《 kisses and birthday celebrations 》

a/n: just want to quickly apologize in advance for the late update. thanks to everyone who wished me well; i was feeling really sick but i'm slightly better now. thank you. also, i don't always reply to short inline comments, but if you're one of those people who left me a bunch of them, please know that I LOVE YOU from the bottom of my heart. i adore reading your immediate reactions, even if you're just saying "aww". so please, keep them coming. as to people who write me long comments, YOU'RE ANGELS. i love you all and thank you so much, please enjoy x

∞

Flora stood alone under the shower and wondered if the water was ever going to heat up. A lukewarm shower was only half a shower, and starting off her Monday morning with a shudder wasn't exactly exciting, but one of the things she learned at 25—two weeks to 26, actually—was that life wasn't perfect. Some people had it much, much worse, so (most of the time) she refrained from complaining about her first world problems.

The water turned hot. Finally. She closed her eyes and savored the heat, knowing that like a lot of lovely things, it wouldn't last. Tilting her head back, she allowed the water to run from the top of her head and drip down the tip of her elbows. Her eyes snapped open when the shower curtain rustled.

Sean pulled it apart by a few inches and stepped in, and without waiting, he leaned down to peck her on the lips. "Morning."

She peered at him through the water droplets on her lashes and smiled. "I'm almost done. The water's hot now...you came at just the right time."

He smirked."Don't I always?"

She pinched him on the butt, and he laughed.

Another thing Flora learned at 25 was that shower sex sounded a lot better in theory. Sean hadn't liked how the cold tiles stung his back, and Flora had regretfully found out that water wasn't an ideal lubricant. Sharing a shower wasn't that cool, either, as it always left one of them cold and shivering. So they took turns.

But at 25, she'd earned the privilege of not being envious of anyone else. She enjoyed her job, which to her was far more than something that paid the bills, adored the city she lived in, loved her friends, and her relationship could be summed up with the lyrics in "I Feel Pretty" from Westside Story:

I feel stunning

And entrancing

Feel like running

And dancing for joy

For I'm loved

By a pretty wonderful boy

It was possible, after all, to find someone incredibly attractive at first sight, pine over him for years, share an apartment as well as a joint account, go on a grand trip to Paris, and after 18 wonderful months, it was still entirely possible to think of him as the single most beautiful event that happened in her life—an ongoing, life-altering event, that was. She loved living with Sean.

Oh, and thanks to her five bottles of shampoo and six different conditioners, her hair was in top notch condition, which was one more thing to be thankful for.

"I made coffee," Sean said as she headed out the shower. "It should be at just the right temperature, too."

Flora was almost grateful for the less-than-optimal water situation, otherwise she might start worrying over the fact that she was too lucky to have everything she ever wanted. Sometimes it left her mildly paranoid that bad things were to happen, as if her life were a movie and the plot twists were yet to come. As of now, the only remotely worrisome issue in her life was how demanding her career had become. While she enjoyed working, she wished it didn't have to deprive Sean of her attention.

Not that he'd ever complain about it, of course.

Last night, for example, she'd beensitting at her computer, double-checking the birthday bash she was organizing and making sure everything was in order. Table covers with pictures of a starry night and star-shaped cookies, check. Printouts of the constellations, check. Paper lanterns made to look like planets, check. Balloons filled with blue-and-purple-streaked shaving cream (for a balloon fight, of course), check. There would also be a giant rocket cake with chocolate filling and sugar frosting, packs of space ice cream, as well as a spacecraft that was to be planted at the center of the backyard, filled with more candies and gifts. The movie Wall-E would be projected on a canvas of glitters—no one would really be watching, but it set the mood.

Seven-year-old Andrew was determined on becoming an astronaut, but before that happened, this party should thrill him.

Speaking of which, what was an outer-space-themed party without a moon rock hunt? It could be sort of like an Easter egg hunt, but with moon rocks. Flora was just about to add this idea when Sean's palm slid across her back.

"Ready for bed? It's late." He rubbed her shoulders, and Flora leaned into him with a sigh, liking the familiar warmth of him.

"I'll be right there. 5 minutes."

