by Toni Aleo
I see Noah and his family, but even then, they aren’t pulling me back. Delaney is pulling me, though, through every single detail of this summer with her. It washes over me the way the river did when I jumped off the bridge with her. I can feel her in my arms, taste her lips. I can see her on the softball mound, I can see her in the flower shop, and then as my assistant at the clinic. It is all right there, drowning me, and I don’t think I want to come up for air.
I want to be consumed in all that is Delaney.
I want to love her.
Be loved by her.
So then, why the hell am I leaving her?
“Not right now, Mawmaw,” Delaney calls when I knock on the door.
Since I’m not Mawmaw, I push open the door and find Delaney sitting in the middle of her bed with the blankets over her, looking like a pole in the middle of a tent. A grin pulls at my lips as I hear her groan. “Mawmaw, really, I just need to be alone.”
I toe out of my shoes and go to her bed, sitting on the edge. I clear my throat, and she goes noticeably still. “Can I come under there with you?”
She doesn’t answer me, nor does she move, so I pull the blankets up and then over my head until I am fully covered by the makeshift tent. I meet her watery gaze, and it feels like she’s pitched a ball into my gut. I swallow hard as I scoot closer to her, while she stares at me, unsure what I’m doing. Hell, I don’t even know what I’m doing, to be honest. All I know is I have to make this better.
She narrows her eyes as she wipes them quickly with the back of her hand. “What are you doing?”
“Groveling?” Her lips quirk, and I shrug. “I don’t know, Delaney. I think I’m still an idiot.”
She scoffs. “Think?”
“Know?” She nods as she laughs softly, and I smile. “To be honest, I’m freaked the hell out.”
Her eyes meet mine. “So am I. Do you think it is easy to be honest with you like that when I’m unsure what will happen?”
“I know.”
“But don’t you think it’s better to be freaked out together than apart?”
I swallow hard, my heart pounding against my ribs as my skin burns. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just be honest.”
I nod thoughtfully. She’s right. I search her eyes, and I honestly don’t think I could have walked away. I would have tried, but then, I don’t think I would have made it. I don’t know if it was her threat of never wanting to see me again or if it was my run-in with Mawmaw and Mom, but something has clicked inside me. “I can’t remember my life before you.” She takes in a quick breath, and my heart soars. “I don’t know why, because I claim to love that life. I mean, I thought I had it all, but I don’t even have to go back to prove that point wrong.”
“You don’t?”
“No,” I say quickly, reaching out and threading our fingers together. “When I left to go sulk in my cabin, or maybe do what you do and hide under a blanket—”
She gives me a watery smile. “Don’t knock it till you try it.”
I scoff as I reach out, taking her jaw in my hand. “I had a run-in with Mawmaw and my mom, and they did what they do best—meddle.”
She scoffs. “I’m not the least bit surprised.”
I shrug in agreement. “They asked me questions about my apartment and my clinic back home. I couldn’t remember the answers. But I could remember all the details of your face, your body, and every single thing we did this summer. I can still remember how I felt on top of that Ferris wheel or when I climbed up the side of the house to get to you.”
“Reed, I feel the same way. Everything is on constant replay.”
I nod. “I don’t know if it’s because it’s new and exciting or if it’s just us—”
“It’s us. And you want to know how I know?”
“How?”
“Because I can remember everything about us when we were younger too.”
My chest aches as I gaze into her eyes. “I can too.” I draw in a deep breath, filling my lungs as she holds my gaze.
“Reed, how can you deny what we have here? You’re the one who pointed it out after we first kissed, about how this is different.”
I shrug. “I told you I’m an idiot.” Her face lights up, and I lean in, pressing my forehead to hers. “I’ve been alone for so long. I thought I didn’t know how to be any other way, but then you came along, and you just fell into place.”
“It’s a great place to be,” she answers softly. “Beside you. Reed, it’s a place I’d like to stay if you’d let me.”
“Even after the shit I just pulled?”
She reaches out, taking my face in her hands. “Reed, I know you. I know you are freaked out, and you didn’t know what to say. The thing is, your actions tell me how you feel. If you didn’t want me, you would have left. Instead, you came back.”
“Because I love you.”
She exhales suddenly, her tears spilling over her cheeks. “I love you back.”
Even if I didn’t already know she loved me, hearing her say it back blows me away. My face breaks into a grin as I bring her to me, pressing my lips to hers. She opens her mouth for me, and I take advantage, sweeping my tongue along hers and tasting her sweetness. I draw out the kisses, each one deeper and full of more emotion. When we part, we’re both out of breath as we gaze into each other’s eyes. No one other than my parents and siblings has ever told me they loved me until now.
Until Delaney.
She licks her lips as she leans into me. “I know it’s scary to think of picking up your life and coming back home, but Reed, this is your home—”
“No, you’re my home.”
Her eyes widen for a second before more tears fall from her sweet brown eyes.
“I don’t want to go back to a life I can’t even remember.”
“I don’t want you to either, but if you do, I want to go.”
“Why, when we have everything here?”
“I mean, I’m pretty sure I said that from the rip.”
