Continual thanks for all of your kind reviews, follows, and favorites! Y'all truly are amazing. Please continue to let me now what you think!
A huge thanks to my beta IReadAndWriteSometimes for all that you do. Collaborating with you has been immensely fun. You are awesome!
This chapter covers a significant event in Sharon and Andy's relationship that I wish we could've seen on the show!
CHAPTER FOUR
When Jack had been gone for a couple of years, and her dreams of becoming a lawyer were long forgotten, Sharon had begun taking appropriate steps to help advance her career at the museum so she could become a curator, and ultimately the director. Simply having a BA degree and experience working in a museum, both of which she had, would only get her so far. Ricky had just started kindergarten, making the timing perfect for her to go back to school as well. Therefore, she began taking classes to obtain dual MA degrees in Museum Studies and 20th Century Art. It took her 5 years to obtain both of them, but the immense accomplishment she felt at the end made all of the eighteen-hour days, financial stress, and the evenings spent away from her kids while she was in class, more than worth it.
The Church had helped her significantly with childcare. Not only did they give her a break on the cost, but they also worked around her busy schedule to assure that someone could care for Ricky and Emily during the times Sharon had work and class. Although a good portion of her tuition was covered by the grants and scholarships she had earned, there was still a portion left over that she was unable to pay on her own. It wasn't an exorbitant amount, but more than she could afford at the time considering she was still working on untangling Jack's and her finances, and paying off the debt he left her with. She almost had to put off obtaining her degree because it wasn't feasible to pull out an additional student loan. That was how she began assisting Arthur at the gallery. He had offered to cover the remaining amount she owed. She only reluctantly agreed to the offer after making the arrangement for her to work at the gallery when her schedule permitted, as a way of paying him back.
Sharon didn't know it at the time, but that arrangement would eventually benefit her in more ways than one. It not only left her debt-free after graduating, but over the years she had assisted him, she built relationships with all of Arthur's art-world contacts. Despite what many people believed, owning a gallery was not always a lucrative business. In many cases, the galleries struggled just as much as the artist. The only way to become successful in the business was by making the right connections with the right people, and then working hard to maintain them. Arthur had spent years making those connections and building on them. His gallery started out very small, and it struggled to survive for the first few years. He was persistent though, and it eventually grew to be one of the most prominent galleries in the area, and even known by many on the east coast. Having worked with him over the years, when Arthur bequeathed the gallery to her after his passing, Sharon was able to successfully step into the role with the help of Buzz, who had been Arthur's other right-hand man.
After she retired from the director position at the museum, Sharon no longer needed to travel as often for work. Many of the exhibits in a museum come from not just all over the country, but also all over the world. As the director, and the one responsible for acquiring the art pieces for each exhibit, she would often need to handle arrangements in person, and make the trip to do so.
The majority of her work for the gallery could be done from her office, with simple phone calls and emails. Occasionally, she would have a business meeting with a contact, but they were almost always local and could be handled over a lunch or dinner. There was the occasional conference that was too important to pass up, which is why she and Buzz had made a trip to New York for the week. They extended their stay past the two days for the conference so that they could reach out to their contacts in the area that they normally only spoke with over the phone. It had been an incredibly successful trip, and worth their time.
Getting home, however, proved to be far more of a hassle than usual. Their return flight was delayed due to mechanical issues with the plane. It took almost two hours before a replacement plane was found, and they could finally board to head home. To make matters worse, once they finally had made it back to LA, there was an accident on the freeway, significantly impeding traffic.
By the time Buzz dropped Sharon off at home, it was over three hours later than she had expected. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement. She hung her jacket on the coat rack and left her suitcase sitting next to the entrance to the hall; she would take it to the bedroom shortly, when she headed that way. Andy was working a double shift at the restaurant, and she had been keeping him apprised of her progress in getting home. The last text she received from him was to let her know he had prepared her favorite Mediterranean salad between his shifts, and he left it for her in the fridge. She was so relieved and grateful. She was hungry after a long day of traveling, but wasn't particularly in the mood for a heavy meal.