"Okay. I'll wait for you in bed."

She lifted her head and squinted at him suggestively. "You better be naked, mister. I'm all stressed out and in dire need of an orgasm. Or maybe two."

He laughed, bending down to kiss the top of her head. "I'll be naked, horny and hard, ready to serve you."

Flora turned back to her computer. Ah, a quiz! There should be a quiz on astrological questions and some prizes for the participants. She listed that down as well, and then it was as if one idea nudged another, and before long, a line of ideas were standing tall in front of her, begging her to choose. The party was only supposed to last a few hours, but Flora liked to present her clients with as many options as possible.

After all, it was always better to be over-prepared, since it was a cardinal sin to leave the guests bored, even when they were just toddlers.

By the time she was done, five minutes had stretched into forty. Sean was naked in bed like he promised, but his eyes were closed. His face was half buried in the pillow.

Flora kissed him on the shoulder. "You asleep?" she whispered, her fingertips brushing the side of his face.

Sean mumbled an incoherent reply.

She felt a hard tug at her heart, especially when she knew he wouldn't even mention this the next morning. He was so tolerant with her sudden bouts of inspiration, flight of ideas, her irregular working hours, and the lack of intimacy lately—how long had it been...A week? Two weeks? It made her simultaneously apologetic and alarmed that they'd both gotten used to it.

Stepping out of the bathroom now, she dried her hair, slipped on a bathrobe, and headed to the kitchen counter, where two mugs of coffee sat side by side. One was black, and the other was filled with so much milk, it turned to a block of fudge.

Sean had left his phone there. When it buzzed to life with a message, Flora only took an absent glance at it. She even noticed that he'd forgotten to charge it first before the message registered meaning in her head.

Kelly: Can we meet at 2:00 instead? Same location

Flora knew the names of all his close friends and co-workers, and none of them were called Kelly. But then again, Sean's company was rapidly expanding. A year and half ago, they had around 40 employees. Now they had close to two hundred. She didn't think twice of the message when she took Sean's phone and plug in the charger.

It was only when she accidentally pressed the home screen did she start to feel a bit puzzled. The phone asked for a password, yet Sean never set those. Not that it was anything to get upset over, and Flora forgot about Kelly as soon as he emerged from the bathroom in a dress shirt, his hair damp and tie askew.

She fixed his tie and he smiled down at her.

"What's funny?" she asked.

"Back in high school, I hoped that you'd do this for me some day," he said. "Fix my tie before I leave for work. I just didn't expect it to come true."

"I totally wished for this, too." She winked. "And I knew it'd come true."

He left a kiss before walking out the door, and Flora took her time to enjoy the rest of her coffee. She didn't think of Kelly again until lunch, when she decided to surprise Sean at his office, for it was summer, and summer was the time for popsicles. She carried a box of them in various fruit flavors up the elevator, hoping to help those tech geniuses ease off their Monday blue, but when Timothy told her Sean was out, she was the one who ended up surprised.

He went to meet Kelly.

Fred and Melissa happily devoured on their sticks of purple and red—grape and raspberry—and told her that Sean had to attend to some "personal matters", according to him. Neither of them cared enough to ask. Flora didn't want to get nervous, but it was so unlike Sean to be mysterious like this, with his secret text and locked phone and unexplained absence.

"I saw a text on your phone this morning," Flora said that evening as the TV commercial came on. "Who's Kelly?"

"You're not supposed to see that." Sean barely looked up from his laptop. "It's no one you have to worry about."

"You're not having an affair, are you?" she teased, even though she thought briefly of the movie The Intern, where Anne Hathaway's husband cheated on her because she was too busy running a company.

"I'm insulted. I'd never have an affair and be stupid enough to let you find out," Sean said. "I'd be very discreet and maybe hide my separate phone under the kitchen sink. And my mistress and I would communicate using Morse code."

Flora smiled. "If you can find a mistress that smart, I'd gladly give her my blessings. Come on, why can't you tell me who she is?"

"You know you can trust me, right?" His face was closed off, and something about that expression warded off further questions. "We're already living together. Can I please ask for some privacy?

