“We got wind that one of Benny’s former associates would be paying you a visit. They planned to use you to send Benny a message. Keep him from talking. But it had the opposite effect. He didn’t take kindly to them threatening you, so he told the FBI everything he knew. He’s in protective custody now, but he left a little something in an account for you. He said you’d know how to access it. And you can stay at his apartment as long as you want.”
My brain felt like it was processing everything in quicksand. “The New York apartment? It’s safe for me to go back?” Jeremiah’s hand shackled my ankle.
“It’s safe. You can come home now, Lennon.”
I hung up, stunned.Home. I lifted my gaze to Jeremiah. “Benny is alive.”
“I’m glad, honey.” His voice was rough. His hand tightened. “Don’t go.”
My heart threatened to beat right out of my chest. God, this man. Didn’t he know there was nowhere I’drather be than right here with him? “I wasn’t planning on it.”
He smiled and it was like the sun breaking through a storm cloud.
“I need a job. And a place to live,” I said.
He looked genuinely puzzled. “You have both those things already.”
“Until tomorrow, I’m still a guest here. You need toofficiallyhire me to work in the kitchen. And you just gave away my cabin, remember?”
“What do you need a cabin for? You moved in with me a month ago.”
“I didn’t move in with you. I stayed at your apartment for safety reasons while my stalker was on the loose, and then I stayed at your apartment while my feet healed, and by the timethatwas done, it didn’t make sense to move back into the cabin when I would be checking out soon anyway, so I stayed a little longer.”
He stared at me.
I braided my fingers together. Why was I sonervous? “Emma said I could stay with her and Blair while I figure out what to do.”
“Or you could just stay here.”
I wanted to say yes so badly. The thought of sleeping without him was honestlysad. I felt homesick for him and I hadn’t even left yet. But…
“Jeremiah,” I said softly. “I want to. So, so much. I—” I took a deep, shuddering breath. “But it’s only been twomonths. That’s how long we’ve known each other. We can’t move in together after only two months. That’s ridiculous.”
“Someone once told me that life was a lot more fun when we don’t confusecan’tandshouldn’t. We can, and dammit, Lennon, weshould. Maybe two months isn’t enough time for other people, but it is for us. If you tell me you need to slow things down, all right. I’ll accept that. But for me, it doesn’t matter if it’s two months or two years. More time won’t change a damn thing. I know what I want, and what I want is to spend every moment I can with you.”
I searched his eyes. “Are you sure?”
He laughed and pulled me into his lap. “It’s not two months for me. It’s thirty-eight years. I’ve been waiting my whole life for you, Lennon. You’ve been a long time coming, and now that you’re finally here, I’m not letting you go. I’m settling in for forever.”
I held his face in my hands. Kissed his mouth. “I love you.”
“Then stay.”
Happiness broke over me like a wave, sweeping away all the doubts. “Okay. I will.”
44
LENNON
“We should do this every Sunday,”Emma said. With her eyes glued to the shirtless, sweaty cowboys battling through a brutal game of Blood Ball, she leaned over her iced tea, searching for the straw with her mouth. She grimaced when it bumped against her lip.
“No argument here,” I said.
With Blair at a friend’s house, we had decided to have a lazy afternoon. We had shamelessly set up lawn chairs facing their game. Jeremiah looked like some kind of superhero mashup. Half golden Viking, half dirty cowboy, one hundred percent delicious.
“So, Grace was asking about you the other day.” Emma finally managed to get her straw in her mouthand sipped her iced tea. “She wants to know if you’re still going to look into getting tested for dyslexia.”
“I thought about it. But to be honest, it seems more hassle than it’s worth. It’s not easy to diagnose an adult, and I’d have to drive pretty far to see a specialist.” Jeremiah knocked Seb down, and I grinned.That’s my man. “A diagnosis won’t change anything for me. I’m not in school, and I don’t have the kind of job where it matters a lot. Mostly I just wanted proof that I’m not stupid.”
