“He already did.” He extends his hand and I’m instantly clutching it, holding on to him for dear life. “Piper and I will be leaving now.”
“Jake…”
“Go up to your room and pack a bag,” he tells me. “I’ll be right behind you.”
My feet don’t want to move. I just want to stay here with him. If I let go of his hand, I might spin off into the darkness and never see him again.
“You won’t take my daughter from me,” I hear Mom say. Jake looks at me and smiles, nods, and gently takes my hand from his.
“Go on. Everything will be fine.”
He kisses me, and that’s when something inside me comes alive. This kiss, right in front of my mom, changes everything. We’re out in the open now. He’s claimed me publicly and refused to back down.
How could I ever have doubted him?
I hear my mom shouting at him as I rush upstairs—something about me only being eighteen and having plans to go to school in the spring. But their voices fade as I enter my room and start throwing my clothes into a suitcase.
This is really happening. We’re leaving. I should be freaking out, but if Jake says everything will be okay, then everything will be okay. I believe him. I trust him.
The last speck of doubt I had has vanished. I belong to him now, wholly and fully. And I don’t care where he’s taking me. I’d live in a tent in the woods if it meant being with him.
When I get downstairs, I see Jake standing face to face with his father. They both look ready to hit each other, so I rush over quickly and take his arm.
“I’m ready,” I whisper.
Paul looks at me and scowls. He looks like I’ve betrayed him—stolen something from him. If only he understood just how much I love his son…
“I hope you come around, Dad,” Jake says, wrapping his strong arm around me. “I hope you realize that your son’s happiness is more important than your precious reputation.”
“Iwantyou to find happiness, son,” Dad replies. “But going to jail? Sleeping with your step-sister? That is not how you find it.”
“Piperismy happiness.”
My heart leaps, and Jake turns, tugs the door open, and leads me out to his car. I slide in, gasping deep breaths of air to try and calm down. We pull away, and I glance in the rearview mirror as we pull out of the driveway.
For some reason, it really hits me just how big the estate is, and I realize the enormity of what Jake is leaving behind.
“You gave it all up,” I whisper, grasping his hand for comfort. “For me?”
“Of course I did.” He smiles, kissing me gently on the cheek. “All the money in the world couldn’t keep me away from you.”
EPILOGUE
JAKE
Four years later…
I set my saw aside and look out the window of the barn over to the cabin. A light glows from the corner window on the second floor. My son, Josh’s room.
Piper put him down tonight. I’ve been out here working on a set of stools I have to deliver by the end of the week. It’s been a long process, but the money is incredibly good and will go straight into materials to repair the back porch.
Gus sold us the cabin three years ago after letting us stay a whole year without charging us rent. He saw the situation we were in, and being the great guy that he is, came through for us.
I busted my ass at work. Piper and I scraped by, eating lots of ramen, and eventually managed to pull together a down payment. Now it’s ours. Our forever home.
Despite Dad cutting me off, I managed to eventually open my own studio. Piper took care of Josh while I worked and built up my customer base. I never could have done it without her.
I chose her, and she was worth it. She’s my everything.
