She—climbed over Stella like the woman was a piece of furniture and flung the door open. She stumbled when she landed, and I was on my feet, as if I could get to her fast enough to catch her before she fell.
I couldn’t, but instinct told me otherwise.
Luckily, she caught herself.
“You painted it pink!” she exclaimed, gesturing toward the house almost violently.
“Yeah.” I started putting my hands in my pockets, trying to calm my nerves.
Emmy hurried up the stairs, tripping again as she reached the bottom one. My hands snapped out in time to catch her hip, steadying her before she threw herself into my arms and hugged me tightly.
“It’s perfect, Finn,” she breathed, her grip iron.
“Call us if you need a ride!” Stella yelled from the truck.
“I won’t!” Emmy called back.
Abby opened the vehicle’s back door long enough to drop a couple of bags that I assumed belonged to my mate, before they pulled away.
Emmy’s eyes were wet as they met mine. “I can’t believe you painted your cabin for me.”
“Someone told me it was depressing.”
Emmy laughed, dashing tears away with the back of her hand. She was crying again, which was fucking terrifying, but her smilewas so brilliant I could tell they were happy tears. “She sounds like a bitch.”
“Nah, she just loves pink.” I kissed her lightly.
“I really—is that a cake?” She pushed me away, rushing over to it
I turned toward her but stayed where I was as she picked up the folder I’d left on top of the cake.
She looked over her shoulder at me, her lips parted in a perfect circle after she saw the logo on the front.
Moon Ridge Elementary.
“I know you’re not ready to move here, but I wanted to at least see if they were hiring for the next school year. They insisted on giving me an offer after they heard how long you survived teaching kindergarten and looked you up. You wouldn’t be starting until late August, if you wanted the job, and the pay probably isn’t as great as it could be because Moon Ridge’s classes are pretty small, but?—”
She dropped the folder on the cake and walked back to me in two steps.
Then grabbed my paint-stained t-shirt in both fists. “You painted your house pink for me, found me a job, and made me a cake?” she demanded.
“Yeah.” I grimaced. “It sounds desperate, but?—”
“You’re in love with me,” she said, her fists tightening in my shirt. “Don’t even try to deny it. You wouldn’t go to all this trouble if you didn’t love me. It’s not desperate. It’s thoughtful, and sweet, and perfect, Finn. I’m in love with you too.”
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed me, hard.
I held her hips, pulling her closer and parting her lips with my tongue.
Shock warred with something that felt a hell of a lot like hope.
Iwasin love with her.
She was in love with me too. Mymate. My whole fucking world.
I never would’ve expected to actually want a mate bond, but now, I would do whatever the hell it took to keep ours.
Emmy pulled away. “We should eat the cake.”
