Page 71 of Surrender

"It's kind of a hike from campus, but I'll stop by and order from Jose a few days a week. I swear, I've never tasted anything better."

I raise an eyebrow at her playfully, biting into my taco. She catches my meaning and laughs, covering her mouth with her taco, and nudging me with her shoulder. "You know what I mean," she teases back, and this fun, flirty version of Serenity is everything my heart could want. To see her living so freely, and happy, when less than a year ago she was a walking bundle of nerves fills me with a proud satisfaction.

She is everything I never knew I needed. Before Serenity, things were fine. Running The Envelope was my life, and I had a handful of compatible sexual partners, but I realize now that I was merely going through the motions. Serenity brought color into my black and white life. Her innocence, joy, her fresh look on life, her genuine love for simple things, her ability to find pleasure in everyday activities. She lives her life like it's one of her romance novels, and I'm honored to be the main male character in her story. Being able to watch her grow, chase her dreams, embrace the different aspects of the ADHD brain, and write her own love story is a gift I'm not sure she even knows she's giving me.

And maybe that's the moment I realize that I would wait forever for her if she asked. I want her forever. I want the honor to walk alongside her as she builds a beautiful life, and no amount of time is going to change that. I realize she was right. Maybe we both needed to be tested to know that this is what we truly want. I needed to learn how to give up the control she so easily gave me, and she needed to learn how to walk on her own two feet.

And then I get it. If Daniel's Nell was my Serenity, now I get why he can't move on.

I can't force her to love me or want me. I can't keep her captive if I truly love her. And whether she comes back to me today, tomorrow, or ten years from now, I know I'll wait for her. Because she's it for me. There will never be anyone like Serenity.

No one would be able to give me such trust, vulnerability, love, care, thoughtfulness, and joy that she brings me.

So, if I need to eat street tacos from a guy named Jose for the sheer gift that Serenity brings to my life, so be it.

Chapter forty-two

Declan

Iopen my front door, ready to jog to Serenity's apartment, only to find the object of my thoughts standing on my walkway.

She's bouncing excitedly on her toes and in her hand is a leash, the other end attached to a chubby chocolate lab I've never seen before.

She hands me the leash and I can't help but return her happy smile.

She steps back and I'm about to ask her where she stole a dog from, when she steps forward again and kneels, petting the happy dog.

"Oh my gosh, your dog is so cute!"

I smile at the brilliant girl before me. She's devised another meet cute for our story. Then, I do wonder where she stole the dog from.

"What's his name?" She asks, petting the panting dog behind the ears.

I check his collar and find a tag there. "Hank, apparently."

"It's so weird when people give dogs human names."

"I agree completely."

She stares up at me from where she's kneeling, and I fall a little more in love with her. She subtly nods her head in the direction of where we run.

Right. The scene.

"We were just about to go for a run, would you like to join us?"

"I'd love to! Thank you. The park is beautiful this time of year."

We turn to begin our run but before we take off, I lean forward and whisper into her ear. "But please tell me you didn't buy a dog just for this?"

She shakes her head, chuckling lowly, the scent of her freesia shampoo is a comfort. "The animal shelter on M street lets volunteers take their dogs for runs so they get some socialization and exercise. I'm just borrowing him for today."

Satisfied, we start our run together. She's gained a lot of endurance since the first time we ran together nearly six months ago now. We jog together in comfortable silence, and I watch her from the corner of my eye, loving her company.

She's so fucking beautiful, and charming, and sweet. It's a side of her I've never seen before. I've seen anxious Serenity, and scared and serious, even happy. But right now, in the early Spring sun, she's fucking radiant.

We finish up our run back at the house and I'm tempted to invite her in. Magda's been asking about her, and the house feels empty without her in it, but I know that's not what she wants. She wants cute stories to tell our grandkids, so I do what feels like the most unnatural thing in the world and watch her walk away.

But that starts our morning runs together. Every morning, she meets me with Hank, and we run our normal lap together, chatting easily and falling a little more in love.

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