Her lips quirk, and I lean into them, kissing them softly. “So, what you’re saying is, you’re always right?”
“Well, duh.” She kisses my nose, her eyes so sweet and full of tears, but thank God they’re not sad tears. “Good you learned that early.”
I feel my own tears burning my eyes as I fall even more in love with her. “It’s funny.”
“What?” Her fingers stroke the hair on my jaw as she touches her nose to mine.
“I found what I didn’t know I was looking for.”
“That is funny,” she says. “Your dad always said you would.”
I close my eyes as the emotion takes over. “He did.”
“I always hoped it would be me.”
“It is,” I say, breathing her in. “It’s only you.” The grin that spreads across her face stuns me. “I think I knew that day with Gary.”
She chokes on her laughter, and she nestles closer into me, her lips moving against mine as she whispers, “I will protect you from all the ducks.”
“Oh, thank God. That’s the only reason I’m staying,” I say with a wink, and she giggles.
“I was hoping. I need something to do around here.”
I trap her face in my hands. “You’ll have plenty.”
“Oh?”
I nip at her bottom lip. “Yeah, sweetheart, between being the mayor of this town and loving me, you’ll be swamped.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Her eyes dance with excitement and so much love before she presses her lips to mine. I hold her tightly to me, pulling her into my lap. The blanket gradually falls off us as our kiss deepens. When I pull back from her lips, I do so to look into the face of my forever. I slide my thumb along her bottom lip, and I shake my head. “You’re never going to let me live it down that I tried to walk away from this, are you?”
“Never,” she teases with a wink, and then she kisses my nose.
“I love you,” I whisper, and s
he grins.
“I love you back.”
When I hear a squeal that isn’t coming from Delaney, we both look to the doorway, where Mawmaw and my mom stand.
“Oh, praise God!” my mom gushes, and then they’re hugging.
I look at Delaney and she looks back at me, and then we both grin.
“Small-town living,” she says with a shrug. “Everyone in our business.”
“I don’t care,” I say, kissing her top lip once more. “As long as I get the small-town sweetheart.”
When her lips press to mine, I know I have her. And while I know I’ll do something idiotic later, it won’t be letting her go.
Nope, she’s all mine.
Epilogue 1
Delaney
I stand in Dr. Ross’s driveway, and the excitement bubbles inside me. I chance a glance at Reed, and he just looks stunned. I probably mirror him, but I’m not ready to say anything yet. I’m going to let him absorb what just happened while I drink him in. He stayed the night last night, so he’s wearing the same thing he wore to the block party; it’s just a bit wrinkled in places. His hair is a little messy but still so sexy. I want to say that I knew we’d work out and that everything would play out the way I wanted it to, but I didn’t. I doubted our future. I didn’t think he’d give up everything for me, but like I suspected and hoped, Reed has fallen for me just as I’ve always fallen for him. I know it can still blow up in my face, but at this moment, I’m going to enjoy the fact that I am Reed’s and he is mine.
I slide my hand into his, and he looks at me, his eyes meeting mine. “So, what are you thinking?”
A grin tugs at his lips before he brings my hand up to his mouth. “I think I have some phone calls to make.”
I search his eyes. “But you’re staying?”
He leans down, pressing his nose to mine. “I told you I am.”
“It seems unreal to me.”
“Well, it’s real,” he says, kissing my top lip.
When Dr. Ross told us he wanted to retire and the only person he wanted taking over for him was Reed, I was a little taken aback. Dr. Ross doesn’t have kids, so I guess it makes sense, but can it be that perfect? The one thing that was holding Reed back from staying here…and now he’s going to get it. His own clinic. One he grew up in.
“It’s what you want, right?”
His eyes turn soft, the green fire burning into mine. “My arms are wrapped around what I want.”
I roll my eyes. “Seriously. This makes you happy?”
His lips tip a bit as he nuzzles the side of my nose with his. “If it works out, I’ll be even happier than I am right now.”
I sigh joyously as I kiss the bottom of his jaw. “Then I’m happy.”
“So, if things go the way we want, then I’ll be the vet of this town and you’ll be the mayor,” he says with a wink, and I beam. “Think people will talk enough about us?”
“I’m pretty sure the baptismal tub gives us a good five years of gossip.”
He wraps his arms around me, kissing the side of my mouth. “Well then, Delaney Kate, we better start coming up with some more things to get them to talk.”
I grin. “Gotta keep them on their toes.”
“Always,” he whispers, and then he takes my mouth with his, kissing me full-on in the middle of Dr. Ross’s driveway.
I kind of like that he wants to give the town something to talk about, because I have a long list of things I want to do with him to make this town talk twenty-four seven.
It’s only fitting that Reed shakes hands with Dr. Ross over the purchase of his clinic on the day we find out if I’ll be elected mayor. The sale won’t go through until the end of August, so there is time to pull out, but Reed says there will be no need for the extra time. It’s a given. Noah, Reed’s friend, wasn’t too happy about losing him, but he understood that Reed wanted to be home with his family. And with me. I still can’t believe it. I almost want to cry at the thought of being with him forever. I dreamed of this, I wrote about it in my journal for years, and now I am finally with him. Everything is working out, and I couldn’t be happier.