She was slowly trudging her way to the kitchen, when she was startled by a muffled voice coming from the direction of the couch, saying, 'Hi, mom'. When she looked over the back of it, she found her son lying face down in the cushions, his laptop and textbooks open in front of him.
"Rusty," she said, still slightly out of breath from the shock he gave her. "What are you doing?"
His groan was again muffled, but then he lifted his head to say, "Homework." He pushed himself up so that he was sitting back on his knees. "Remind me again why I decided to take summer classes."
Sharon laughed softly and reached out to brush back the hairs that were stuck to his forehead. "You want to graduate on time."
He exhaled a long breath and seemed to deflate. "Right." He closed his laptop and stood to stretch. "How was your time in New York?"
He had talked to her a few times over the week, but mostly just to check in. He didn't dare ask about the trip home, Andy had been keeping him up to date on that as well, and he already knew how taxing it had been.
"It was good that we went." She walked around to the side of the sofa and sat on its arm. "We gained some useful information for the business, and met up with associates that we hadn't seen in awhile." She picked up one of the throw pillows and clutched it to her chest. "How was your week?"
Rusty rolled his eyes. "Nothing new to report since I talked to you on the phone last night." He pointed towards the kitchen and changed the subject. "Andy left you dinner in the fridge."
"I know." Her mouth twitched towards a small smile. "He texted me."
"I know," Rusty repeated. "This is his way of getting me to make sure you eat." He began collecting his belongings from the couch. "So, uh," when he picked up his phone, he checked the time, "do I actually have to watch you eat, or can I go take a shower?" He was smiling at her cheekily.
She didn't even dignify his response with an answer. Instead, she tossed the throw pillow she was holding at him, and headed towards the kitchen. Rusty and Andy made it seem like she skipped meals often, which wasn't the case. There just happened to be a few select times that she was so caught up with work and preparing an exhibit that she simply forgot. It wasn't like she did it on purpose.
As she was pulling out a bowl and utensils for her dinner, she came across a new bottle of wine with a note taped to it. It simply said, 'Relax and Enjoy!' It brought a small smile to her face. He could be awfully bossy when he wanted to be.
After their second date when Andy had brought home a bottle of wine for her, Sharon had politely asked him to not do it again. Initially, he had been confused and a little hurt by her request, however, she explained it wasn't that she didn't trust him to know his limits, or that picking up a bottle for her would tempt him, but rather that she had been married to an alcoholic and some concerns were harder to overcome. He had responded by saying he didn't want her to feel as though she couldn't enjoy a glass or two of wine without him being tempted, because that wasn't the case. Thankfully, he understood when she explained that she felt more comfortable acquiring her own wine when she wanted to indulge herself.
Since that conversation, she had only asked Andy once to bring wine from the restaurant to her condo, and that was because they were having a get-together with their kids. She realized too late she only had a partially full bottle on hand. She didn't mind asking that time since it was not only for her, but for the guests as well. Andy had never ignored her wish until tonight, and Sharon found she was in fact grateful that he had. When she had called him right before boarding her flight home, she had made an offhanded comment about looking forward to a glass of wine when she finally arrived home. She had actually forgotten that she had finished her bottle the weekend before. Andy, however, must've remembered and brought a bottle home with him when he made her salad between his shifts. He was always looking after her, whether she asked him to or not.
When she finished dinner and cleaned up her dishes, Sharon decided to indulge in a second glass of wine, so she poured another one before heading towards the bedroom with it. She was rolling her suitcase down the hall, when Rusty stepped out of his bathroom, freshly showered. He stopped right in front of her and partially blocked her path.
"I was thinking about watching a movie before bed," he jerked his head in the direction of the living room, "wanna watch one with me?"
"I've had a long day." Sharon gave him a tired smile. "I think I'm going to call it an early night." After a brief pause, she asked, "Would you like to get lunch together tomorrow? It feels like I haven't seen you in a while."
When he nodded emphatically and said, 'Yea', she briefly let go of the handle on her luggage and reached for his head. She tilted his forehead down, and placed a light kiss there. "Goodnight, honey."
