Page 71 of An Ex Affair

“Say yes!” I heard Warrick shout from somewhere on the sidewalk.

A few others shouted the same thing, until the entire town of Blueball began to chant, “Yes, yes, yes!”

It hit me like a freight train as my knee began to ache jammed into the pavement and the whole town stood watching. If Colson said no, I could be more humiliated than I’d ever been in my entire life. If I thought being fired from my show was humiliating, this would be a thousand times worse.

Colson gave his head a little shake and pulled me to my feet. His hand stayed on my elbow, his frown just as severe. “What about the show?” he asked in a low voice that I could only hear.

“I turned them down. Repeatedly. I don’t want it. I want to stay here and work with Em and Savannah and Pip.” I reached up to cup his face, hoping he believed me. “I want a simple life with my friends, family, andyou.”

“But I’ll resign. I don’t care. I’ll go with you.”

My thumbs stroked the edges of his stupidly handsome mustache. “I love that you’d be willing to give all that up, but I still say no. No to anything except staying here in Blueball with you.”

Colson’s eyes shifted back and forth on mine, as if to confirm I told the truth. I knew the moment he believed me. He exhaled, long and low, his shoulders coming away from his ears. Peace. Contentment. I’d finally been able to give him that.

“Then I say yes.”

“Yes?” I squealed, making sure I understood.

His smile could have knocked a girl to her knees. “It’s always been yes when it comes to you.”

He leaned down and kissed me, then tipped me over his arm and took the kiss to a whole new level. Not even Hollywoodkisses by the two hottest A-listers could compete with this one. The cheers and sirens faded away and all I knew were Colson’s arms around my waist, his lips turning my body into one giant flame of desire, and his heart thumping out the same rhythm as mine.

The drops of water hitting our skin were the only thing that made us break apart. I gasped as Colson stood me upright. He tilted his head back and let the rain fall on his face, a giant grin plastered there. I looked over to see Captain standing by the nearest fire hydrant, letting the water gush out into the air like a geyser. Kids pulled and tugged their parents, beginning to jump and splash in the water, cooling off on this warm summer night.

Warrick, Em, Savannah, Pip, Joey, Gabi, Mama, and Gigi surrounded us, offering hugs and congratulations. Someone turned off the siren and the manager of You Got Served shouted from the doorway that there was free ice cream. It wasn’t exactly free. I’d given her my black Amex card today and told her to keep scooping. Cheers rang out and everyone shouted their congratulations, making an impromptu party in the middle of Main Street for our engagement.

And to think I gave all this up years ago. I was certainly a dumbass back then.

“Wait!” I pushed my way through our family to get back to Colson. “I didn’t give you the ring!” I grabbed his hand and slid his wedding ring back on his finger. It was a tighter fit now, but I got it mostly on there.

Colson pulled me further aside where we could hear each other, wrapping his arm around my waist to pull me tight. His fingers swept from my shoulder down to my left hand. He held my hand out where he could see the redness on my finger. “What is this?”

I winced. “I got a matching constellation tattoo.” My left ring finger matched the tattoo he’d gotten when we were eighteen.

Colson’s head dropped. When it came back up, there was a sheen of tears in his eyes. He bent, kissed my finger gently, and stared at it like he couldn’t believe I’d done it.

“I’d slay dragons for you too, hotshot,” I whispered. “Are you sure you’re okay with me swapping gender roles and proposing to you in front of the whole town?” He was a big, bad firefighter, after all. I was sure the guys would give him crap for it later.

Colson just smiled and shook his head slowly. “I don’t give a shit what roles we play as long as we’re together. Took me a long time to listen, but I’m not messing this up again. It’s you and me, Tully. Always.”

I snuggled further into his chest. “You should check the engraving on your ring.”

“What does it say?”

I smiled up at my ex-husband-soon-to-be-again-husband. “Forever.”

His grin set my sandals on fire. “Finally.”

And then he kissed me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Colson

I waiteduntil Tully started twitching. It was her signal that she was waking up, making me feel like I knew her better than I knew myself. I’d been awake for hours already, glowing in the knowledge that we were back and stronger than ever, and making plans for us. Last night, Captain insisted I take the day off, which I took him up on. I wasn’t ready to be away from Tully, even for a simple shift at work.

When Tully let out a yawn, I held my hand in the air, moving it this way and that in the sunlight streaming through the windows of the carriage house. She froze, then shifted her head to stare at me. Her hair had gone curlier last night with all that water from the fire hydrant spraying in the air like a fine mist. I fuckin’ loved it.

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