Of course he could, so Flora swallowed her curiosity and left it at that. It wasn't like couples had to tell each other everything, right? Like that offer Samantha, her boss, mentioned to her about...she hadn't shared that with Sean, either. She was planning on holding off until she knew more details, as she didn't want to alarm him over nothing. Maybe this Kelly was just some business-related issues he had to sort out before he could tell her.

She didn't need to know, she decided, even though she'd be lying if she said it didn't make her at least a little uncomfortable.

But Sean would never do anything to hurt her, right?

∞

"I don't know about the children, but this is the best party I've ever been to!" said one of the moms, Valerie, as she chewed on a caramel apple, only it was blue and shiny from every angle, making it look like a stick of meteor shower. She turned it and admired the color. "How did you make this?"

"Just drizzle it with melted Jolly Rancher and add some edible glitters," Flora explained. She was pleased that adults were having a good time, too, which was precisely why she'd set up a small mocktail stand and a nail parlor for those who decided to stay with their kids.

"You should plan my friend Nat's engagement party. We thought we could do it ourselves, but that was before this. I mean, professionals are professionals." Valerie gestured at the backyard, and Flora could see her nails were painted like a black galaxy. "This is at an entirely different level."

"Thank you so much! You can find my contact info here," Flora said, handing over one of her pink beige cards.  "I'd be very happy to meet her and see how I can help."

Valerie took out her phone and scrolled. "Actually, we're meeting for a quick drink before dinner. Want to join us?"

Flora glanced at her watch (something she never used to own before) and calculated whether she had enough time. She had to stay until the party was over, return everything borrowed, get home, change out of the outfit she had on right now (a navy romper with star print paired with a glitter headband), and meet Sean for dinner. He was the one who'd suggested a night out, and Flora had been delighted with the idea of a Japanese steakhouse. There was a terrace outside, and the food looked fantastic online.

"I miss dating you," he'd said, which melted Flora right on the spot like she was the fat marbling in the Wagyu steak, sizzling against a hot pan.

"That sounds wonderful," she started to say to Valerie, "but—"

"Maybe you've heard of her. She's modeled for YSL. Natasha Ivanov?"

Flora's heart thudded. "You're friends with Natasha Ivanov?"

No big deal, Natasha was only one of the highest-paid models on the continent and it wasn't like Flora was obsessed with her. She only followed her on every social media possible and dressed up as her last Halloween.

As much as she enjoyed throwing birthday parties for seven-year-olds, Flora had to be honest—planning Natasha's engagement party would lift her career to new heights, and the free publicity was hard to say no to. Not to mention this kind of high-end parties were where her heart truly lied, with flowers, champagne, silverware, and designer clothes. This was a once-in-a-life-time opportunity, and Flora had to grab it when she saw it.

Valerie texted her the address, and Flora accepted with gratitude. She could make it, she decided, and she could squeeze in everything—a career, a social life, and a relationship—as long as she ran all the way. Thank God she was wearing flats today.

∞

Not even Lanvin flats would save her today.

The party ended much later than she'd hoped, for starters. Natasha didn't help matters by being late, either, even though Flora had a pleasant time chatting with Valerie and her daughter, who was seven and already wearing lip gloss.

Sean: Take your time with Natasha

Just come in to find me when you're here

By the time Natasha finally arrived, it was no longer just a quick drink before dinner. Natasha insisted on ordering light appetizers for everyone, which included a spring salad with fennel and almond, shrimp and cucumber crackers,

Sean: Can I please order first?

I'm starved

deviled eggs, prosciutto-wrapped arugula,

Sean: Can I also start eating without you?

—and some roasted cherry tomato bruschetta. As each one of the delicious nibbles hit her tongue, Flora had to bite back a sigh, half because of how good it tasted, and half out of how late she was going to be.

Sean: I'M RESURRECTED

THE STEAK IS SO GOOD

When Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada had to miss her boyfriend's birthday party for an important function, he wasn't pleased. When Flora finally managed to say bye to her new friends, she thought of that scene in her favorite movie and felt her scalp prickle. Either Anne Hathaway had the worst luck choosing her onscreen boyfriends, or it was near impossible to balance a career and a relationship. She'd just hopped in a cab when her phone vibrated again.

