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Chapter Fifteen
Rose opened the door and found Gray standing there in black jeans and a green Henley. He’d buried his hands in his pockets and his eyes were a mix of weariness and relief.
“Hey, I—” He grunted when she launched herself into his chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tight. He immediately crushed her to him. He dipped his head and nuzzled his cheek to hers, then whispered in her ear, “I missed you.”
“Not as much as I missed you. I’m sorry.”
“For what? Having a life before you met me?” He leaned back so he could look at her, but he didn’t let her go. “I could have handled the news better. The drive here gave me time to put it in perspective and realize that all the things you’ve said and done and made me feel are real and ours. It has nothing to do with him. And maybe I ought to thank him for asking your best friend to marry him because it brought me here to you.”
“I don’t think you need to go that far.”
“Trust me, I won’t.” He loosened his hold and smiled for the first time. “I’m glad you told me. It happened. It’s over. Let’s just move on.”
She sighed out her relief. “Thank god. I had a whole speech prepared that included a lot of begging.”
“Why don’t you just show me how you feel and kiss me?”
“You have the best ideas.” She went up on tiptoe for the kiss. He met her halfway, his lips eager to find hers as they sank into the kiss and lost themselves in each other’s arms.
“So this is the boyfriend,” Poppy said from behind her.
Rose reluctantly pulled away and turned to face her sister, glaring at her for interrupting.
“Yes,” Gray answered her sister, even though she hadn’t asked a question. “I’m Gray. Rose’s boyfriend.”
She glanced up at him, so happy he made the declaration, not just to Poppy, but to her, to let her know everything was okay between them.
“Gray, this is my sister, Poppy.”
He gave her a nod. “Your sister is really happy to reconnect with you. You should stay at her place sometime. We’ll take you out and show you around the Bay Area.”
“Yes! Definitely.” Rose wanted Poppy to know she really wanted her to come.
“I’d like that.” Poppy turned her focus to Rose. “You going out?”
Rose stepped back and looked up at Gray.
“Did you eat yet?” he asked, his hand still on her back.
“No. I couldn’t eat after I talked to you earlier today. I was so anxious to see you. I wasn’t sure you’d really come.”
He used the hand at her back to pull her close again and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “I’d be the stupidest man alive to leave things the way we did and walk away.”
“Is everything okay?” Poppy asked.
“Everything is great now that he’s back.” Rose hugged him again, just to feel him and know that he was solid and real and hers.
“Okay, then.” Poppy watched her.
“Hand me my purse from the hall table and tell Mom I went out.”
“She left a little while ago. She joined a book club.”
Rose gaped at Poppy. “Really?”
Poppy smiled. “Yeah. She said because of you and seeing Maggie’s mom again, she wanted to make some new friends. Brenda belongs to the group and invited Mom to join. I think it’s more about wine and gossip than books, but hey, she’s not closed up in this house.”
“Like you,” Rose pointed out.
