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He blinked. “What?”
“All day when I was in that interview, talking to everyone and making plans, all I keep thinking was, I want to go home. Over and over again. From the second I stepped foot in Chicago, I wanted to go home.” She crawled over and straddled him.
He broke out into a sweat as he put his hands on her hips. She leaned down, brushed her lips softly over his mouth, and he wanted to sink into it, but he wanted to hear what she had to say too much to get distracted.
She grinned and shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t understand when it happened. But somewhere along the way, home started to look like you and Revival. Yes, no place delivers, and there’s no Starbucks or Nordstrom, but I like it here. It feels like home. Yes, you make me happy. But this place makes me happy. I want to work on the tourism project and help Revival prosper. I want to start a new blog. I want to be annoyed by citizens who want impossible things.”
“You do?” It was what he’d wanted to hear for so long, but he couldn’t quite believe it. She’d been so insistent. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Once I made the decision it all became clear. This whole time I’ve been searching for a win-win, and every time I thought of you coming to Chicago, it felt wrong. I thought it was because I didn’t want you to make the sacrifice, and that’s true, I didn’t, but it finally dawned on me that was only part of it. It felt wrong for me. I just . . .” She shook her head. “I couldn’t see it. It was like Chicago and my life there was so much a part of who I thought I was, what made me me, I didn’t even realize it stopped feeling like home. So I guess, in some weird, strange turn of events, I’m ready to become a small-town girl.”
Thank Jesus. He would have done it, really he would have, but he couldn’t deny this was what felt right. He gave her one more out, though, just to be safe. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” She kissed him, long and deep. “I already called François and told him I wasn’t taking the job.”
“But . . . it’s your dream job. You said so yourself.”
She beamed at him. “See, this is where I forget how brilliant I am. I have a solution. I offered to do consulting projects for him on a case-by-case basis. He thought it was a great idea.”
He squeezed her tight, pulling her close and tangling his fingers in her hair. “I love you so much, Soph.”
“I love you too, Ryder.”
He bit her lower lip. “How fast can we get married?”
She jerked back, her eyes wide. “Married?”
He looked at her blankly. “Of course, married.”
She swatted him. “Is that how you ask a girl to marry you?”
He laughed. “Okay, you have a point there. I’ll figure something out and do it properly.”
“You’d better.”
“I will.” He gripped her neck. “Not that I plan on taking no for an answer.”
She winked and settled her elbows on his chest. “Ryder, I’m totally a sure thing.”
“You’re sure?” He needed her to be sure.
She nodded. “I’m positive. However, I do have some conditions.”
“Name them and they are yours.”
“One, if François sends me anywhere in Europe you have to come with me.”
“That’s fair.” He’d never stepped foot out of the Great Lakes area. He’d get to expand his horizons and drive his sisters mad with jealousy.
“Two, we go to Chicago every six to eight weeks. Maybe we could get a little condo or studio as an investment.”
“I like that idea. I don’t want to see you when you’ve gone too long without shopping.”
She smiled, laughing a little. “And three, I get to drive the Mustang whenever I want.”
“Over my dead body,” he growled.
“Now, Ryder, this is non-negotiable.” Her eyes grew wide, filled with mischief, and she put her palm on her chest and said, “I’m changing my entire life for you, the least you can do is let me drive your car.”
