Noah didn't know how to comfort his girlfriend. She refused to believe he was fine with waiting for her, even though it hadn't been that long. They'd lived like siblings for twenty-four years and had only been dating for two months. He understood it might take time for her to adjust—change was never her strong suit.

Yet, she was again unnecessarily beating herself up. Why did she always do this? He'd never understood Violet's long-standing self-esteem issues, which he suspected stemmed from Kaleb calling her clingy when they were children, years ago.

He couldn't comprehend the depth of that old wound. Violet felt things intensely, but he thought she and Kaleb had resolved their issues during her surgery recovery. They'd spent a lot of time talking while Noah was at work, and she'd said things were essentially resolved. So why was feeling burdensome her first instinct?

He supposed it was ingrained from years of feeling that way. Unfortunately, he could only support her when she got like this.

"I wish you could see how wonderful you are," he murmured into her hair.

"What was that?" Violet replied sleepily.

"I said I wish you could see how wonderful you are. Come on, you're falling asleep on the floor. At least move to the couch."

She rubbed her eyes. "But what about Blaze?"

The cat was still asleep in his strawberry bed, perfectly content. "He'll be fine," Noah reassured her.

He scooped her up and carried her to the living room, gently setting her down on the couch. Since she was asleep, he turned to leave, but she stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Can you hold me for a bit?" she yawned. "I don't want to be alone right now."

Noah couldn't refuse. He lay down beside her and wrapped her in his arms. Eventually, her breathing evened out, and her jaw slackened; she was asleep. Though comfortable, he was too wired to nap. Being near Violet since they started dating had been stressful; he wasn't used to this much physical contact and had to work hard to remain calm.

Even so, he wouldn't trade their relationship for the world. They were so close to forever. All he needed was a little more patience. For years, he'd been content being her best friend, as long as no one else took her away. Now, not only was that no longer a danger, but he could cuddle and kiss her whenever he wanted.

He'd meant it when he said he could wait forever. As long as she didn't leave him, he could handle anything.

Violet didn't wake until almost dinnertime. Noah was cramped from lying there so long, but he wasn't complaining; cuddling her had been wonderful. Now, though, he needed to stretch.

She blinked at him adorably. "You stayed the whole time I was asleep?"

He nodded, a lump in his throat preventing him from speaking for a moment. Her unintentional cuteness, followed by her brilliant smile, had him completely smitten.

Ignoring her boyfriend's near-combustion, Violet rummaged in the kitchen, talking to herself as she searched for food. She ultimately ordered takeout.

Blaze wandered out of the cat room, drawn by the noise, and began exploring his new home while they waited for the food. Violet watched him fondly; she really loved cats.

Noah's family had always had dogs, but he was used to cats from spending time with the Hales. They were more low-key, which suited Violet's personality. She lacked the energy to chase a dog. Their past attempts at dog-walking and bathing hadn't gone well. She enjoyed playing with dogs briefly but didn't want one.

He understood and didn't mind. Dogs were a lot of work; if he wanted to play with one, he could visit his parents.

When the food arrived, Violet retrieved it, placing the bags on the table. Then, she pulled something from her pocket and held it out to him, avoiding his eyes, looking embarrassed.

It was an elevator key. He blinked in surprise.

"You're over so often, I figured you should have your own key. So you don't have to wait in the lobby if you beat me here," she explained.

He accepted it gingerly. It shouldn't have felt so significant, as he'd had automatic entry to the Hales' apartment for years, but this was different—this was Violet's place alone, without family members to potentially encounter.

He knew it wasn't an invitation to move in, but it showed her trust. His heart warmed, and he smiled.

"Thanks, Vi."

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