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He clicks buy as I watch him.
“Josh!” I say, but it’s done. The green tick comes up. Order completed.
“You’re welcome, baby. You can have as many sofas here as you want.”
I race around the breakfast bar, throw my arms around his neck, and press myself against his sweaty, hot torso, with a lump in my throat. Gratitude, love, security. All the things I’ve been missing for years, even though I didn’t know it. They were just faded versions of dreams. Fake, and fed to me on a cheap, crappy spoon.
The three words come straight off my tongue now, even though they are choked up.
“I love you.”
“What?” he says, his mouth up against my ear as he holds me tight.
“You heard me,” I whisper, pulling away to look him in the eyes.
His smile melts me.
“I know, I just want to hear you say it again.”
I laugh, on a high, happiness filling my very soul.
“I love you, Josh.”
The beautiful man in front of me kisses my lips so gently, the prince of romance as his breaths match mine.
“I love you too, Ella.”
We stay entangled for a long moment, and I feel my heart singing. I belong with him. I belong here. I feel more at home in his presence than I’ve ever known.
He strokes my hair, and caresses my arm, and I count my lucky stars, grateful beyond words that the universe has been so kind to me – taking Connor out of my life and giving me something better than I could ever imagine.
Josh is the man of my wildest, craziest dreams.
The hurt and pain of my past betrayal get slammed under the trapdoor of bullshit where they belong. I lock it closed for good. Farewell and goodbye. I don’t need to feel them again, not anymore. And Josh doesn’t need to feel the same about his past, either. We’re in it together, for good.
“I’ll start moving some stuff around in this place for when yours starts arriving,” he says, and I hug him so tight, I’d crush him, if he wasn’t made of steel.
“Thanks,” I say. “And I’ll get started on our casserole.”
He claps his hands as I head back to the chef station.
“You’re making casserole? I fucking love casserole. It’s one of my absolute favourites.”
“Damnit.” I roll my eyes. “So much for the surprise. I just hope it lives up to your expectations.”
“It will,” he says, and gives me a wink.
“You’re biased.” I giggle. “It could taste of dog turd, and you’d still think it was marvellous.”
“Nah, baby. That’s bullshit. The only one who ever doubts yourself is you.”
Chapter Nineteen
“You’re sure about this?” Josh asks me as I smooth down the lapels of his jacket, ready to wave him off for the evening. “We can change the plan if you want to. I can have a shower before I get home.”
“Um, don’t even think about it,” I say. “I’m more than sure, thanks. So, get your butt there, get it filthy, and get back home again.”
He smirks. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that later.”
