I gesture at the lights, the flowers, the keys in his hand. “What is all this?”
“I was going to drive to Billings.” He holds up the keys. “My mom told me where you were. I was coming to stop you from signing that lease.”
We stare at each other for a long moment.
“You were coming for me?” I whisper.
“I told myself I was going to give you space. Let you make your own choice. But I couldn’t.” He steps onto the porch, and I can see the raw emotion on his face. “I couldn’t let you go without fighting for you. Without telling you that I don’t care if you’re scared. I’m scared too. But I’d rather be scared with you than safe without you.”
Tears are streaming down my face. “I didn’t sign the lease.”
He freezes. “Okay? What’s that mean?”
“I didn’t sign it. I couldn’t. Because your mom called me and told me I was an idiot for running from the best thing that ever happened to me.”
He chuckles. “She meant well.”
“And she was right.” I take a shaky breath. “I’ve been afraid of getting hurt that I was destroying us. But I’m done being afraid, Jonah.”
“Chloe—”
“Let me finish. Please.” I step closer, and he nods. “You were right about everything. I wasn’t all in. I was keeping one foot out the door because I was terrified you’d leave me the way Derek left me. The way everyone always leaves me. But you’re not everyone. You’re the man who gets up at four a.m. to makebread. Who tries his best to read bedtime stories with different voices. Who looked at a broken woman and saw someone worth fighting for.”
“You were never broken?—”
“I was. And maybe I still am. But you make me want to be whole.” My voice cracks. “I love you, Jonah. I love you so much it terrifies me. And I know I hurt you. I know I hurt the girls. But if you’ll give me another chance, I promise —no, I swear— I will spend every day proving that I’m all in. No backup plans. No exit strategy. Just us.”
He’s staring at me like he’s afraid to believe it. “You turned down the job?”
“I called them from the car. Told them I couldn’t take it because I’m staying in Valentine. Because my home is here. My family is here.” I reach for his hand. “You’re here.”
“What about teaching? The permanent position might not be?—”
“Then I’ll substitute. I’ll wait. I don’t care.” I squeeze his hand. “I spent so long chasing a dream that I almost missed the one standing right in front of me. You and those girls, that’s my dream now. That’s all I want.”
Jonah pulls me into his arms so suddenly that I gasp, and then his mouth is on mine, kissing me like he’s been drowning and I’m air. I kiss him back with everything I have, pouring every apology, every promise, every bit of love into it.
When we finally break apart, we’re both crying.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper against his lips. “I’m so sorry for hurting you. For doubting us.”
“I’m sorry too. For giving you an ultimatum instead of fighting for you harder.” He cups my face, his thumbs wiping away my tears. “I was so scared of being hurt again that I pushed you away. Just like you said.”
“Your mom called me out on it. Said we were both idiots.”
He laughs, the sound wet and broken and perfect. “She’s not wrong.”
“So we’re both idiots in love?”
“The best kind of idiots.” He kisses me again, softer this time. “Stay. Please stay.”
“Forever,” I promise. “No more running. No more fear. Just us.”
“Chloe’s here!”
We break apart to find Ava and Mia standing in the doorway, still in their pajamas even though it’s dinnertime, staring at us with identical expressions of joy.
“You came back!” Mia runs onto the porch, crashing into my legs.