Sean: Baby, I'm going home

They said we could only have the seats for 90 minutes

Sorry

Flora squinted at the screen, trying to decipher if there was any hint of passive-aggressiveness. Sean wasn't going to sulk like a petulant kid, she was sure, but he wouldn't be happy that she'd completely stood him up, either.

With apprehension, she pushed open the door to their apartment and braced herself, a chest full of apology she was ready to deliver. "Sean—"

"You're home!" Sean jumped from the sofa. He took her purse from her hand, setting it down on a chair nearby, and then he gave her a hug. "Did it go okay? You must be exhausted."

He dressed up for our date, Flora noticed. He was wearing the indigo Paul Smith shirt she'd given him. "I'm so sorry," she said, clutching the fabric at his waist. "I thought I'd only be a little late, but the whole thing took too long."

"What's there to be sorry about? It's work."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm placing work before you or anything. It's just that meeting Natasha seems like a rare opportunity. I'm very, very sorry."

"Hey, I know you have your priorities. To be honest, I'd feel really guilty if you turned down Natasha for me. You can have dinner with me anytime, so it's no big deal." He pulled back, studying her face. "What, you think I'd be mad?"

"No, but I don't want you to be disappointed in me." Oh God, how she hated the I'm-not-mad-just-disappointed routine people in romcoms seemed to love using.

Sean shook his head. "I'm only disappointed that you didn't get to try the Wagyu steak. It's so good, baby."

Flora smiled. "Good to see you so enthusiastic about food."

"I brought some home for you. Did you eat? I can heat it up for you if you want." Sean took her hand and led her to the kitchen. "It's probably not going to be as good as having it at the restaurant, though."

Flora sat down at the dining table, trying to hold it together. Her chest was a tsunami of emotions threatening to break out. He's perfect, she thought. Not like, he-has-no-flaws kind of perfect, but he's so perfect for me. He completely got how it was like, trying to survive in a cut-throat workplace, how hard it was to make a name for oneself, yet it was so easy to love him. He made being in a relationship with him an exit rather than another source of pressure.

And he brought her food, which was pretty much all there was to be said.

Flora poured wine and lit up the scented candles on the table. Behind the flickering flame, Sean watched her took the first bite of beef.

"I dare you to tell me this isn't the best steak you've ever tasted," he propped his elbows against the table and said arrogantly, as if he were the chef. "Wait. Let me check if it's as good as I remembered." He robbed the chopsticks from her hand and Flora laughed, pulling the plate toward herself.

"Don't try to steal my food with a lame excuse like that," she said. "This is so tasty."

"It is, right?"

Flora took back the chopsticks and fed him a piece of meat, smiling at him with her heart full. "Is this a good date night?"

He gave her a quick kiss, still chewing as he said, "The best."

A good date night didn't just stop there, needless to say. After the late dinner and a glass of Pinot Noir, Sean asked if she was tired. He offered to run the bath for her, and as Flora lowered herself into the tub, she could smell the lavender bath salt. "Come in here to chat with me," she called out.

Sean carried the wine bottle in the bathroom and leaned against the door frame. "Want to tell me about your meeting?" he asked, setting her wine glass at the edge of the bathtub.

"Yes, but I meant come in here." She pointed at the light purple water. "Join me."

So he sank in behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Flora closed her eyes and leaned back into him, feeling relaxed and dizzy. "It went pretty well," she said. "Natasha said she wanted a lot of colors, and since her fiancé is an architect, she was thinking of combining the two. She mentioned an Austrian artist whose name she couldn't remember, and when I supplied her with the name Friedensreich Hundertwasser, she's so impressed, darling, like she couldn't believe I'd be so knowledgeable."

Sean chuckled behind her. "I bet you didn't tell her you stayed at Rogner Bad Blumau." It was a spa hotel in Austria, designed by Hundertwasser. Flora had gone with her family one summer.

