Page 54 of Gift of You
Finally
All packed up. I just need to take care of one more thing first
Hurry up
lol
I’ll text when I’m officially on the road
Love you
Love you too
I pocketed my phone then looked up to find Jonathan watching me, his eyes softer than they’d been a moment before. “You really do love him, then?”
“I do. Like, an insane amount. How’d you know I was texting him?”
“You get a dopey look on your face.”
I shrugged, grinning helplessly.
He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms casually across his chest. “I can’t believe you’re leaving.”
“Aww . . . you gonna miss me Jon-o?”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yeah, I think I am.”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’ll see me in just a few days at the cabin.”
“I can’t believe Hayden talked me into inviting people over for the Fourth.”
“Bullshit,” I said, standing. “He’s got you wrapped around his little finger, and everyone who knows the both of you knows it.”
He stood and came around the desk. “I’ve seen you and Matthew together. I could say the same for you guys.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Me neither.” He flashed me a rare grin then stuck his hand out to shake. “It’s going to be quiet around here without you.”
“Don’t act like you aren’t excited about that.” I took his hand in mine and tugged, pulling him into a hug. To my surprise, he came willingly, slapping my back a couple of times before releasing me, taking a step back, and clearing his throat. His eyes looked suspiciously damp. “See you Thursday.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Matthew
I swiped open my phone for what had to be the tenth time in the last hour, unable to resist the temptation to tap into the GPS locator and get a look at Louis’s location like some sort of deranged stalker. He’d texted an hour ago that he was on his way, but I was just as impatient as ever, knowing that this time he was coming into town for good.
He was coming home.
To me.
And I couldn’t be more thrilled.
The last sixth months had been a roller coaster. Friday mornings filled with anticipation and Sunday evenings filled with dread, while the moments in between seemed to stretch endlessly. We’d taken a weekend trip together around Valentine’s Day, and when that hadn’t been enough, we’d scheduled a full week at the end of April, spending our time in Texas with Louis’s family. It had become evident at the conclusion of that trip that it was time to make a change. Whether I moved into the city or he moved in with me, didn’t matter. I wanted him in my life for good.
To my surprise, he’d told me he’d been contemplating leaving city life behind for quite a while, almost since the month after we’d met, but he hadn’t been sure if I’d be ready for him to move in. We’d had an argument after that in which I’d insisted that he be honest about his feelings going forward, no matter how he thought I’d react. The makeup sex after that fight had been spectacular, and our relationship had been infinitely stronger since.
A sleek black sedan pulled into the alley behind the bookstore, and I watched from my vantage point on the balcony as Louis pulled into the spot next to my truck. He stepped out of the car dressed in slacks and a button-down, and I realized he hadn’t even taken the time to change out of his business attire.