"Night, mom." Rusty gave her a small wave as she passed him.
When she stepped into Andy's and her room, she found his big green robe lying across the foot of the bed, and another note lying atop it. A crease formed between her brows as she closed the door and walked toward it. A couple of weeks ago, they were having an unusually chilly morning, and instead of grabbing her own, Sharon had snatched Andy's large, fluffy robe to wear while sitting out on the back porch with her usual cup of tea. Between being lost in thought and the long robe dragging across the ground, she didn't see Louie when he brushed up against her legs, tripping her in the process. Her entire mug of tea was dumped down her front. It was yet another reason to despise that cat. She was grateful the robe protected her from the hot drink, but frustrated because the it was too big and heavy to wash in a regular washing machine. Much like an oversized comforter, the thing needed to be washed in an industrial sized washing machine, which meant taking it to the laundromat. She had promised Andy multiple times that she would take it to be cleaned, but had yet to do it. He didn't seem to be too bothered by it, but now it seemed he was leaving her a reminder to clean it.
Sharon let out a deep sigh as she lifted the note. She was too tired to think about planning a trip to the laundromat in addition to everything else she wanted to do this weekend. She unfolded the piece of paper, and was pleasantly surprised to find its contents did not say what she expected.
I know you've had a long trip and are in need of a calming evening. I hope you happened to bring a glass of wine with you, because you may want one while you enjoy a bath (or shower if you so wish) to complete your night of relaxation. Despite what you say, I know you love this damn robe, so I had it cleaned just for you. I will see you when I get home later tonight.
Love you,
Andy
Sharon smiled as she took a sip of the wine that she did indeed bring with her. He really knew her all too well. She claimed she only put that robe on when it was chilly, but he was right, she loved how cozy she felt wearing it. She lifted it to her nose, inhaling its scent, as she headed towards the en suite bathroom. He must've at least worn it once since washing it, because there was the faint smell of him mixed in with that of the detergent and fabric softener.
When she stepped into the bathroom, she found two new candles in her favorite fragrance, as well as a new bottle of her favorite bath oil, sitting on the tub's ledge. During the move, the box containing several of her bathroom items, including the candles and bath oils, was ruined in the heat when it had accidentally been left in the trunk of Rusty's car. When she flipped open the cap of the bath oil to breathe in its scent, she also got a whiff of the smell of cleaner, indicating he had scrubbed everything down as well. She let out a groan of relief. She had intended to clean the bathroom this weekend while Andy was at work.
She set her wine glass on the ledge next to the candles, before lighting them with one of the matches from the box he left as well. While the tub filled, she quickly unpacked her suitcase, hating to leave it for another day. She placed the clothes she had removed into the hamper, including those from her own body, and then reentered the bathroom. As she slipped into the water, she quietly mumbled, "I really love that man."
ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO THE RELATIONSHIP
Provenza had married for the sixth time. Andy was both equally shocked and impressed. Shocked that the he decided to go through it all again, and surprised the crotchety old coot found someone to agree to marry him. He hadn't met all of the ex wives, but he heard enough about them to know the old man probably got it right this time.
Provenza had wanted the big production of a wedding, but Patrice wanted to keep things simple. Thankfully, the old man's self-preservation kicked in, and he agreed to the more sedate affair. They had married over at the courthouse in the middle of the afternoon. The only people in attendance were the bride and groom, the judge, Andy, and Angela.
Andy knew how much Provenza wanted to celebrate, so he had asked Patrice about hosting a reception afterwards for a few family and friends, and she had graciously agreed. Angela had practically squealed when Andy informed her of his plans. He originally wanted to have the get together at his house, but his sister immediately informed him he was an idiot, and she took over the planning. She claimed that just because his backyard deck was suitable for their casual family gatherings, didn't mean it was appropriate for a wedding reception. That is how he ended up grilling hamburgers in the restaurant kitchen.
