I turned toward him, propping my elbow on the back of the couch. “There’s still a lot I don’t know about him, though. I keep in touch with some of his former employees, and I’ve asked them a few things here and there, but I think I told you, most of them don’t like me that much. I know there are some secrets he would have taken to the grave, like that letter he wrote to your sister. I had no idea until you told me.”
Beckett turned, so he could see me better. “Did you ever forgive him? For taking you, I mean, when you didn’t want to go.”
I traced my thumb over his scar. “It took a long time, but yeah, I did. That doesn’t mean I ever stopped wishing for you to return to my life, but I knew I had to forgive him before I could find my own peace.”
He was quiet, and when he spoke, his voice was full of anger. “I don’t know if I can forgive her.”
I scooted closer and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “We don’t need to yet.”
“It just hurts so much, Ry. I don’t understand it.”
“I know. It hurts me too,” I said, “but I really think she regrets what she did, Beck. She had the same look in her eyes that my grandfather did the day he apologized to me.”
“She should have—"
I put a finger to his lips and waited until he looked at me to continue. “I want the last seven years back just as much as you do,” I whispered, “but we’re here now. Against all odds, you came back to me, Beck. I think that’s what really matters here, don’t you?”
He linked our fingers together but didn’t say anything.
I tried to quell the growing lump in my throat. As much as I didn’t want to bring it up, we needed to address some things before I left in the morning. The biggest one being how we were going to make this work. I couldn’t imagine a life without Beckett, but I also couldn’t imagine living in Atlanta again. The very thought of it had my anxiety spiking. Would he be willing to move to Reedsport someday? If so, what would he do for a living? There wasn’t enough crime there to keep his business afloat and besides, I wasn’t convinced that career choice was one Beckett had his heart set on anyway. It kind of felt like he just stumbled into it and stayed with it because it was something he was good at. But I also wasn’t sure he knew what hereallywanted to do, either. Maybe that was something we could figure out together.
“We have some things to talk about, Beck,” I said somberly. “Decisions to make.”
Beckett turned those gorgeous hazel eyes on me. “There’s no decision when it comes to us, Ry,” he said as he kissed me gently. “I’m in this, all the way.”
I gave him a small smile and tried to keep the sadness from my voice. “Therearedecisions because I need to go back to Reedsport tomorrow. I have orders I need to work on, but you have a business here, too.”
“I know.”
“This isn’t going to be easy.”
“I know,” he repeated, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him until I was straddling his lap. His arms were wrapped tight around my back, mine looped just as securely around his neck. “I know it’ll be hard at first, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. You want to know why?”
“Why?”
His eyes were full of such joy as he said, “Because I’m crazy in love with you, Riley.” My breath caught, but he continued on, “I want to build my life with you. I know it’ll take time to cut my lease here and figure out what to do about the business, and it will rip my heart out to leave my niece, but we’ll figure that out. She can come visit us every month or something becauseyoubelong in Reedsport andIbelong with you. I’ve grown to love Reedsport, anyway. I wouldn’t mind living there, especially if it meant waking up with you in my arms every day.”
My heart was beating wildly in my chest as I stared at him wide-eyed. Out of everything he just said, my mind was stuck on one thing.
“You just said you love me!” I blurted.
His laugh soothed me in a way nothing else could… except maybe his lips. “Yes, I did.”
“You love me,” I said again, more softly, letting it sink in. I don’t know why it surprised me so much to hear it. I’d felt it in his touch every time his lips grazed my skin and I saw it in the way he looked at me, like I was his entire universe.
But to actuallyhearit…
I knew I was doing that embarrassingly goofy grin again because Beckett was giving me the adoring look he reserved for only such moments.
“I think you’re supposed to say, ‘I love you too, Beckett,’” he whispered.
“I… you,” I stammered.
Beckett laughed and kissed my nose, then my lips, then my cheek before finally whispering in my ear, “I love you so much, Riley. I can’t wait to start a life with you.”
I held his face in both hands, even as tears of joy slid down my cheeks. I don’t know how I managed it, but I whispered, “I love you too,” just before I kissed him.
