Page 115 of Stirring Up Love
Simone eased closer, her breathing quick. “You’re not the only one who messed up. I lashed out because I was scared of how good we are together. I pulled away because I was so terrified of everyone finding out the truth.”
She slipped her hand up along the doorway to cover his. “The truth is you’re my favorite adversary. And the only person in the world I ever want to lose to, because I lost my heart to you. And I’d gladly lose it all over again, every day of my life, because I love you.”
Finn’s heart stopped beating. “What?”
“I said, I love you. How could I not? You’re so perfectly lovable.”
He pulled her close. “Can I kiss you now?”
“You can kiss me always.”
Always sounded pretty darn perfect.
CHAPTER 42
SIMONE ANDFINN
One year later
Simone and Finn carried the rough-hewn wood table across the room to create a long banquet-style table. Gone were the Formica-topped relics, replaced by these gorgeous tables Erika, a local woodworker, had fashioned from reclaimed barnwood. Another small step toward her big vision.
Today they’d invited friends and family for a celebration. Finn’s first class of students had finished the program a week ago, and they’d planned the graduation party to coincide with the one-month anniversary of her boutique’s opening.
The extra income from selling local goods in the restaurant and the wider customer base had paid for a lease on the retail space next door. She’d had to leave the wall of mirrors in place from its former life as a dance studio, but she now owned a store and a restaurant in the town she loved, her hometown. Spent each day in a life she’d always dreamed of—messier than she’d planned, but even more beautiful.
Especially when she looked up and met Finn’s gorgeous brown eyes, the warm smile she’d stopped trying to resist.
Across the room, her grandpa popped a bottle of sparkling cider and poured it into plastic champagne flutes. Finn brought one to Simone, which she accepted with a quick kiss, then passed the cider back to him just as quickly. “One minute ...”
She dashed out the front door and into the shop next door. Haleigh was arranging the latest shipment of necklaces from Chantal. The first few orders had sold out in weeks, and these newest ones featured tiny dinosaur charms in a nod to the museum. Simone flipped the sign toClosedas Haleigh glanced up, a puzzled look on her face.
“The party’s getting started,” Simone said. “C’mon over for dinner and cookies!”
Haleigh stayed put. “But you said never, under any circumstances, to leave the shop during business hours.”
“I did, didn’t I? Well, rules are meant to be broken. And if anyone stops by, I’ll hang a sign to send them over to the restaurant.” She stepped behind the counter and scribbled out a quick note, then taped it to the door.
Last year she would’ve been appalled it wasn’t typed up. She’d come a long way, thanks in part to Finn’s influence. “There.”
But when she looked up, Haleigh was already halfway down the sidewalk. Hard to resist the lure of barbecue and her sister’s cookies. She locked the door and made her way back to Honey and Hickory, accepting hugs of congratulation from latecomers outside the front door.
Finn was waiting by the counter, eyebrows raised. “Who’s running the store?”
“I closed it down early. A wise-ish person once told me—”
“I heard the ‘ish,’” he said.
“You were meant to.” She grinned. “Like I was saying, a guy with a good handle on life told me it’s okay to go with the flow sometimes. And this is a big day.”
“Sure is!” Pops came over with his cup of bubbly. “This is the first meal cooked entirely by your graduates. Better be good.” He winked and squeezed Finn’s shoulder.
As she watched her boyfriend blush under the attention, Simone’s heart became full.
“Just teasing you, son. If their cooking is anything like yours, I’m sure they’ll nail my granddaughter’s recipes.”
She tensed, waiting for Finn to flinch at the word ‘son,’ but he beamed. “Thank you, Wayne. That means a lot.”
Pops grunted, evidently full up on sappiness. She ducked her chin, thinking of her ongoing journey toward being comfortable with expressing her emotions. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, but she was putting down new roots in well-watered soil, thanks to Finn, Meg, Alisha, Chantal, and all the friends she’d reconnected with here.
