‘Yes. But you were right about the ending. I think it could be grander and happier. Perhaps the hero tells the heroine that he’s madly in love with her, she’s the only one he wants forever with and then he can ask her to move in with him.’
‘But he’d already sold his flat in the book?’ She frowned.
‘Oops, my bad. I must be getting the happy ending confused with what I’d like to happen in our real-life love story, then.’ I smiled.
‘What?’ Sarah swallowed hard. ‘You mean…?’
‘Yes, Sarah. I love you. So fucking much it hurts.’ I took her hands in mine and squeezed them tight.
‘Youloveme?’ She frowned.
‘Completely, truly, madly, deeply. I’ve been utterly miserable since I left because I missed you. And I want to be with you. Forever. You’re it for me.’
‘I love you too,’ she said and when I saw the sincerity in her eyes, I swear my heart quadrupled in size.
Fuck.
If I wasn’t careful it was going to expand so much it’d burst out of my chest.
‘Christ, Sarah, you really know how to make a man feel ten feet tall.’ I grinned. ‘I was a fool not to realise how much I loved you sooner. My brothers gave me a kick up the arse to help me see sense. But when I finished reading what you’d written, that’s when the reality properly hit home.’
‘I was going to call you tomorrow. To tell you that I didn’t want to give up without trying. You’re worth fighting for, Ben.’
Hearing those words… wow.
I didn’t cry easily, but I was already welling up.
Despite feeling like I wanted to blub like a bloody newborn baby, I had to get everything off my chest before I lost my nerve.
‘Reading your words made me see that just like you can write a different ending for your book,Ican write a different outcome forourlove story,’ I added. ‘I’mthe master of my fate. I could either choose to close the book on love forever,orI could hit delete on the crappy ending that I gave us when I left and we could work together to create a different outcome. That’s what I want, Sarah. A happy ending.’
‘Sorry, but you’ll have to pay extra for that.’ She smiled.
‘What?’
‘You said you wanted ahappy ending. Like, y’know…’
‘Oh my God! Get your mind out of the gutter, Jeffries!’ I fought the grin that was threatening to break out. ‘I was trying to have a serious moment with you and you decided to make a joke?’
‘Sorry!’ She winced. ‘You’re right! I’m just so damn happy! It was a nervous reaction. You can’t tell me you love me and want forever with me and not expect me to lose my shit. And come on, you have to admit it was alittlebit funny!’
‘Yes.’ I wrapped my arms around her waist. ‘I’ll give you that. It was rather humorous. You should write a romantic comedy,’ I teased.
‘Good one!’ She smiled again. ‘But seriously, I love everything you said. And I agree. We can make our own ending. We’re so good together, Ben, and I know we’ll find a way to make it work and be happy, forever.’
‘I’m so relieved that you agree.’ My shoulders loosened.
‘So you really loved myalmostbook? It seems like too much to ask that I get to be with youandthat you think my first attempt at being an author is decent.’
‘Yes! I really loved it. I’ve got some suggestions for improvements, but maybe we could discuss that afterwards.’
‘After what?’
‘After I kiss you and take you toourflat, where we belong.’
Sarah smiled, stood on tiptoe, looked up at me, then pressed her lips onto mine.
And as soon as our mouths connected, I knew that I was finally home.
