by Sara Celi
“She’s inside. She showed up about half an hour ago, and she’s helping Ashley organize the brochures we’re giving people with their checks.”
Kyle had hardly finished his sentence before I bolted inside the restaurant. We hadn’t spoken in a few days, and while I’d considered reaching out a few times, I kept vetoing it out of fear she would only rebuff me. She’d made it clear how she felt.
But if she is here now . . .
I found her seated at the table closest to the checkout counter. She was alone, and she stood up as soon as I walked through the door.
“Hi,” I managed.
“Hi, Seth.” She glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “Ashley’s back there helping Kyle if you—”
“You came.”
She nodded. “I did.”
I moved closer. “Did you accept the job?”
She nodded. “I start in two weeks.”
“Amazing.” Excitement filled my chest. “You deserve this.”
“Thank you.” She looked down for a moment, and when she returned her gaze to mine, I saw resolve behind her eyes. “Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for helping me.”
“I wanted to.”
“I know I was being stubborn. I was . . . it’s been weird lately.”
“I know. It’s been weird for me too. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.” Tentatively, I took her hand, and to my surprise she didn’t pull away. “This is your chance. Your fresh start.”
“You’re right.”
I moved a bit closer. “And on top of that, promise me this, okay?”
“What’s that?”
“Now that you’re back in this area, and now that things are—different—promise me that we can start the one thing that we’ve been dancing around for what feels like years. That we can start on us.” I tightened my grip. “Please. I’ve always admired you, Kendra. As a dancer, certainly. But also, as a woman. You’re talented, graceful, clever, and gorgeous as hell. And well, this pandemic has made me think about a lot of things, and I keep coming back to one thing: You. I really want to do life with you.” Talk about laying it all on the line here.
“Seems like it’s our time then, Seth Sampson, because I want to do life with you too.” I smiled, probably looking like a lunatic with how happy I felt. “You have no idea how long I have waited for you to say something like that,” she added.
Yes.
Maybe it was the craziness of the moment. Maybe it was the fact that the pandemic had made it impossible for me to put up with the usual bull that came from living the life I had. But I leaned in and kissed her right then because I couldn’t wait another minute to make her mine.
And it was the best decision I had ever made.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amazon Top 100 and Barnes & Noble Bestselling Author Sara Celi has lived all over the United States. She calls the Midwest home, and lives in a tiny town just outside Cincinnati's city limits.
Before writing books, Sara worked as a TV anchor and reporter at television stations in Louisiana, Ohio, and Oklahoma. She also wrote articles for publications, magazines, and digital media across the country. While working as an evening anchor in Oklahoma City, she wrote what became her first published novel. The Undesirable came out in 2013. In 2014, Natural Love became an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Book, and was on the Barnes and Noble e-book bestseller list. Prince Charming followed as an Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in 2015. Since then, several of her other books have topped Amazon lists around the globe.
In her spare time, Sara likes to travel, hunt for good wine, add to her expansive handbag collection, hike into the woods, volunteer in her community, and push herself to be uncomfortable. Once an avowed pessimist, she's now an optimist who wishes she hadn't wasted so much time comparing herself to others. She married the love of her life in 2009 and became a mother in 2019.
OTHER BOOKS BY SARA CELI
The Watch Hill Series
Christmas in Watch Hill
Locked Down in Watch Hill
Stuff I Wish I Knew
Reid’s Redemption
So Basic
The Billionaires of Palm Beach Series
Lusting for Luke
Acquiring Ainsley
Denying Davis
Because of Adam
Spellbound
Hollywood Nights
Vote for Love Series
Primary Season
Primary Flip
Natural Love
Prince Charming
The Palms
The Undesirable
