“You know I’ll do anything for you,” I said.
His gaze softened. “The feeling’s mutual.”
Behind us, Bailey’s car started up and left. We both turned to watch as he drove down the bumpy lane toward the highway.
“Well, that’s that. My little brother is all grown up. My other brothers are settled and happy.”
“You’resettled and happy too, aren’t you?”
He glanced at me, surprised. “The happiest, Shy. Thanks to you.”
“I think you had a little something to do with it too.”
“Hmm. Maybe,” he mused. “But I’m trying to be less of a control freak and acknowledge the roles other people play in my life.”
“Just don’t change too much. I like your bossiness.”
“Good.” He chuckled. “Because I’ve got plans for you.”
“Tonight, you mean?”
“Tonight and every other night for the rest of our lives.”
My heart skittered. I knew he wasn’t speaking about sex, but about us, our relationship, the life we were building together.
He loved me. I knew he did. But there was a promise of something even stronger in his gaze. The promise of a future together, of growing old, of being out on this porch in our forties, our sixties, our eighties.
Together until the end.
I leaned in to graze his lips with mine, heart bursting with love.
“That sounds perfect.”
