He was here.
In New York.
My eyes popped and as I dragged my jaw back above ground, I attempted to speak.
‘J-Jake?’
‘That’s me.’ He flashed his gorgeous smile and my stomach flip-flopped.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came to order the InKrediKale.’
‘Do they not sell kale juice in LA?’ I teased, a smile tugging at my lips.I still couldn’t believe he was here.
‘They do, but I heard the server here was pretty cute, so I preferred to ask her to make it for me.And I kinda hoped that I could take her to lunch afterwards.’
‘I don’t think she gets a break for another twenty minutes,’ I grinned, my pulse racing.
‘I can wait.I waited my whole life to find her, so twenty minutes will feel like two seconds.’ Jake stepped forward, reached over the counter and took my hands in his.‘Especially considering I want to spend forever with her.If she’ll have me.’
My eyebrows shot up.
‘You mean…’ I couldn’t even get the words out.
‘Yep.I missed you.So much.I don’t want to be without you.I want us to be together.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes!I want itallwith you.I want forever.And one day we can have our own house with a huge garden and allotment we can both work on.’
‘Oooh,’ I groaned.‘That issohot.’
Most people wouldn’t think that a man saying he wanted a garden with them was attractive, but it was for me.I knew how much Jake loved gardening and I did too.But it was also what it represented: a long-term commitment.Spending our lives together.
‘Weeds… plants… flowers…soil…’ he growled in an overexaggerated sexy voice.
‘Oh, Jake…’ I panted dramatically.‘I love it when you talk dirty to me.’
We both tried so hard to keep up the act, but then burst out laughing.
‘I mean it, Smiley.I’m ready to start a life with you.And if that means moving to New York, so be it.Hell, I’d move to the moon if it meant being with you.You’re it for me, baby.I love you.’
A tear rolled down my cheek.
‘I love you too,’ I said.
‘Yeah?’ Jake grinned.
‘Yeah.I’ve missed you like mad,’ I added and Jake’s face lit up.‘And there’s no need to go to the moon.New York will be just fine!’
I raced from behind the counter and ran straight into Jake’s arms.
He tilted my chin up, then pressed his lips onto mine.
As our mouths moulded together, wave upon wave of happiness, joy, relief and elation washed over me.
Jake had come to find me.