Especially when just a week ago I was in tears at the thought of losing him.
When Reed turns away from Dr. Ross to face me, his eyes blazing with excitement, I giggle as I wrap my arms around him for a tight hug. “This is awesome.”
He kisses the side of my head, lifting me off the ground a bit. “It’s too good to be true, and if I hadn’t signed the paperwork, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“Right?” I gush as he puts me to my feet. “Your clinic! Dr. Reed’s Clinic,” I say, waving my hands in the air with each word. “Great ring to it.”
Reed shrugs. “I think I want to keep it as an animal house. So Dr. Reed’s Animal House.”
“Perfect.”
“It’s where I learned everything. It’s home to me.”
“It is.”
“And I think that’s how I got Noah to understand why I couldn’t leave Spring Grove.”
“Yeah,” I agree as I slide my arm through his. “I don’t think anyone can argue with that.”
He looks over to where everyone is out, running around town and getting last-minute things. The town meeting starts in two hours, and you can feel the buzz in the air. I’m nervous, but I’m excited. There is no reason for me not to win, other than stupid William Jr., and I’m ready to make this town a billion times better.
“He said he knew I wasn’t coming back.”
I glance up to Reed. “Who? Noah?”
“Yeah, he said he knew I wasn’t going to come back when I left. My dad meant too much to me, and I would want to be where he is.”
I nod as I trap his hands in mine. “I can see that.”
He smiles. “While that’s true, I told him it was actually a girl who stole my heart. He didn’t believe me.” He chuckles as he kisses my head. “I almost don’t believe it either. I always knew you’d be trouble one day.”
I snort at that. “Now you’re stuck with me.”
He kisses me once more. “The sound of that doesn’t freak me out as much as it used to.”
I giggle. “But still a bit?”
His eyes are full of teasing. “Just a bit.”
Sweet Jesus, I love him.
I sit in the pew with our little crew. My hand is in Reed’s, and I’m cuddled into his side as his brothers sit next to him, and Theo, Gen, and Holden sit on the other side of me. His mom and my mawmaw are in the front row where they belong, but we all like it in the back. It’s our normal.
“So, your girlfriend is hot,” Bryce teases, and I laugh at the tic that appears in Reed’s jaw.
“Don’t make me kick your ass,” he warns.
Devin scoffs, “I got ten bucks on Bryce.”
Reed glares. “I’m your brother!”
“So is he. He’s also bigger than you.”
“Yeah, ten on Bryce,” Theo says, and Holden agrees.
I laugh. “I got a hundred on Reed,” I say with a wink, and Reed gives me a dry look.
His eyes are playful, though, as he says, “I don’t want your pity bet.”
“Fine, a hundred on Bryce!”
That sends our row into a fit of laughter, and of course, Sister Engelmann shoots us a dirty look. I ignore it, though, cuddling closer to Reed. When his lips move along my forehead, I close my eyes. Before we find out who will be the mayor, Sister Engelmann has some announcements. I should probably pay attention, but I’d rather get drunk off Reed’s scent. I still can’t believe he is staying. For us. He seems so calm, so ready, but then, that’s him. When he makes a decision, he sticks to it. He’s been like that since we were kids. I guess that’s why nothing ever happened between us. He’d decided he wasn’t staying. But this time, I don’t think he was truly committed to going back to Lexington, which is why he is staying with me.
“Are you going to Lexington with me?”
I open my eyes to find Reed watching me. “Yeah, but for what?�
��
He laughs. “You don’t even know, but you agree?”
“If it involves you, I’m there. If you want me there, of course. Which you do since you just asked—”
He leans in, kissing my mouth and cutting off my words. When he pulls back, his eyes are shining as they hold mine. “You’re rambling, which means you’re nervous, which means I think we need another visit to the tub.”
I laugh out loud at that. “Never again, Mr. McElroy.”
“Fine, sexy-dream killer,” he teases, and I grin. “But we’re taking a road trip to move me here, and I figured on the way back we could stop to pick me out a new kitchen design.”
My lips tip up. “You’re going to stay in the cabin?”
“For now. Maybe build a house later?”
“I think that would be awesome.”
“Maybe you could help?”
My heart soars in my chest, and I can’t stop grinning at him. “I’d love that.”
He winks. “And if you play your cards right, which means—” he pauses to lean closer “—loads of BJs, I might just ask you to move in.”
I giggle. “That’s all it takes? Done,” I tease back, and his eyes burn into mine.
He reaches out, taking my face in his large hands. I press my cheek into his palms as our eyes stay locked, and a slow grin spreads on his beautiful face. I don’t know how in the world I get to live my best fantasy, but there is no way in hell I’m waking up now.
“I do love you, Delaney Kate.”
My eyes flirt with his. “Good, because I love you back.”
“Aww,” everyone around us coos, and Reed rolls his eyes.
I laugh but only for a second before I realize that Reed is leaning in, his mouth seconds from mine. His kiss is soft as a feather while he holds my face. That is, until Sister Engelmann clears her throat. He pulls back, and I grin as he holds in his laughter. “Sorry, Sister.”