"No, of course not. I only hear of artists when they design a bag or a luxury resort, but she doesn't need to know that," Flora said. "I tossed out a bunch of ideas on how we could decorate the venue, and she hired me on the spot."

"I'm so proud of you." Sean kissed the top of her head and rested his chin there. "Is she nice?"

"Yes, very. I like her and Valerie. They actually invited me to a members-only dance club, but I told them I made plans with my boyfriend."

"Oh, baby. You should've gone. That sounds like something right up your alley."

"And pass up the chance to sit in a scented bath with a hot guy? Never."

"Seriously, though. If you ever get a chance like that again, just text me and go. I don't want you worrying about me."

"I wanted to come home. It's been a long day already, and this..." She placed her palms on both of his knee caps and slid up his thighs. "I honestly can't complain about a thing." The warm water was all around her, and his chest was pressed right against her back. The air smelled sweet, wine coursed through her veins, and a flush crept up her skin.

Sean lifted her chin and brought her in for the first of many kisses to come. His hands wandered.

∞

When her 26th birthday rolled around, they kept it simple by having dinner at one of the Italian restaurants they regularly went. Sean acted like it was just another day, which was fine, really, and Flora thought that birthdays and anniversaries were bound to lose their significance when people were happily in love. Every single day felt like a special occasion, and every day they celebrated.

But she was still (slightly, just slightly) disappointed that night, when darkness spilled over their windows like the balsamic vinegar dressing they'd drizzled over their salad, and Sean said, "Let's go to bed a little earlier? I have a full day tomorrow."

She smiled and tousled his hair. "Sure."

"Hey, I almost forgot." Sean was in the middle of pulling up the covers, but he stopped, got out of bed, and picked up a small box from the bookcase. "Happy birthday."

Ah, here it was. They celebrated everyday, but she sure wasn't going to complain if he decided to celebrate a little harder today.

"Thank you!" Flora beamed, but the smile washed away a half second later, when she realized he'd given her the gift mug from his company. Not that it wasn't pretty, with a rich turquoise that resembled the color on the classic Tiffany Blue Box, but Fred tossed out those mugs to everyone who visited their office. Even people who stumbled upon them by mistake.

"I didn't have time to get you—"

"It's okay." She took his chin and gave him a peck. "You know, ever since I was a little girl, I'd wished for a mug with my boyfriend's company name on it. Thank you."

"You're not mad?" he asked, almost as if he expected her to be.

"No, of course not. I love it," she said and realized it was true. Even though she'd been pleasantly surprised by Sean's well thought out gifts over the years, the best gift was really this—to have him in her life as they fought over the few droplets of hot water every morning and the few pieces of Wagyu steak he brought home. They ate at restaurants where they referred to the waiters on a first-name basis, and whenever he suggested Netflix and chill, he meant it literally.

Their life was a conveyor belt which was largely repetitive, but it was adorned with small pieces of highlights like the different luggage on top. She no longer needed constant stimulants, things like wild parties every weekend or chic cafes she'd only go once, yet she never felt bored again.

But there was one thing she wanted. "Can I ask for something, though?"

"Sure."

"Please tell me who Kelly is."

Sean sighed with his lips curled upward. "I knew you wouldn't drop it. How about..." His voice lowered and turned raspy. "Do you want to play a game?"

"Is that a poor imitation of Saw?"

"The game's called Hot or Cold."

Flora blinked and snorted with suppressed laughter. "What?"

"Starting from the bed...you're warm now."

Still laughing, Flora got off the bed and took a few steps towards the bathroom.

"The temperature of Mars," Sean said.

"I don't even know what that means."

"Mars is cold...now you're on the Saturn...Neptune," he said as she walked further away from him, until he gave up and decided to make it easier. "Wrong direction. Come back here."

She stopped near the bed. When her fingertips touched his pillow, he said, "The sun."

"Oh. I'm almost there, then." She knelt down to check under the bed.

"Now you're on Planet Flora."

"Is it hotter than the sun there?"

"Yes, it's scorching hot...it's the hottest planet known to mankind, actually," he delivered this cheesy line just as her gaze swept over something orange.