The couple had conveniently married on a Monday, which happened to be the day the restaurant was closed. Andy had suspected that Angela strongly suggested that day of the week to Patrice. His sister had completely transformed the main seating area by decorating several of the tables with tablecloths and centerpieces, and stringing up some decorative lights. She had even rearranged the tables to create room for a makeshift dance floor. Typically, traditional Italian music played over the speakers through an iPod that was hooked up to the stereo system, but Angela had created an entire wedding playlist to be played specifically for the evening. Needless to say, his sister was beyond excited about celebrating the couple's union.
"You know the party is up front, right?" Angela asked as she approached Andy where he was working. "You can't just hide out back here like you always do." She leaned against the table opposite of where he was standing.
Andy shot her an unimpressed look. "I realize that, Ang, but you're the one that decided Provenza must have hamburgers for his reception, instead of the simple lasagna I wanted to make." He was clenching his jaw and grinding out the words as he scrubbed. "I now have to clean the grease from those damn things off this grill before it sticks to it permanently and ruins it."
Angela just ignored his grumblings and continued to poke at him. "Sharon has arrived. She's talking with the old man and Patrice right now." She smacked his arm with the back of her hand. "I can't believe you didn't even pick your date up. Some gentleman you are."
Andy stopped scrubbing and stood straight to face his sister. "Again, someone changed up all of my original plans, and insisted we have the reception here, instead of at my house like I wanted." He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and deepened his scowl. "Forgive me for not wanting Sharon to have to sit around in this kitchen while I grilled hamburgers. If we had done what I wanted, she could've been comfortable relaxing at my house." He threw his hands out, as his voice raised an octave. His sister could rile him up better than anyone.
Once he found out Angela was making a big to do about it all, Andy had asked Sharon to be his plus one to the reception. She had eagerly agreed. He wanted Sharon to be his plus one at the courthouse, but Provenza said he could only bring one person, and Angela being the pain in the ass she always was, threatened to end his life if he didn't take her. Thankfully, Sharon understood. His sister and neighbor had a strange friendship that normal people just couldn't comprehend. Andy was not pleased with the arrangement, but his mood improved when Sharon suggested inviting Buzz to the reception, because she knew how much the younger man annoyed the crap out of his grumpy neighbor. She said it would be her own special wedding gift to the Lieutenant. Though he hadn't told her yet, Andy knew he was in love with her in that moment. Who else would suggest tormenting his neighbor just to make him happy?
Angela just smiled arrogantly in response. "Well tonight is not about what you want, is it?" She braced her hands on her hips and returned his glare. "It's about what Provenza and Patrice want." She emphasized her statement with a curt nod of her head.
Andy pointed his finger angrily at her. "Don't even try to pretend that this whole thing didn't turn out exactly the way you wanted."
"Who's pretending?" Angela smiled smugly, as she swatted his finger away.
Andy's response was interrupted by the sound of heels clicking on the floor. When he looked over Angela's shoulder, he saw Sharon walking towards them. His frown quickly transformed into a wide grin.
Angela rolled her eyes at the quick shift in his mood. "God, you're pathetic," Angela mumbled under her breath.
"Am I interrupting?" Sharon asked as she came to a stop next to Angela.
"Not at all," Angela said. "I was just indulging in one of my favorite past times," she sighed wistfully, "and pissing off my brother just for the fun of it." She winked at Sharon.
Sharon laughed softly. The dynamic between Andy and his sister never ceased to entertain her. "I don't want to be the one to ruin your fun."
Andy scoffed. "She's had plenty, trust me." He turned back towards the grill and grumbled something else, but they were unable to hear him.
"He's right," Angela confirmed with a proud nod. "My job here is done. I will see you two out front shortly." She reached out and gave Sharon's shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving.
"You okay?" Sharon asked as she stepped behind Andy and ran her hand up his back.
Andy turned his head to look at her. "Of course." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss. "I just want to finish this up so I can enjoy the rest of the evening with you."
. . .
