Page 90 of Out to Get Her
“Okay, okay, jeez.” But Erin couldn’t be happier. She liked making Samantha wait for news. Especially this news. “If I’m going to be staying here, I want to try things for real.”
Samantha raised her brow. “Things?”
“Us. I want to tryusfor real. If you want to.” Erin took another deep breath and held it this time. Finally, she took the leap. “Because I love you, Samantha Keller Ardoin.”
It had happened so quickly. Erin wasn’t used to letting herself feel anything, but she didn’t want to fight what she felt for Samantha. Besides, everything else had happened so quickly since she’d been back here. Why not this?
Samantha took a sharp inhale, then relaxed her shoulders and grabbed Erin’s face in her palms. She stared directly into Erin’s eyes and said, “I love you, too. And I’m so glad you’re going to be sticking around so I can show you how much every single day.”
Samantha pressed her lips to Erin’s mouth, and Erin melted against her. Her whole body tingled with the rush of those words and all the promises held within them.
“So I guess that means you told her?”
Erin smiled against Samantha’s mouth and gave two small kisses before pulling away.
“Hello, Trey,” Samantha said as he took a seat on the barstool beside Erin. “Yes, she did.”
“Good.” He grinned at the pair of them. “I like those smiles. They look good on both of you.”
“Why, thank you.” Erin held her arms out wide to pull both of them in close. “Look at us. We’re gonna take this town by storm, I tell you.”
Trey rolled his eyes but exchanged a gleeful look with Samantha. “As long as you don’t call us the Queer-keteers or anything like that.”
Erin gasped with her mouth wide open. “That’s it! You said it!”
“Nope,” Samantha said. “Veto!”
“Wait, we didn’t even decide on veto powers or procedures yet!”
“Well, it’s two to one, so you’re outvoted, anyway.” Trey tapped the counter. “Since you’re sticking around and we can officially talk about that now, we can discuss that favor you owe me.”
After the way Trey had stepped up to make sure Erin was okay that night of the storm when everything went down, she’d agree to anything for him. Even if she hadn’t already owed him a favor.
“What’ll it be?”
“Can you help design and make something for my mom’s birthday next month? I’ll pay you, of course. I just want to give her something special, like one-of-a-kind personalized earrings or whatever.”
A wide grin made its way to Erin’s face. She’d been doing a lot of grinning lately, and her face wasn’t quite used to it yet. But around these people, she couldn’t help it.
“I’d be honored to make something for her.”
“Thanks.” Trey pointed at the TV. “Speaking of voting. Looks like I made it here just in time.”
Melanie rushed back to the group, and the four of them watched together as the news anchor announced Samantha had won the election. Addie’s Lunch Shack erupted in applause, and Addie came around the counter to hug Samantha.
Erin kissed Samantha again, in front of the whole diner full of cheering citizens.
When she pulled away, Erin wiped the tears from Sam’s cheeks and kissed her again.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Samantha blinked back more tears and said the sweetest words Erin had ever heard, “Welcome home.”
ChapterThirty
Samantha enteredthe shop space as Erin held the door open for her. Erin’s smile was as wide as that doorway, and she had a lightness to her movements that really suited her.
Ever since Erin decided to stay in Etta, Samantha had noticed a change in her. And it wasn’t just in the pink streaks she’d put in her hair during a quick trip to settle some things in New Orleans.
