Peter wrapped up the song, and at last, I could set down the boombox, thanking all of the deities for that small favor. I wasn’t altogether certain I could feel my hands anymore.
“What am I doing?” I took one step toward Peyton, spreading out my hands. “I’m doing anything I can to show you how much I love you. I’m doing whatever it takes to show you that I’m sorry for pushing you a few weeks ago, and for getting pissy when you needed to take a breath and catch up with me. I’m sending you song links to say what I can’t, and I’m recreating an iconic scene from a movie we talked about thirty-five years ago, just to prove that no matter how long it takes, no matter how much compromise is required, I love you and am never going to stop.” I held out one hand. “I’ve been in love with you for almost forty years now, sweetheart, when you figure that I fell for you on our first day in freshman year. Why would I ever stop loving you now?”
Peyton didn’t move as I spoke. When I finished, she took a step closer, echoing my own move from moments before. She took my hand, and in unison, at the same time, without having to think about it at all, we took the last step that brought us together.
“Nash,” she whispered, looking up at me. “You know, I finally saw this movie on television a few years ago. Crazy that it took me that long. But when I watched it, I thought of you and remembered you telling me how romantic that scene with the boombox was.” Her lips curved into a smile. “But did you forget today that poor Lloyd failed miserably when he pulled this stunt with Diane?”
I frowned, thinking back on the movie, and then began to chuckle. “Dammit, you’re right. He did strike out.” I wrapped my arms around her, snugging her body to mine. “Please tell me you’re not trying to say that I failed, too?”
“No.” She shook her head, laughing. “Not at all. Nash—” She smoothed her palm over my face. “The songs you sent me—I loved them all. I listened to them over and over. Thank you.”
“They spoke the words I needed to say more eloquently than I ever could,” I admitted. “Each one of those songs was one I would have dedicated to you back in the day.”
“And tonight . . .” Her eyes were bright. “No one has ever done anything like this for me before.” She rested her forehead against mine, blinking back the tears that were already spilling down her cheeks. “I’m blown away by you, Nash. I’m captivated.” She brushed a kiss over my lips. “But most of all, I’m yours. All yours, for as long as you’ll have me.”
My heart sang. I always thought that was a crazy metaphor, but damn if my heart wasn’t singing in my chest along with the rest of my body and soul.
Peyton was mine, at last.
I kissed her then, praying that she could feel all the years I’d waited and hoped and despaired and loved. I kissed her with the utter abandon of the eighteen-year-old boy who’d offered his future to her and with the deep and abiding faithfulness of the man I was now, who knew the price of love and wouldn’t hesitate to pay it over and over again.
When we could speak again, Peyton held on to my shoulders and looked up at me.
“I don’t know if I’m a good bet, Nash.” She smiled, running her hands down my arms over the trench coat that I still wore in homage to Lloyd. “I’m stubborn and headstrong, and I’m set in my ways. I’ll probably drive you insane more than half the time. But if you’ll have me, I’m yours. I can promise that I love you now, and if it’s up to me, I’ll love you for as long as I breathe.”
“Peyton Rivers, I’ve loved you forever. I’m going to keep on loving you—” I grinned, thinking of the REO Speedwagon song I’d just accidentally quoted. “—with my body and soul, for all of eternity.”
“Even if we’re just dancing in the dark?” Peyton quipped, laughing. “I think that’s when I began to fall the rest of the way in love with you—when you sang that song at karaoke down in the Cove.”
I pulled her close again and whispered in her ear.
“We’ll dance in the dark together all the way to our happily ever after, sweetheart. But no more karaoke for me. That was a one-time, special offer deal.”
Peyton blinked up at me, and I could see mischief dancing in her beautiful green eyes.
“I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we?”
“No, we’ll see that I’m not doing it again. Ever.” I raised one eyebrow. “End of story.”
“Even if I promised you a very special reward?” Peyton traced her fingertip down my jaw. She ran her tongue over her lips, and just like that, I was putty in her hands.
“Well,” I began weakly. “I guess it might depend on exactly what that reward entailed, and?—”
With a burst of laughter, Peyton grabbed my head and tugged me down, kissing me with such heat and promise that every thought fled my brain except for one joy-filled declaration.
Mine.
Finally.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Peyton
“Wow, this place is pretty busy for a Thursday night.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Nash, who was close behind me, one hand on the small of my back as he guided me toward a table.
