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Warren’s plan to buy the inn is still in motion, and August has, of course, filled me in on all the details he proposed. She’s still on the fence about what to do, but it’s only been a month since he asked her, and she needed some time to heal still.
Considering a lot of that time has been spent in the court system, I don’t blame her. Casey Pockman was charged with a bunch of crimes, including assault, illegal gambling, and money laundering. He’s awaiting trial, but we’re hoping he gets sentenced to the maximum. While she won’t have to face him in court and can submit her testimony via video interview, it’s still almost as bad just knowing he is going to watch her talk about his threats against her. I’ll hold her hand through the whole thing and hope that motherfucker rots in a cell.
Obviously, she didn’t owe any money toward those illegal gambling debts and was able to use her mother’s life insurance money to finally pay off a portion of the mortgage, and Warren covered the rest.
Now I’m just waiting to see what she chooses—to stay or go. We’re living together like this will be the rest of our lives, but she still hasn’t made a decision. I try not to push, try to hold my tongue, and reassure her that I’m in love with her, but I’m growing weary. I needed some confirmation, a good faith sign that she’s as in this as I am.
“You’ve got one last table out there. They’re asking to speak with the chef,” one of the line cooks lets me know just as I stow my knives away at the end of service.
Blowing out an exhausted breath, I roll my eyes. “Why? Come on, I’m tired. They either want to pick my brain or complain, so can’t they just not do either.”
He shrugs. “Seemed insistent on seeing you. Night’s almost over, just get them out of here.”
I steel my nerves as I tie my apron back on, put on a neutral face, and then head out the swinging doors to the dining room.
Except when I walk in there, it’s dark, save for one table swathed in candlelight, with August on one side.
“Hi?” A smile pushes up my cheeks as I walk over to her.
She looks so beautiful with the light from the flames dancing over her face, and I round the table to bend over and kiss her. Her mouth is sweet with a tinge of the wine she’s been sipping, and I savor the taste on her tongue.
“Well, hi to you, too.” She’s all breathy as I break off the kiss to sit across from her.
“This is a nice surprise.” I lace our fingers together over the tablecloth. “When did you plan this?”
She shrugs. “Just wanted to have a little romantic dinner, even if my boyfriend is the one who cooked it.”
“You’re so damn gorgeous.” I lean on my free hand and admire her.
“Keep it in your pants, sir. I’ve got some things I’d like to say.” She squares her shoulders and gives me a faux-stern expression.
She wants to talk? Uh-oh, that can mean something really good or really bad. No partner ever wants to hear that the other needs to have a talk.
August begins before I can take one more second to worry. “You’ve been incredible this summer. Always standing by and supporting me, even when you didn’t know if that meant me staying here with you. You’ve held me through my hard moments and celebrated the victories. You’ve waited patiently, even though I’ve seen it taking a toll on you, for me to come to a decision. I know it hasn’t been easy. But taking my time meant making sure I was sure, and now I am.”
She takes a deep breath and smiles, but my heart is still beating double time in my throat.
“I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time, in different ways, but this one is my favorite. I am in love with the man that you are, inside and out, and I’m so lucky that you love me back. It’s been you from day one, Evan Ashton. Just took us awhile to get all the way here. And now that we are here, I’m not going anywhere. And not just because I love you, but I do, so, so much. But because this is where I belong. I realized that this summer, and so I’m staying. I want to walk the canal path with you. I want to stop by the restaurant in the afternoons just to give you a kiss. And I want to take Warren up on his offer of running the inn. I want to build a life here, one with you. And I hope I haven’t taken too much time, because I hope you still want that, too.”
I might be floating right now. If my head is touching the ceiling, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least because that’s how I feel hearing August’s words, light as a feather. In a few sentences, she’s given me confidence in every possible way. In us, in her, and in our plan of staying in our hometown.
“Of course I still want that,” I choke out, getting up so that I can pull her out of the chair and into my arms. “God, hearing you say you love me … it’s all I’ve wanted for a while now. Sweetest words I’ve ever heard.”
“I didn’t know if I waited too long,” she murmurs, pressing her lips to my neck.
“I’d wait for you until the end of time, no matter how antsy I got.” My fingers play with the ends of her hair. “You really want to stay? To open the inn? I’d follow you anywhere.”
If she had chosen to take a job in another city, I would have offered to go with her. Like my dad told me, legacy is one thing, but that’s only part of the equation. Family, love … that’s what matters.
She shakes her head. “This is where we need to be. Our family is here.”
Ours. She referred to them as ours. In more ways than she knows, I plan on making that a sealed deal in the near future.
“You love me.” I breathe, wanting to hear it again.
“I love you.” She grins.
“I said it first.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