Normally Flora disliked the color orange, the only exception being when it appeared on a Hermès paper bag, which was exactly what she pulled out at this instant. It was huge, and when she took the gorgeous box out of the paper bag, her hands were shaking. A gasp lodged securely in her throat.

Inside the box was the Kelly bag she'd longed for since forever, and as the gorgeous caramel leather was drank up through her eyes, it leaked out again in unshed tears.

Sean sat on the bed, glancing down at her nervously to check her expression. "Do you like it? I wasn't sure what color to get..."

Flora swallowed back the lump in her throat. "This is perfect."

A look of relief crossed his face. "Really? I did some research...Victoria Beckham and Olivia Palermo have bags in a similar color, too."

Through blurry eyes, Flora traced her fingers over the soft leather, like tracing the outline of a decade-old fantasy. She couldn't decide which was more surreal, that Sean was uttering names of fashion icons, or the fact that she was holding her dream bag in her hand.

"The password on my phone is your birthday, and 'Kelly' is just the guy who sold me the bag," Sean said. "At first I thought I could just walk in an Hermès store and ask for one, but they all looked at me like I just ordered a Big Mac."

Flora grinned through her tears, imagining the scenario. "You have to establish a relationship with your SA first by shopping there regularly for stuff like scarves and watches. You know, like you have to flirt for a while before you can ask someone if they wanna bang."

"Yeah, I know that now. I decided to get it from a reseller, so strictly speaking, this is a second-hand bag, but it's never been used. I hope that's okay."

"That's more than okay." She stopped when she turned the clasp and found a small card inside, and the tears started all over again.

Dear girlfriend,

Thank you for existing and for lighting up my life. Thank you for being you. Thank you for letting me love you and for loving me back. I love you so, so much, every inch of you, even when you wake me up in the middle of at night and when you use up all the hot water.

Happy birthday.

Forever and always,

Sean x

Flora got up from the floor and threw her arms around his waist, too overwhelmed to speak, and Sean ran his hand through her hair in soothing strokes. "I know you can afford this yourself," he said. "I don't mean to impress you with money or anything like that, but I bought this because—"

"I know why you bought it."

Before they'd broken up in high school, Flora had said that Sean was like a Kelly she wasn't ready for, and that she thought she should be go bagless for a while until she could figure out herself. She owned and sold her first Kelly bag at sixteen, but now she was 26, with a job that could support herself and a relationship she had no doubts about. She was ready.

"I thought you might be ready for your Kelly now," Sean said.

"I am." Flora nodded. "I've never been more ready. Thank you so much, I love it. I love you."

He lifted his eyebrows. "You said you loved the mug, too, which makes me feel really stupid because if I'd known you're so easy to satisfy, it could've saved me a lot of money. By the way, were you really worried about 'Kelly'?"

"Not really. I felt a little uneasy, but I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

"I really wouldn't. I almost caved because I hate keeping things from you."

She hated keeping things from him, too, and her little secret had been drilling a hole through the back of her mind. So on hearing that from him, she blurted, "I have a confession to make."

Sean waited calmly. "Go ahead," he said, like he was used to all her outbursts and nothing fazed him.

"Samantha asked if I wanted to accept a short-term assignment. She's very happy with my job performance lately, and she said I'm one of the first few people she offered it to. I only learned of the details a few days ago. It's...kind of like a promotion."

"Oh. But that's good news, right?"

"We're opening a new office in Los Angeles, and she needs some people there to set it up. I might need to move there for a few months, maybe a year," she said, her stomach clenching. "I didn't tell you right away because I know you'll want me to take it."

Sean's eyes widened. "You mean you don't want to?"

"I'd be offered a higher position as a business development specialist, and I welcome the idea of exploring a new city, but..." She sighed. "I love it here. I love living in this apartment with you and hanging out with all our friends, but I don't want you to think I have no ambition. I get the feeling that you prefer women who prioritize their careers over their boyfriends, but honestly, staying with you matters more to me than a promotion. It's not like my life is entirely depended on you, I mean, I'd still be working a job that I love in New York. I don't want you to feel pressured, but I'm going to turn down Sam's offer."