The reception had been going really well. Andy hated to admit it, but Angela's plan turned out wonderful. Even though the old man had complained about Andy letting his girlfriend convince him to invite her annoying business partner, he could tell Provenza was delighted by it all. Angela and Sharon had both tried to convince the older man to take them for a spin on the dance floor, but he resolutely refused each time, saying, "I don't dance." He did, however, make an exception for Patrice
Sharon and Andy had found their way to the dance floor once the food had been consumed. Just when Sharon thought he couldn't possible do anything else that would make him even more attractive, Andy proved wrong. She was pleasantly surprised by just how well Andy could dance. He had maneuvered her all across the dance floor through several fast paced songs, but now they gently swayed to a much slower song. Sharon had her hand draped around his neck and she was lightly playing with hairs at the back of his neck. Andy's hands were gripping her hips, giving her an occasional squeeze in response to her fingers.
Sharon glanced over at the bride and groom as they sat at a table, engrossed in conversation with one another. "I can't believe the Lieutenant has done this six times," she said with a hint of astonishment in her tone.
Andy grunted. "I can't believe he got five women to agree to marry him." He looked down at Sharon with a look of mock surprise. "One of them was crazy enough to agree to it twice."
Sharon laughed softly and gave his hair a light tug in admonishment. "I'm just amazed he never gave up." There was a hint of awe in her voice. "I think after the second failed marriage, I would've called it quits for good." She shook her head in amazement. "Where does he get the motivation to keep trying?" she asked in slight wonder.
"Actually," Andy chuckled, "I asked him the same thing when he mentioned he was planning to propose."
"I would love to know what he had to say about it," Sharon subtly inquired. Knowing the Lieutenant, his remarks were most likely sarcastic and cynical. She was surprised to look up to find Andy gazing at her seriously, instead of wearing his trademark smirk.
"That in his line of work, you learn rather quickly to not take things for granted. Those we love are not guaranteed to be in our lives forever so we should always let them know how important they are to us."
"That's actually very profound of him," Sharon said impressed.
Andy shrugged, and in an attempt to bring some levity to the moment said, "Provenza expresses the sentiment through proposals. I was afraid I would have to be the first to reject him." He momentarily stopped their movement and pretended to wipe his brow in relief. "Thank goodness Patrice came along."
Sharon snorted a laugh and tugged him back into motion. When he finally rewarded her with a roguish grin, she smiled tenderly up at him. She tilted her face up and placed a light kiss on the tip of his chin, then rested her forehead in the same place.
After a short time had passed, Andy interrupted the comfortable quiet that had settled between them. "He's right you know." His voice rumbled low, almost as if he wasn't sure he wanted to voice his thoughts.
Sharon only hummed in response. She was content to just continue slowly swaying in Andy's arms, not caring about anyone or anything else around him. Not until she detected the seriousness of his tone did she finally lift her head to meet his gaze.
Andy was looking at her intently, scanning her face as though he was taking in every aspect of her features. "We don't know what tomorrow, or the next day, has in store for us. It could all be gone in a flash." He reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, letting his thumb linger and gently stroke her cheek. Andy looked at her directly in the eye. "Which is why I want you to know that I love you, Sharon."
Sharon drew in a deep breath, and then exhaled his name on a whisper. "Andy-"
She shook her head, not knowing what to say. She wasn't prepared to voice the thoughts that she herself had just begun to acknowledge. They had been lingering in the back of her mind, but she left them there, hesitant to deal with them until recently. Sharon had a feeling Andy had felt the same just from the way he looked at her, but it still didn't prepare her for this moment.
"I know you probably think I'm just caught up in the atmosphere of the wedding, but I promise you that isn't the case," Andy said sincerely. He slid the hand that was resting against her cheek to her neck, and caressed it gently. "I've been thinking about this for a while."
Sharon swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "It's not that." She removed a hand from around his neck and patted his chest, right above his heart, willing him to understand. "Andy-" She shook her head for what she though was the hundredth time in the past two minutes.
