“I know this thing was only supposed to be temporary.”
“Right.”
“Well, what if we made it…untemporary?”
“Untemporary? Like permanent?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “I mean, technically it’s already real. But I mean permanent.”
“So you don’t want to end this right now?”
“Why would I want to end it?” she asks.
“Well, your dad figured it out and you’re not getting your trust, so I was worried you’d bail.”
Alice shakes her head. “Declan, the very last thing I want is to end this thing with you.”
Grabbing her ass, I lift her off the ground and push her against the side of the truck.
“The very last thingIwant is for this thing to end. I was trying to come up with a way to talk to you about making it permanent, but then everything happened.”
Her jaw ticks. “Things still feel really messy. I know I have a lot to work out with everything, but…”
“I don’t care. You are the most important person to me, Froggie, and that’s all that matters. Whatever you need from me to help heal from this, I’m here. No questions asked.”
“I feel like you’re signing on for a lot,” she says.
“Don’t care. You’remy wife. If you want me to go yell at your parents, I’ll do it. If you want me to drive you to see a therapist, I’ll do it. Kickboxing? You name it, I’ll do it.”
“This. This is why I don’t want this to end, Declan. You have my back in ways I never even knew I needed.”
“Because I love you, Froggie.”
“Say it again.”
I press in closer, dropping my mouth over hers. “I love you, Alice. More than anything else in this world. All I want is you.”
Her fingertips ghost over my lips. My cheeks. My nose. I feel her touch everywhere.
“You’ve always been my person, Declan. I love you. Maybe getting drunk in Vegas and getting married was the push you and I finally needed, but I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”
“My wife really is smart.”
She laughs. “Do you want to stay married because you like calling me your wife?”
“I mean, maybe.”
“Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of our lives?”
“Yes. Until forever.” I nod. “Calling you my wife. Loving you. Supporting you. Giving you whatever you need, Alice, because I love you.”
“I’ll be pretty happy with forever too.”
I kiss her. I don’t care that we’re in the middle of the team parking lot. Every part of me settles. Because this thing with Alice will never end.
No timelines. No deadlines. No quiet divorce after a year.
It’s only the two of us. Husband and wife.
