Page 480 of One More Kiss

Her words come off accusing, but I know they aren’t meant to be.

“I told you. I’m a catch.” I wink.

“Stop.” She chuckles. “And now you’ve just told me the most beautiful thing in the world, and I’m still so terrified to repeat them, although I want to.”

I brush the hair away from her face, staring into her eyes. “I didn’t say those words because I expected you to say them back. I said them because I never thought I could love anyone after Alana—I never allowed myself to—but with you, I want to. It was freeing, finally feeling like it’s okay to love someone else.”

“You have no idea how much that means to me.” She grabs my face and plants a deep kiss on my lips. “Seriously.” She kisses me again. “You just melted all my fears away, Ethan Rochester.”

The next morning comes too fast, and soon we’re standing on the front porch, saying goodbye. We spent all night wrapped in each other’s arms and talking. I also spent some time studying certain parts of her, and though neither of us got much sleep—because I wasn’t about to waste the short amount of time I had with her sleeping—we were up bright and early drinking coffee and eating breakfast together like tradition.

“Come back to me,” I whisper against her lips, gripping her cheeks between my palms.

“I will,” she whispers back. “I promise.”

Closing my eyes, I try to get ahold of my emotions before kissing her once more. Olivia came in an Uber to pick her up, and in Vada’s words, “to make sure I actually get in the car” since they have another flight to catch.

I walk her to the door, and when Vada opens it, I pop my head in and smile at her assistant. “Hello, again.” I flash my million-dollar smile.

“H-hi,” Olivia stumbles, clearly blushing.

“You’re just mean,” Vada teases, reaching up to give me one last hug.

“I was saying hi,” I defend. “It’s called being polite down here in the south,” I remind her, teasingly.

“Yeah, right…” She rolls her eyes. “With your shirt off.”

I shrug, smirking.

“Text me after you land, okay? Or call me. Or just stay, I mean, whatever.”

She chuckles before giving me one last peck on the lips. “I will.”

As I watch them drive away, it feels like a knife drives directly into my heart. I know this isn’t the end; she’ll be back; we’ll get our second chance to do this right, at least those are the words I tell myself.

* * *

“What’s wrong with you?”

I spin around in my chair to Aunt Millie standing in the doorway of the tower.

“You scared the shit out of me,” I say, releasing my foot off the accelerator and stopping the pottery wheel. I dip my hands in the bucket of water and quickly wipe them off.

“Watch your language,” she scolds, giving me pointed look.

“Sorry, Aunt Millie. What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” she asks as if she’s offended. “Well, boy, if you ever answered your dang phone, I wouldn’t have had to leave my church group early to come check on you.”

Guilt surfaces and I feel awful for making her worry. “Sorry, I’ve been working.”

“Yeah, I see that.” She looks around the tower and eyes the stocked shelves with mugs that are ready to be glazed. “You’ve been working ‘round the clock again?” She arches a brow, and I know that look.

“Yes, but I’m just trying to keep myself busy,” I tell her, which is the truth.

Ever since Vada left a week ago, I think about her nonstop and the anxiousness to have her back drives me crazy. Drowning myself in work is the only way to keep myself sane.

“That doesn’t mean you ignore my phone calls.” She clicks her tongue.

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