Going slow, he just dropped you off from your first date at 7 am!"

"Timmy, you're not my father. But if you must know, nothing happened."

"You and Billy spent the night together, and nothing happened?" Tim's voice dripped with disbelief.

"It was very PG-13. Not that I need to explain that to you. You can worry and care. And I agree that our relationship affects you, but Billy and my sex life is Billy and my sex life."

"Can you stop saying 'Billy and my sex life,'" he shook his head in distaste.

"Fine, but I'm starving. Is there any food left?"

"There was when I left. If it's gone, blame your boy toy."

"Ew, if I can't say sex life, you can't say boy toy," I said as I pulled myself up.

"Agreed," Tim grumbled as he rose behind me.

I knew this wasn't the end of Tim voicing his concerns, and as I entered the kitchen to find Billy and Mary speaking in low, hushed tones, I could tell I wasn't the only one being cautioned.

"Morning," I said, a little too cheery.

"Morning," Mary matched my tone.

"Hey." Billy snaked an arm around me once I was within reach. I leaned in and gave him a quick peck. "How did that go?" He kept his voice low.

"I can hear you," Tim shot as he slid onto the stool next to Billy.

"I don't care," Billy grumbled back.

"It was good; we're good, right Timmy?"

"Yeah, yeah; everything is sunshine and daisies." There was a lingering bite from Tim.

"You two need to figure out whatever is happening here," I directed. "Timmy, Billy and I are working on this. We're fighting for this. We don't need to fight you, too."

"Yeah," Billy mumbled into his coffee.

"And Billy," his eyes rose in surprise that I was calling him out. "You need to recognize that we have hurt Timmy in the past, and Mary and Tess. Whether or not you like it, they're affected by this, so you need to be sensitive to their feelings."

"Yeah," Tim mimicked Billy's mumble.

"Well said," Mary agreed.

"Apologize to each other," I demanded. Billy and Tim looked at me on the edge of arguing before I cut them off with a "now."

"Sorry," they mumbled in unison.

"I'll accept that for now, but do better," I added before turning my attention to Mary. "How was your evening, Mary?"

"Too quiet. I'm not used to being alone and don't care for it." She said as she doled out a plate of fruit and slid it to me.

"What did you two kids do last night?" She eagerly smiled at me.

"Mom, I just told you what we did." Billy's voice came dangerously close to a whine.

"Yeah, you told me what you did, but now I want to hear it from Lily," her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I'll fill you in at lunch," I promised.

"I can't wait."

"I have to get to my morning huddles. Sorry to take this to go," I said as I held up my fruit and backed out of the kitchen.

"Go, go!" Mary shooed.

Billy followed behind me, causing a bubbling grin to spread across my face. Even the prospect of a few minutes alone with him made a giddy energy course through me.

"When's the first call?" He asked as he watched me settle behind my desk.

"8:15 am," I said as I clicked on my laptop.

"So, we have fifteen minutes." His eyes gleamed with possibilities.

"Let me see if there's a bomb in my emails." I paused his hope for a moment as I scanned my email; my jittery hand clicked through my inbox and chats. "We're good," I smiled as I got up from my desk and met Billy mid-pace.

He crashed into me and lifted me from the ground before falling back onto the couch as his lips met mine. They tasted like a mix of bitter coffee and sweet maple syrup. My hands lifted to his hair. So many nights, I had thought of my hands tangling in his erratic hair, and now they were finally home. His lips slipped from mine and down to my neck, tickling me in an alluring manner that he knew I loved.

"Don't start something we don't have time to finish," I cautioned.

He sunk his forehead into my neck and paused. "Have I mentioned how in love with you I am? I've always been?"

"I think you mentioned that a few times over the past fifteen, twenty years.

He pulled his face from my neck to meet my gaze with wide, childlike eyes. "Please don't hurt me."

"Billy..." my throat went dry and stole my speaking ability.

"I need you, Lily. I can't begin to express how much I need you." His face burrowed into my chest as I wrapped my arms around him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Billy. I know you have no reason to believe that, but I'll prove it to you every day." Like cold water flowing into my veins, it was then that I realized he hadn't forgiven me. I had asked him the previous night, and he hadn't answered; he had avoided it. As much as he wanted to, and as much as he was trying, he hadn't forgiven me.

"Hey," he pulled his face up to look at me as he tried to stifle his emotions. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That this sucks a little. I know you're here, Lil." His shoulders relaxed as he won the battle of his worries.

"You're stuck with me, Billy."

"I'm holding you to that. Now get to work, ya slacker," he teased as he pushed me off his lap.

"Slacker? I'm at work. What's your excuse?"

"Oh, I'll probably go with my business partner is a dick."

"Billy, I mean it; be nice to Timmy."

"Yes, ma'am." He dutifully nodded as I slumped into my work chair. "Love you, Lil. Not sure how I feel about this boss side of you, but I love you." He leaned in and gave me a small peck that still sent a surge through me.

"Love you too, Billy."