Page 163 of On Merit Alone
The group chat.
Stephens
Are we carpooling or?
Kivvey
King always gets the best cars for these things.
Rogers
Because he actually plans ahead instead of texting right before the event.
Kivvey
Wait?? Who the fuck let the enemy in?
Stephens
Just for the event. He’s a homie.
Kivvey
The. ENEMY
Stephens
Lighten up.
King? Ride?
By the time we’d both read the text string to the bottom, we were chuckling and shaking our heads. Setting his phone aside, Ira looked at me again. “That’s probably our cue. Unfortunately.”
“What would have happened if we weren’t interrupted?”
His eyes darkened at the possibility, and I smiled triumphantly, knowing at least some of the answer. Clearing his throat, he said, “As a man, I can admit to my oversight in planning this date in poor timing. You think we can call out of work?”
I smiled in earnest now, chuckling. “I don’t think it’s an option, King. But we can always pick it up after.”
He rubbed a thumb at my cheek. “After?”
“After,” I nodded. Leaning down, I pecked his lips. “Forever.”
I wasn’t surprised that his eyes showed the same promise.
Chapter Forty-Two
Ira
She loved me.
I knew there was a good chance that she might. I don’t know how many times I had to tell myself that this feeling didn’t just come around every blue moon—that there was no way she would be able to deny the pull between us. To call it anything other than what it was. But there was always that doubting voice that worried maybe her trauma or the lies that she told herself would get in the way of her seeing that what we had was special. That maybe she wasn’t ready to love me.
All those doubts were cast aside the minute she said she did. I saw it happen in her eyes and felt that same shift in my heart. In an instant, Mer went from being the girl I was pining for to being the partner I would work every day to show my heart to.
To me, she’d become mine months ago. But like the fighter she was, she fought the reality of us. Today, she’d basically told me no more fighting. Today, she was accepting. Happily.
And just in time, too, judging by the impulsive but somehow perfect decision I was about to make.
