Page 135 of Side By Side

“You’re moving in together?”

“Dad, it’s been months – yeah, we want to live together. And we’ve already basically been doing it. It’ll just be official.”

“Well, then, I think it’s okay for me to tell you that Sheryl is moving in with me.”

“She is?”

“Yes. Not tomorrow, but in a month or two. She’s hoping her house sells quickly.”

“House?” Chandler asked.

“No,” Belle said to her, shaking her head. “Not yet.”

Chandler smiled at her and asked, “Later, though?”

“Later,” Belle agreed.

“Later?” her dad asked.

“Dad, yes.” Belle laughed. “Have you met me? I’ve basically wanted to be with her since I was thirteen. Now, we’re finally together. I want it all.”

“You do?” Chandler asked.

Belle turned to her and replied, “Of course, I do.”

Chandler smiled wide at that and said, “Definitely later, then.”

“Okay. Let’s get back to the topic at hand. You want to work here?”

“I do,” Chandler said while still looking into Belle’s eyes.

“And you’re good with that?” he checked with Belle.

“I do,” Belle replied.

“What?” her dad asked.

“I mean, yeah, I am.”

Chandler laughed silently and took her hand.

“I’m good with it, Dad. I want her here.”

“Okay. Then, sure. I don’t have a problem with it. Just… If you’re going to do what Sheryl and I were doing, maybe close your office door for me.”

“There’s the pot calling the kettle black,” she teased.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Hey, Dad? Can she have the other office?”

“There’s another office?” Chandler asked.

“Yeah. We use it for storage mostly, but there’s not much in there because we have the other storage closets around the place,” he answered for Belle. “If you want it, it’s yours. You might just need to move some boxes out of there. It’s got an old desk and a chair, but not much else.”

“We could go furniture shopping,” Belle suggested.

“For just the office, or maybe for your place, too?” Chandler asked.