"Sharon," Andy said quietly to get her attention. When she continued to stare straight ahead, he slid his hand just far enough to tenderly grip the back of her head, and with his thumb underneath her chin he gently tilted her head so she would meet his gaze. "I know I have sprung this on you. I don't expect you to reciprocate if you're not ready. I just didn't want to go any longer without telling you." He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and looked at her reassuringly.
Sharon continued to stare at him with wide eyes. When she managed to nod her head slightly, Andy smiled at her affectionately before leaning down to place a light kiss against her lips. He internally sighed in relief when she responded with a more insistent brush of her lips.
Sharon could feel the initial panic slowly draining from her because of Andy's understanding response. When he lifted his head from the kiss, she wrapped both of her arms around him and pulled him tightly to her, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. She hoped that her actions would convey what she currently felt. When he returned her embrace just as tightly, and commenced the slow sway of their dancing that had been interrupted by his admission, she felt the last of her panic dissipate. She was grateful he was giving her the time she needed to sort through her emotions. It's not only that she wasn't ready to repeat those same three words, but Sharon also didn't want him to think she felt obligated to return them.
It was a couple of more weeks before Sharon was able to voice what her heart so keenly felt. In that time Andy had told her a few more times, not so much to overwhelm her, but enough to let her know that he did not initially voice them when caught up in the moment.
Sharon was in her office preparing a contract for an artist whose work that would be exhibited in the gallery, when she was startled by Andy walking in carrying what she assumed was lunch. It's not that she was displeased to see him, but she thought he received her message about needing to reschedule their lunch.
Their schedules had not been syncing up the past week, and they were unsuccessful in making plans together. Andy said he could manage to step away from the restaurant for a quick lunch, but Sharon regretfully had to request a rain check. Emily had caught her before heading to work that morning, requesting time over lunch to discuss something important. Sharon knew Andy would understand the need to reschedule for her daughter. One of the reasons they were unable to make plans recently was because Nicole needed Andy's help with the boys. It was an unspoken agreement that the kids always came first, which is why she was surprised to see him in her office.
Andy placed the bags of food on the edge of her desk, before walking around to where Sharon was seated. When she turned to face him, he smirked when he took notice of her perplexed expression. He leaned over, bracing his hands on the arms of her chair, and placed a gentle kiss over her furrowed brow.
He pulled back slightly and gave her a crooked grin. "Hey."
"Andy, what are you doing here?" She pulled him back down by the back of his head to give him a proper kiss, hoping he didn't mistake her surprise for displeasure.
Andy hooked his thumb towards the bags of food. "Bringing you lunch."
"I can see that." Sharon rolled her eyes at his mention of the obvious. "I thought you got my message saying I needed to reschedule because of Emily."
Andy moved to sit on the edge of the desk next to her. "I did," he confirmed with a nod, "but all of our plans have fallen through recently, and I wanted to see you."
"I want to see you, too," Sharon reached out and grabbed his hand that was resting on his thigh, "but Emily is supposed to be here soon."
"I know." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Don't worry, I only plan on staying long enough to bring you ladies food, say 'hello', and do this-" He leaned forward and kissed her with purpose.
"Hello," Sharon said quietly in response. She tilted her head toward the bags of food. "That's not from Sicilia, though."
When they had originally made the plans to have lunch together, Andy was simply going to bring food from work. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to get away, and it saved time. Now it appeared he went completely out of his way just to see her.
"It isn't," he confirmed unnecessarily. "When I called your daughter at the dance studio offering to bring you two lunch, she initially declined. Her reason being, and I quote," Andy paused to clear his throat, "'I was really looking forward to taking advantage of the break between seasons and gorge myself on a dozen tacos and a few burritos.'' His voice had raised an octave in his attempt to mimic Emily. "When I informed her I had ulterior motives," he gave Sharon a wink,"and that I didn't mind picking up tacos, Emily acquiesced to my request. So here I am," Andy made a swooping gesture with his hand, "armed with Mexican food and kisses." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Sharon giggled at his playfulness. "My daughter likes to indulge her voracious appetite when she gets the chance."
