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"I missed my big rom-com airport confession?"

I laughed. "'Fraid so."

"With the running? And the dramatic declaration of undying love in front of a bunch of strangers?"

"That was the general idea."

"I can’t believe this.” She looked genuinely devastated.

"Sorry, sweetheart."

Her eyes lifted to mine. "Can we pretend this never happened? I'll go back to the airport, and you can come declare your undying love for me?"

"Should I bring flowers?"

"Absolutely."

"Maybe hire a string quartet?"

She covered her ears. "There has to be some surprises."

I laughed and scooped her into my arms. She squealed. "Damon! What are you doing?"

I stalked down the hall. “Baby, I'll go anywhere you want. Do anything you want. Hell, I'll stand in the middle of an airport and sing a love song if that's what makes you happy."

"Please don't sing."

"Fair. But first, we're taking a shower."

Her eyes sparkled. "A shower?"

"Yep."

"Together?"

"You think I’m letting you out of my sight?"

She grinned, winding her arms tighter around my neck. "I think I can agree to those terms."

I kissed her. And for the first time, I wasn't kissing her hoping she'd finally choose me. I was kissing the woman who already had.

The woman who'd come back. Who'd stayed. Who loved me.

And if I had anything to say about it, I was going to spend the rest of my life making damn sure she never regretted it.

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER

The Deviled Egg Incident of 2019

Mikayla

Privacy in Valentine Bay was a myth.

Right up there with unicorns, calorie-free cheesecake, and the idea that Damon Lockhart could walk past me without touching some part of my body.

I'd been living here for six months, and I'd learned that the town had three favorite hobbies. Gossiping. Feeding people. And involving themselves in relationships that were absolutely none of their business.