“Where did Stephanie and Taryn go?” Sarabeth stood at the end of the booth. She laid the keys on the table. “Are they coming back?”
Cooper held my gaze. “They left us alone. Because we have things we need to discuss.”
“Oh, well, I’ll leave you alone. Did you want to order?”
“Two burgers, fully loaded.” Cooper’s gaze was uncertain.
He needn’t be. Fifties had the best burgers in all of Cedar Valley. And I’d enjoyed the loaded burger the last time we’d been here.
I broke eye contact to meet Sarabeth’s inquisitive gaze. “And a strawberry milkshake to share.”
She scooped up all the menus. “You got it.” With a grin, she was gone.
Cooper pocketed his keys, then snagged my hand. “Can you say it now? Or do we need somewhere private?”
The diner was only half full, given we were in at three o’clock in the afternoon. Soon, though, the dinner rush would start. “Private can wait. I think if I don’t say this now, I might lose my nerve. But, I’ve got lots inside me. I guess to sum it all up, I can’t stop thinking of you, and I want to be with you always.”
His gorgeous blue eyes widened. “Really?”
“I even…” I drew a deep breath. “I’ve looked at real estate here in Mission City. Way cheaper than downtown Toronto, that’s for sure. I’m also thinking of hanging out my own shingle. Starting my own practice. There’s a huge entertainment industry in Vancouver. I do mostly contracts, which I can write from anywhere. A few meetings downtown a couple of times a month—”
“You could take the commuter train.”
“I could take the commuter train.” I smiled. “We could even take it together.”
He pulled his lip through his teeth. “You…you would do that? For me?”
“For us. Will you give us a chance?”
“One milkshake divvied up. Here are your straws and cutlery, and I’m just going to leave this here and take off.”
Before I could thank her, Sarabeth was hustling back toward the kitchen.
I turned my attention back to Cooper. “Well?”
“Of course.” His face broke into the biggest grin. “I love you.”
“You do?” I frowned. “How do you know?”
He pressed a hand to his chest “That terrible pain in my heart for the past three weeks? That’s how I know.”
“Oh? You too?”
“Yep.” He squeezed my hand. “Can I kiss you?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
He scooted out of the booth, came to my side, and held out his hand.
I took it and let him pull me up.
He pulled me into an embrace.
Our lips met.
All was right in the world.
Epilogue
