I gave Nova a kiss and told her to have fun, then turned to face Weston. “Please tell me you don’t have plans.”
He smiled softly. “Just with you and Scout.”
I took a deep inhale, thankful I had at least someone to spend the rest of my afternoon with. We started toward the parking lot with our arms full of bags. Weston put Cutter’s stuff in his truck and then surprised the hell out of me when he kissed me in the parking lot.
“Oh, wow, um . . .”
He giggled. “I’m going to run home and let Scout out. Then I’ll be over.”
“With pizza?”
Weston nodded, winked, and headed toward his truck. I climbed into my car and made the drive back to town by myself, listening to a self-help audiobook about moving past grief and growing positively. It had been easy to start with the hate when I’d found out Miri was sick, but after a while, the negativity of it all had weighed so heavily on me that I felt drained.
I followed Weston all the way back to town and to the road we lived on. He honked as he continued toward his house. I pulled into the driveway and stared at the house. Summer was approaching, and a decision needed to be made—not only about here but about my job. The company wasn’t going to continue to let me work remotely, even though there hadn’t been an interruption in how much business I was bringing in.
The thought of giving up Miri’s dream home hurt my heart, and I couldn’t imagine parting with the money pit. I got out of the car, took Nova’s bag into the house, went to the refrigerator, took out the bottle of wine I had chilling in there, and poured two glasses. I carried them both to the front porch, set one down for Weston, and then sat in the rocking chair.
I looked out over the yard at the blooming flowers Cutter, Nova, and I had planted, and the ones Miri had planted. The flower beds were colorful and full of life, exactly the way she would’ve wanted. Tomorrow, we’d go visit her at the cemetery and take Miri fresh flowers. Her marker had finally arrived, and the sexton said he’d have it installed today.
Weston’s truck turned into the driveway. He got out and sauntered over to the porch. I tilted my head back when he came near; he leaned down to kiss me fully.
“You taste sweet.”
“That’s a compliment I’ve never had before.”
He laughed and sat in the other rocker. “This for me?”
“No, it’s for my other boyfriend.” The word slipped through my lips, and I smiled at the sound of it.
“Is that what I am?”
I shrugged. “Do you always stick your tongue in your friends’ mouths when you see them?”
Weston cracked up. “No, just yours. I’m good with being your boyfriend.” He picked up the glass of wine and took a sip. “I ordered pizza for delivery.”
“Ah, I was going to ask where the food is.”
He shook his head. “You and your love of pizza.”
“It’s a talent. I know.” I took a sip.
“Boyfriend, huh?” he questioned after a minute.
“Is that okay?” I supposed we should talk about it.
“More than okay,” he said. “I know this isn’t the time for big declarations, but Antonia ... when I look at you, I see the woman who dropped everything to fight for her best friend. I see someone who stepped up to raise two kids without hesitation. You don’t just love Cutter and Nova; you became their safe harbor. And for the first time in my life, I want to be someone’s safe harbor too. I want to be yours.”
“Weston ...” I breathed, my voice barely audible. The words this man had spoken made my knees shake. “If you keep saying things like that, I’m going to fall so hard for you that there’s no coming back from it.”
“Good,” he said with a playful smirk dancing on his lips. “Because I’m already there.”
Weston stood with his glass of wine, took my hand in his, and led me into the house. Thankfully, I had the forethought to grab my glass before I was rushed inside.
“What are you doing?”
“This,” he said as he kicked the door closed and put our glasses down on the sideboard. His hands were warm against my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheekbones with a tenderness that made my breathhitch. His brown eyes burned into mine, filled with something raw, something fierce, something that sent a shiver racing down my spine.
Then his lips crashed into mine.
