The chips had fallen into place all too easily. Apartment shopping was supposed to be difficult—tedious. Filled with ups and downs. It was supposed to take a long time, frustrate you. Really test your patience.

He and Raven had found the place they wanted the first day they'd gone out looking.

They didn't know it at the time, but out of fourteen different potential apartments, the second one they went to was the one they'd settled on.

Jett had checked with his mother every step of the way—and contrary to his belief that she would be heartbroken, she was excited. She still seemed sheepish about her boyfriend but some day in the next month or so he was supposed to be coming down.

Jett was just so thrilled.

His lip curled into a sneer at the thought and he had to scoff to dismiss the thought as he reached over to turn the stove off.

The new stove.

In the new apartment.

That they'd signed the lease and paid downpayment on yesterday.

It was still sort of surreal; they were far from moved in. Jett had two boxes of things—a few necessities and clothes, some cleaning products. He'd bought new pots and pans while he was out earlier.

There fridge was bare, and the cabinets contained little more than paper plates, napkins and a tin of coffee.

They had an air mattress in the master bedroom and had designated that the guest bedroom was going to serve as storage for the time being.

Raven had gone out to get a few more things, pick up some more of her stuff.

So Jett had set about making a dinner suited for her return.

It wasn't anything grand—particularly because he wasn't willing to put a lot of effort into a meal they were going to be eating off of paper plates with plastic cutlery.

He used a number of upturned boxes for their table, set it up nicely, and tried to shoo the dog away as he attempted to make it as perfect as possible.

Tacos were not romantic, but damn it; he was trying.