Page 67 of Worth the Fight

“Holy shit,” he says, and when I can finally peek my eyes open, his head is resting on the pillow, eyes closed, and he looks like he’s on the verge of falling asleep.

I stare at him, at his mussed hair, his puffy lips, and tears spring to my eyes. “I love you, Lukas.”

His eyes dart open, wide awake, and the arm that he had draped over my shoulder tightens. “Tell me again.”

I smile, leaning in to kiss him as I brush the words across his lips. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

He pulls me to him, rolling onto his back and dragging me along with him. He peppers my face, my neck, my chest with kisses before both of his hands come to grip my face. “Promise.”

Pressing my hands to the bed, I push up so I can face him. “Promise.”

“Forever?”

Of course, I mean forever. I meant forever when I first told him that I loved him. I meant forever when I promised him before he deployed. I knew I’d love him forever even when I had to end our relationship. But now? Now that we’ve grown and we’ve worked our way back together, there’s no way I could ever be apart from him again.

“Forever.”

CHAPTER 32

Lukas

DECEMBER

In the months that followed my trip to France and to Mags, I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling.

I smile to myself as I fall asleep each night.

I’m smiling when Ivy wakes me up screaming at two in the morning.

I smile to myself while I feed the animals.

I smile to myself when I’m shoveling shit out of the horse barn.

I’m smiling to myself even now, as I’m blowing the thigh-deep snow in front of my parents’ house.

My family has noticed, obviously, and while they’re all happy for me, Theo won’t stop teasing. I cannot wait for the day when he falls in love for the first time. I will never let him forget these moments.

The snow hasn’t let up in three days, and even now as I plow through it, little ice crystals flick up, attaching themselves to my eyelashes and beard. The sliver of skin that’s exposed on my face is red and raw, and I’m counting down the minutes until I’m done. Until I can strip off my clothes and step into a hot shower and allow the spray to warm me up.

I’ll bet my mom is inside, making a batch of her homemade hot chocolate. A cup of that and some cookies will top off my night.

Once the last section of the driveway is clear, I power off the blower, and the hum of the motor is replaced by the whipping of the wind.

What I wouldn’t give to be back in Paris with Mags.

While they still get cold weather for wintertime over there, they barely get any snow. A light dusting, really. Something we usually see around Halloween.

I love Iowa, I do, but from now until at least the end of February, the weather is miserable.

I turn toward the house and halt when I see Theo standing on the front porch, his arms crossed over his chest and a cup of something steaming held in his palm. He looks over at me, shaking his head with an amused look on his face.

“What’s that look for?” I ask as I take the few steps to the porch, stomping my feet to knock off the excess snow from my boots.

“Nothing,” he says, bringing the mug to his lips for a slow sip. “Just never seen someone so happy to be shoveling snow before.”

“Who says I’m happy?” I reach for the mug from his palm and bring it to my lips, inhaling my mom’s hot chocolate. Perfect.

“Well, it’s a high of zero degrees today, windchill in the negative teens, and you’re out here, smiling like a giddy little schoolgirl.”