More shouting.
"You're welcome to try," Nash says evenly. "But I think you'll find she's more stubborn than you give her credit for." He looks at me and his eyes are warm. "Wonder where she got that from."
Despite everything, I smile.
Nash hands the phone back to me. "He wants to talk to you."
"Claire—" my father starts.
"Dad, I love you. I love both of you. But I'm not leaving Blackwater Falls. I'm not leaving Nash. And if you can't accept that, then we're going to have a problem."
"Sweetheart—"
"I'm done being managed. Done being told what's best for me. I'm living my life now. My way. And I'd really like it if you could support that."
I hear him sigh. "Your mother and I just want you to be happy."
"I am happy. Happier than I've been in years."
"Because of him?"
I look at Nash. At the way he's watching me with those beautiful eyes. At the way he's sitting there, calm and solid and completely unshakeable.
"Yeah," I say softly. "Because of him."
Another sigh. Then: "We'll give him a chance. But if he hurts you—"
"He won't."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I just am, Dad. You're going to have to trust me on this. I love you both," I say. "But I need you to respect my choices. Even when you don't agree with them."
"We do trust you," my mother says. "We just worry."
"I know. But you can stop worrying. I'm okay. Better than okay."
We talk for a few more minutes. They're not happy, but they're accepting it. It's more than I hoped for. When I hang up, Nash is still watching me.
"You didn't have to do that," he says.
"Yes I did." I reach across the table and take his hand again. "You're mine, remember? I'm not letting anyone, not even my parents, make you feel like you're not good enough."
"I'm not good enough."
"Shut up. Yes you are."
He pulls me out of my chair and into his lap, and I go willingly.
"You're crazy," he murmurs against my hair.
"Crazy about you."
"That was terrible."
"I know."
We sit there in his kitchen, wrapped around each other, while the morning sun streams through the windows.
