Page 157 of Here With Me
“Ya broke up with her? For me?”
I nod. “For our relationship. I didn’t wanna lose ya.”
“It’d take a lot more than datin’ my ex-girlfriend to lose me, Dad. Not happy y’all lied and snuck around behind my back, but I don’t want y’all miserable on my behalf. You’ve suffered enough. You deserve someone as great as Noah.”
I choke up, not sure how to respond, but when happy, relieved tears surface, I don’t fight them.
“Good luck tellin’ her family, though.” He barks out a laugh, and I chuckle.
Noah blushes, moving closer so he can see her face.
“Took ya long enough to come to your senses, asshat. I was about to send Landen to knock some into ya,” she teases.
“I needed twenty-four hours to bleach out the images of ya two in my head,” he smarts off.
Noah rolls her eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”
“Ya realize he’s twice your age, right?” The corners of his lips curve up as he taunts her.
“You realize I’ll marry him and become your stepmom just to punish you, right?”
“Ooh, naughty stepmother fantasy just entered my mind.” Then he starts humming the theme song for PornHub, and I choke back a laugh. Noah has no idea where it’s from, which makes Jase sing it louder.
She rolls her eyes. “This is why I’m into older men.”
“You two fight like brother and sister. I dunno how y’all ever dated in the first place,” I say.
“Yeah, because you’re somature...” Jase drawls in a mocking tone.
“Y’all need some boxin’ gloves to fight it out or what?”
“He knows I’d kick his ass, bad ankle or not,” Noah taunts smugly.
They banter for another minute before finally giving up. He promises to stop by tomorrow before we say goodbye. I’m relieved the air’s clear between the three of us. Now all we need to do is come clean to her family.
“Oh, I should tell ya. Gramma Grace and Momma know. So that only leaves my dad and brothers,” she tells me.
“Think if I tell them while I’m injured they’ll take it easy on me?”
She snorts, sitting on the bed next to me. “Only one way to find out.”
“Wait. I haven’t officially asked ya to be my girlfriend again.” I grab her hand and pull her as close as possible.
“Well, what’re ya waitin’ for, cowboy? Get on your knees and beg.”
Her serious tone makes me cough out a laugh. “If I could get out of this bed without the risk of fallin’ on my ass, I would plead with everythin’ I have.”
“Fair enough. I’ll just pretend ya are.” She smirks, and I know she’s messing with me.
Smiling, I pour my heart out to her. “You’ve been mine since I laid eyes on you. Even when we couldn’t be together, I was always yours.” Then I press my lips to her knuckles. “I’m madly and desperately in love with you, Goldie. Nothin’ would make me happier than you bein’ mine out in the open for everyone to know you own my heart.”
“Nothin’ would make me happier, either.” She beams, and I adore how happy she looks. “Fallin’ in love with you was so damn easy and tragic at the same time. I’m ready for the world to know.”
She inches closer until our mouths can finally touch. I hate that I can’t kiss her the way I want to, but I’d take a peck on the cheek from her if it was all I could ever have.
“Thank you for stayin’ here with me. Wakin’ up to your voice and seein’ your gorgeous face is the only way I ever wanna wake up again.”
She smirks, then sucks in her bottom lip. “I think that can be arranged.”
