“But you… Everyone said you’d gone—”
“You listenin’ to all that blatherin’?” He shook his head. “Just went back to pack up, sweetness. And to get Momma, but we were comin’ back. We were always plannin’ to come back.” He slipped his fingers around her neck. “I couldn’t leave you again, Willowtree. No threat was great enough to get me to go this time.”
But last time, it had been. She and her daddy’d had a long talk, where she’d listened as he’d confessed every detail of what he’d done all those years ago. Her momma had sat next to her, anger and disappointment cloaking every bit of her body. He’d told them of what he’d done back then, and what he’dtriedto do now. She hated her daddy for forcing Finn’s hand. For making him choose between jail time for a crime he didn’t commit, leaving his brother to fend for their sick momma, or leaving Havenbrook with enough cash to help his momma get better but leaving Willow behind. She couldn’t begin to fathom having to make that choice—between the love of your life and the person whogaveyou life. She wasn’t sure she could.
She squeezed his hand. “My daddy told me. All of it.” She took a deep breath, dropping her eyes before meeting his gaze once again. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen before, when you tried to tell me. I’m sorry—”
He tutted, pressing his thumb to her lips to silence her. “Now, you’ve got nothin’ to be sorry about. This was all on me. I made a mistake—a whole damn lot of them, actually—and this lands squarely on my shoulders.”
“But Daddy—”
“He had a hand in it, yeah. He was the one who put everything in motion, but I was the one who walked down the path.” He removed his thumb from her mouth and slid his hand around so he cupped her face. “I wanna get that right out in the open. I don’t want to keep any more secrets from you. If we’re gonna make this thing work—and,Jesus, I really want to make this thing work—I need you to know everything. Will you let me tell you?”
If that was what they needed to start fresh, she’d do it. The truth was, she’d already forgiven him. But it seemed like he needed to get this off his chest, so she simply nodded.
Blowing out a deep breath, he relaxed his shoulders. “I wish things had gone differently. I wish I hadn’t had to leave in the first place, but I can’t say I’d go back and change it if I had the chance. It allowed Momma to get the treatment she needed—something I’m not sure we’d have been able to do while stayin’ here. And I wouldn’t chance that again, even if it meant I had to rip out my own heart and leave you behind.”
He stepped closer, bringing their bodies flush. Brushed his thumbs along her jaw as he lowered his head to stare directly in her eyes. “But I want you to know, Willowtree, I’m never, ever leavin’ again. If you say yes—if you want to do this thing with me—I want you to know what you’re signing up for. This is it. Me by your side for the rest of my life. I love you. So damn much. Havealwaysloved you. And this time, it really will take Jesus himself to pull me away.”
She’d believed him the last time, and he’d taken her trust in him and ripped it to shreds. But things were different now—she could see that in the way he looked at her. And he’d proven it, hadn’t he? He hadn’t succumbed to her daddy’s threats a second time. Had given back every bit of the money her daddy had paid him off with. Had come back, put everything he had on the line for another chance with her, despite the possible outcome. Because that was what you did when you were in love. Soul-crushing, mind-bending, all-consuming love.
She licked her lips, her gaze dropping to his. She wanted to feel those on hers with an ache she could hardly ignore. “I just have one question.”
“Anything. You can ask me anything, and I’ll be honest with you. I swear it.”
“How’d you get everyone to keep quiet about this? About the name of the bar and about you bein’ back in town?”
His entire body must’ve been coiled tight waiting for her question, because everything in him seemed to relax on an exhale as he smiled. “Bribed every one of those meddlers with a free first round.”
She breathed out a laugh and shook her head. “And Mac and Avery?”
“One round wasn’t enough for them, so I’m afraid I’m indebted to them both indefinitely.”
She tsked. “Tough luck there. I sure hope it was worth it.”
“Oh, sweetness. Don’t you know by now you’re worth absolutely everything to me?”
He leaned down, pressed his lips to hers. And she did know. Knew it was the same for him as it was for her. Knew it’d take a force of nature to tear them apart again. Because as soon as their lips touched, everything inside her shifted into place. Settled and calmed, while at the same time sparking anew and coming to life.
A life she couldn’t wait to share with Finn.
EPILOGUE
At nineteen, Finn never could’ve imagined his life would look like this. Ripped from the only girl he’d ever loved, with a sick momma, a brother just as lost as he was, and a fire burning under his skin to simply survive, he’d had no idea just how far they would manage to come.
And just who’d be by his side once he got where he was going.
He glanced at Willow across the bar. She still took his goddamn breath away every time he caught her eye. Every time she tipped her lips up in his direction, every time she reached for him, every time he woke in the morning with her cradled in his arms.
He figured he was the luckiest bastard on the planet.
They’d had plans tonight—a trip to the tree house to celebrate three months of business ownership. It’d been a rough three months—lots of long hours and stumbles as they’d found their footing with employees and figuring out how to run a business. But Willow had been there with him, had stood by his side through it all. Hadn’t complained when he’d had to work sixteen-hour days, when the only time she’d seen him had been for fifteen minutes on her lunch break.
And finally, tonight he was taking an evening off. The three owners had agreed they’d each have a night off this week to decompress and celebrate their success…awayfrom the bar.
But fate, it seemed, had different plans for him tonight.
Willow looked up and shot him an apologetic look, but he merely shrugged. He wasn’t asshole enough to demand they go out while her sister drowned her sorrows in vodka—who knew Miss Prim and Proper was a hard liquor kind of girl? Sure as hell not him. But he didn’t blame her for downing one shot after another.