There had always been a small pond of fear in Flora's head that Sean was with her now because their life goals matched. She didn't doubt his love for her, but looking back, he was so quick to break off his prior relationships whenever he felt like he got in the way of the girl's own fulfillment. For example, he said "bye" without thinking when one of his exes, Leslie, got the chance to play violin in Austria. He said he didn't want to hold her back. When he realized how much Heather longed for marriage and kids, he walked right out of his perfect life in Boston. He said he didn't want to waste her time.

It was almost like he was afraid to accept that responsibility, that he didn't want to be the reason people based their decisions on. But Flora was in love, and being in love did that to people—they took their loved ones into account, and Flora didn't want to be judged for placing him before a new job. It didn't feel like a sacrifice to her.

"So you didn't tell me right away because you thought I'd judge you," Sean said. "I'm a bit wounded, honestly."

"No...it's just that I care about you opinions a lot."

"Well, first of all, Janet gave up her career for her family, but I've always supported her. She knows what she wants and I admire her for it," he said, and she nodded in agreement. "I don't have any preferences over placing careers or relationships first...I think people should just choose what makes them happy. I like you as a career woman only because working makes you happy, not because I believe everybody should be out there fighting to get to the top."

Flora nodded again.

"Secondly, I won't force you to make any decision. I won't think any less of you if you decide to turn down the offer and stay here with me. I'd be very happy, to be honest, because I love our life here, too, but I'd be equally happy for you if you go to LA. That sounds like a fantastic opportunity for you."

"Even if I go, I know we can make a long-distance relationship work," Flora said. "But I'd still like it more if we live together."

He nodded. "I agree. And lastly...I think you're considering the offer, because otherwise you'd have turned it down by now. I understand how rewarding it is to get that kind of validation from your boss. It's something that surpasses the salary and makes it all worthwhile. Being appreciated and the sense of accomplishment you get from a job well done...those are the best feelings. It must be hard to say no."

"Exactly. Exactly." He got her completely. Again. All the time. The only difference was that Sean put it much more coherently and Flora was left awestruck as usual. "But all things considered, I still choose our life here over my life there."

Sean was silent for a while, and Flora thought over the pros and cons again. If he wasn't in her life, she'd choose LA in a heartbeat, but now that he was here, it tilted the scale right the other way. Even though it was just a temporary assignment, she still didn't want to give up all the precious moments they could have when they weren't separated by the whole continent.

"What if," Sean said slowly, "there's a third option?"

This time, Flora waited. A spring of hope stretched in her chest, but she didn't allow herself to dream too fast.

"I don't want to do long distance, either," he said, lifting his eyes so he was staring right into hers.

"What are you suggesting?"

"How about you pack your clothes, grab you Kelly bag, and take me to Los Angeles with you?"

She swallowed. "Is that possible? Could you?"

"Well, we hired a VP of engineering a while ago, and I feel like I can finally step down and do what I really love, which is coding. You know how I hate managing people. The beautiful thing about coding is that everything is in the cloud and I can do it anywhere, as long as there's wifi," he said and smiled. "Aren't you glad your boyfriend owns a tech company instead of a bar?"

Flora felt the start of a grin pulling against her lips, until she was smiling so much it hurt her face. "Fred's going to kill you."

"Fred loves me too much," Sean said. "He'll survive the heartache and let me go."

"I think he'll forgive us if we remember to pick up a souvenir for him."

"Yeah." Sean nodded. "Like one of those tacky fridge magnets that say 'Hollywood'."

Flora laughed. Sean may not be a professional event planner, but he sure knew how to plan a birthday and make a girl very happy.

∞

thank you for reading this chapter and hope you like it! the next update is probably going to take a while, too, and i thank you in advance for your patience and for being so understanding. i love you all and it's been so much fun having you on board. hope everyone is doing splendidly x

p.s. remember when Flora gave Sean a Louis Vuitton bag in KITEP, they played Hot or Cold, too? and he ended up choosing the Christmas mug with mittens she wanted to give to her brother. good times.

this chapter is dedicated to  rach_sarah19 for the banner, I find it very romantic :)