Andy shot her a bland look. "You're telling me." He leaned back from where he was sitting on the desk, and pulled the bags towards them. "She wasn't kidding about wanting a dozen tacos and a few, which I learned in Emily-speak means six, burritos. Most of this is for her. " He began rummaging through one of the three bags, reading the writing on the wrappers. "There is one taco and one burrito for you, and a couple of black bean tacos that I will be taking with me when I go." He had moved on to the second bag in search of his tacos.
Sharon was dumbfounded that Andy would go through so much trouble just so the two of them could have a few minutes together. Not only that, he made sure to not interfere with her daughter's plans. It was a huge, yet simple gesture, and Sharon found herself overwhelmed by her emotions. She had been thinking about it for a while, even more since Andy had told her at the weeding, but was unable to voice it until now.
"I love you, too," she said softly.
Andy stopped his search through the bags and stared blankly at her for a few seconds. Then a huge smile, that smile that never failed to make her weak in the knees, transformed his face. "Yea?" he asked a bit breathlessly.
Sharon laughed and looked up at him tenderly. "Yea," she confirmed with a nod.
Andy's eyes narrowed, but he was still smirking. "Are you just saying this because I brought tacos?"
Sharon shook her head at his teasing. She stood from her chair, and stepped between his legs as she draped her arms around his shoulders. She began tilting her head from side-to-side, as though she was actually considering his question. "That's probably the main reason," she said matter-of-factly, but her eyes revealed her playfulness.
Andy placed the bag he was holding on the desk next to him, then wrapped his arms around her waist to tug her closer. "Whatever the reason, I like hearing it." He quickly pecked her smiling lips.
"I shall say it again, then." She leaned forward so that her lips brushed against his ear. "I love you, Andrew Flynn."
Andy leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. "The feeling is definitely mutual," he rasped.
The kiss he bestowed on her was far more lingering and meaningful than any that preceded it. They reluctantly broke apart when they could hear Emily's voice, most likely talking to Buzz, carrying through the gallery. Sharon gave him one more kiss, before stepping back with a bright smile. Andy wore a matching grin as he continued his search for his tacos. He hated that he had to leave, but nothing could ruin the elation he currently felt.
When Andy arrived home later that night, he made sure to be extra quiet as he locked the house up, and set the alarm. As he walked down the hall, he noted there was no light coming from beneath Rusty's door, indicating the kid was already asleep. There was a faint light coming from beneath his and Sharon's door, however, and he assumed it was from the lamp she typically left on for him when he got in late. He was surprised to find her sitting up against the headboard with a book in her lap. He smirked, not surprised to see that she was indeed wearing his robe.
"Hey." Andy approached her side of the bed. "It's late. I thought you'd be asleep by now." He leaned down and kissed her upturned lips when she looked at him.
She closed the book that was in her lap, using her finger to mark her place, as she watched Andy make his way around to his side of the bed. "I haven't been out of the tub for long, and I wanted to wait up for you." She lifted the phone that had been sitting on the bed next to her thigh. "You're actually home earlier than I expected."
Andy finished emptying his pockets and placing the items on his nightstand. "It was relatively slow for a Friday night, so we finished a little sooner than usual." He took off his chef's jacket and placed it in the hamper. "Do you mind if I wash off real quick?" He jerked his thumb towards the bathroom door.
Sharon gave him a small smile and slightly shook her head. "Of course not. I can keep myself occupied a little longer." She reopened the book to resume reading.
"I'll be quick," Andy said before he closed the bathroom door.
When Andy reentered the bedroom, Sharon closed her book, placing a proper bookmark in it this time before placing it on her nightstand. She stood and removed Andy's robe, laying it across the lounge chair in the corner of the room. She would no longer need it now that her own personal heater was currently slipping beneath the covers. She joined him, sliding up next to him to rest her head on his shoulder. She let a contented sigh when Andy wrapped both of his arms around her.
"Missed you," Andy said before placing a kiss to her temple. They had talked to each other on the phone each night, and sometimes during the day as well, but it wasn't the same as having her lying next to him in bed. "How was the flight home?"
