Page 141 of It's Always Been You
“Very,” I say, smirking.
We soak up the silence for a moment, knowing that this is a turning point for us. The beginning of a new chapter. “So,” he says eventually. “You’ll never guess what I discovered.”
“What’s that?”
“I was cleaning out my desk yesterday, and I came across the invite for your birthday party.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. And guess what the date was?”
I think for a moment. “Um, Saturday? When the party was?”
“Nope,” he says, laughing. “Maggie sent me an invite forSunday.”
My face scrunches. “Why would she do that?”
“She was meddling, Evie. Like she always does. She quite clearly wanted to ruffle our feathers and get us talking.”
“I guess she doesn’t know we’ve been talking all this time,” I say, laughing.
“She’s wanted us to be together for a long time,” he comments quietly. “She’s been my number-one cheerleader all this time. Even when I least deserved it.”
“I’m not surprised. She loves you.”
“And I love her, too. And you.” I grin. “Come home, Genevieve.”
Chapter 47
Brandon
Evieisdeadonher feet when she emerges from the arrival gate.
“There she is!” Teddy shouts, jumping up and down as he waves his balloon on a stick around and points at Evie. “Do you see her? She’s right there!”
Chuckling, I nod. As if I could miss her. I had already clocked her dark hair, moody scowl, and Doc Martens before she had even walked through the gate.
“Look, Daddy!” Teddy waves his arms in frantic circles, shouting her name over and over as his balloon smacks me repeatedly in the thigh. “Evie! Over here!”
Grinning, I wait for Evie to notice us, which should be any second now, considering half the terminal is looking our way. An older couple ambles in front of her, blocking her view of us, but when they part ways, she spots Teddy, and her eyes brighten before glimmering with tears.
“Evie!”
I settle my hands on my son’s bouncing shoulders, telling him to calm down, but he wiggles out from beneath my hold and darts off in Evie’s direction.
“Teddy!”
Evie drops to one knee, opening her arms as Teddy launches himself into her embrace. They rock back and forth in a bear hug as I approach them.
She pulls back as I reach them, stroking her hands through Teddy’s wild curls as she studies him. “I missed you so much, little bear,” she says, holding back tears. Their reunion makes my own eyes a little misty. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes,” Teddy wails, clinging to her. She chuckles, her gaze lifting to mine as she accepts the balloon Teddy thrusts into her face. Her grin turns bashful when we lock gazes, her cheeks flooding with color when she notices the bouquet of yellow daisies I’m holding.
“Hi,” I greet, feeling shy myself as she rises from the ground with Teddy in her arms. “How was your trip?”
“Lonely,” she says. “How did you know I was getting back today? I was going to surprise you.”
I offer a wry grin. “Jamie.”
