Page 84 of Unexpected Love

“Just so we’re clear. You’re stuck with me now. There’s no going back after this,” Gage mumbles against me, resting his lips on my forehead.

“Good. I don’t want to go back from this. I’m exactly where I want to be.”

The feelof Gage stroking my back wakes me a few hours later.

“Hmm,” I hum, nuzzling my head further into the crook of his neck as I lay across his chest. “Why are you awake?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He lifts his head to kiss my bare shoulder.

“It’s fine.” I lift my head to look at him. “Is everything okay?”

He studies me for a second before he flips us, his body blanketing mine. “Do you know how mind-blowing it is that we found each other? How mind-blowing it is that we fell in love with each other?” His eyes bounce between mine. “There are over 8.2billionpeople in the world, and we found each other. How insane is that?”

I swallow, the love in his eyes shining through bright as the morning sun. “There’s no guarantee this is it for us,” I whisper.“This is still new. We’re still learning about each other. We could wake up tomorrow and realize this isn’t right.”

He studies me, really thinking about his response before flipping us again. His arms move around me, gliding up my back and holding us chest to chest. I have to arch my back to maintain eye contact with how close he holds me. “I don’t believe that for a second. I know you always planned on getting married and having babies, and I know before everything happened with that bastard, you were open to the idea of meeting someone you could spend your life with. But no one even sparked a hint of interest in you.”

He removes one of his hands around me to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. “And I honestly thought romantic love was something people forced themselves into because that’s what they were supposed to do. But that is the farthest thing from the truth.” He slides his hand from my cheek down my neck and shoulder before curving it around my body to hold me close again.

“You’re Monday mornings and hikes with my brothers. You’re family dinners and hanging out with Walt. You’re spaghetti and meatballs and the color green. You are all my favorite things, and I can’t believe I found you.”

I let my head fall forward and rest against his chest, breathing in his sage and sandalwood scent. “If you don’t stop talking like that, I’ll become a blubbering mess.” His chest muffles my voice, but I know he hears me when I feel it rumble.

I knew I loved him back in his mother’s kitchen just a few hours ago, but if there was even an ounce of doubt before, it’s gone now.

I lift my head and meet his eyes again. “I don’t know how to follow up a speech like that. I don’t know how you always have the right words, but I can’t think of anything other than I love you.”

“Oh, Rebel. Those are the only words I need.” And then his lips are on mine in a hungry kiss.

thirty-four

AVA

“All right!You guys are closing up, right?” Quinn asks as she marches through the doors of Falls Book Haven a week later. Emily right behind her, shaking her head in exasperation.

“I told her we should have given you a heads up, but she was adamant about doing it her way.”

“What are you talking about?” I laugh as I grab the trash from behind the counter.

“We’re having a ladies’ night,” Quinn declares. Since moving in with my brother, she’s become more carefree and open with everyone in her life, and I couldn’t love it more.

“You’ve been hiding out at Gage’s and the Anderson Farm. Which is totally valid.” She throws her hands up in the air to stop any arguments. “I know you’re trying to avoid your parents and Brian, and Gage is being very protective of you, but I think it would be good for you to get out for a bit. And you”—she points at Abbey behind the register—“I know we were too far apart in school to hang out before, but these two don’t shut up about you, and I feel like I’m missing out. So you have to join us as well.”

I’ve been working the evening shift with Abbey for the last week. While I’m not likely to work this shift often, Abbey thought it would be a good idea for me to know the ropes in case they needed me to fill in. And while she’s used to Gage coming in near the end of my shifts to hang out before heading home, this is out of the blue.

“Oh, um…”

“What if we already have plans?” I jump in, trying to give Abbey a second to catch up with Quinn.

“I already talked to Gage; you don’t have any plans.”

“Invasive much,” I tease.

“Only because I love you,” she returns instantly.

Abbey shifts behind the counter, pulling our attention to her. “Where were you thinking?”

“Oh, we figured we’d go to Murphy’s. This one has a soft spot for Walt.” Emily throws her thumb over her shoulder at me.

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