"Long." She sighed. "And I had a chatty row buddy." She looked up at him and rolled her eyes. "The poor girl was nervous, and I think I know more about her life than I do my own kids'."
Andy couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. He knew how much she preferred to keep to herself on flights. "I'm sorry." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and placed a kiss where her brow was creased. "Did you find the dinner I left for you?"
"Between your texts," she emphasized the 's' in reference to his multiple messages regarding the matter, "and Rusty's personal reminder," she arched her brow, "yes, I somehow managed to find the dinner you left for me."
"I realize I may have overdone it with the reminders-" He paused when she gave him a look that said, 'no kidding,' and amended his statement. "I realize that I definitely over did it with the reminders." He chuckled when she shook her head at him before once again resting it on his shoulder. "I just missed you and I was disappointed I couldn't pick you up from the airport," he grumbled.
Sharon sighed and squeezed him tighter where she was holding him. "I really missed you, too." She turned her head just enough that she could place a kiss against his shoulder. "Thank you for dinner." She tilted her head to kiss his jaw. "Thank you for cleaning the bathroom, it was my turn." She placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "And thank you for replacing my bath items, you really didn't have to do that."
Before she could lay her head back down, Andy cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for another slow kiss. "It was my pleasure." He ran his thumb along her jaw as his gaze roamed her features. "But I assure you," he gave her a lopsided smile, "it was purely for my own benefit."
Sharon scoffed. "I fail to see how cleaning the bathroom benefits you. It was my turn," she pointed out again. "I was going to take care of it while you were at work this weekend."
They had unintentionally fallen into a trade-off pattern each week when it came to routine chores around the house. If one of them happened to be busy with work, the other would pick up the slack. Neither of them were particularly messy people, but both appreciated a well-kept house. It was just one of the many ways in which they easily blended their lives.
"There's a chance I may have reworked the schedule so I could have this weekend off," he said casually, and not as though this was news to her. When she looked at him in surprise, he continued. "You've been gone all week." He shrugged the shoulder her chin wasn't resting on. "I wanted to spend some time with you."
Shortly after moving in together, they had discussed reducing their work schedule so that they could spend more time together. Although Sharon had retired from the museum, she wasn't completely ready to give up working at the gallery to live a life of leisure. Eventually, the gallery would become Buzz's, but until then she would only hand over a portion of her responsibilities to allow her more free time. Likewise, Andy wasn't ready to give up working at the restaurant. He did, however, wish to focus solely on the culinary aspects, rather than the business side. Even with his brother-in-law being the general manager, and John working as the assistance manager, they really needed a third person helping. Since Andy had bought the restaurant, he stepped in to fill that position. Now that the restaurant had been flourishing for some time, he could more than afford to hire a third manager, allowing him to go back to focusing purely on the kitchen. Luckily, his brother's youngest daughter, Lydia, recently graduated from college with her business degree and had asked Andy if he had a position open for her.
"Who did you get to close the restaurant for you?" Sharon asked in surprise.
"Lydia."
Sharon was aware that he had been training her to take over his managerial tasks. "Is she ready to do it all on her own?"
Andy snorted. "She's been capable since day one. I just didn't want her to feel like I was dumping everything on her and then bailing."
Sharon shook her head. She doubted Lydia would've felt that way. "Well," she tapped his chest, "replacing my bath item in no way benefits you," she said going back to their previous discussion before she got distracted, "because you weren't even here to enjoy them with me," she said teasingly.
"Ah, but there's still time for me to take advantage of the opportunity in the future," he wiggled his eyebrows at her, "which I fully intend to do." He turned his head and nuzzled her neck until she laughed. "Besides," he said when she finally pushed his head away, "what really matters is that it made you happy. When you're happy, I'm happy."
It really was as simple as that. It's not that their happiness was dependent on the other's, but that they delighted in each other's happiness.
She smiled adoringly at him. "I really do love you."
"The feeling really is mutual," he said before closing the distance between them.
-TBC-
A/N: Although we didn't get to see their first 'I love you', I really hope James Duff grants our wishes to at least hear them say it once to one another!
