“What about Cascadia University?” I murmur as more guilt piles on. He had his dream job, and now he’s considering leaving it? “You love it there.”
“I love you more,” he says before he crashes his lips to mine.
My arms wrap around his neck, trying to pull him as close to me as physically possible. His hands grasp my waist in a bruising grip, and I wish I could tattoo his fingerprints on my skin, so that I’ll never forget the feel of his touch.
I break away just long enough to whisper, “I missed you so much.” In between more kisses, I add, “I’m so sorry. So sorry.”
He plants gentle, forgiving kisses up my neck. “There’s nothing to be sorry for,” he says, his breath hot against the shell of my ear. “We found our way back to each other.”
I pull away as the stark realization hits me that I’ve never told Asher that I love him. His eyes dart back and forth as he tries tofigure out what happened. I let out a little “Oh,” of surprised air at the thought.
“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” he asks worriedly.
I shake my head. “Nothing… it’s just… I love you.”
The most beautiful smile breaks out across his face, showing off perfect white teeth and his strong jawline. His thumb traces along my cheekbone before slowly drifting over my bottom lip. His emerald-green eyes soften as he continues staring at me. “You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen,” he murmurs.
A warm blush creeps up my neck at his words. I let my fingers tangle in the dark hair near the base of his neck before I yank him down to me so that I can kiss him again.
His tongue has just slipped into my mouth when Juliet comes back into the front room and makes a little squeak of surprise. “Jesus!” she exclaims as we pull away from each other. She slaps her hand over her eyes. “Seriously?”
“Sorry, Juliet,” I mumble with a small smile playing along my lips as I hide them with my fingers.
“If this,” Juliet starts, waving a finger between the two of us. “Is going to be a thing, then there’s no making out in my bakery, got it?” Before either of us can respond, she amends her statement. “Actually, no making out where I’ll see it. Ever.”
“Understood,” Asher says with a nod, feigning seriousness.
Asher’s fingers intertwine with mine as we stand in silence, each of us battling grins that are starting to break free.
Juliet braces her hands on the counter and shakes her head. “You guys are so gross,” she says with an exasperated laugh.
“That’s a nice mural,” Asher tries to change the subject. “I don’t remember that being here over Christmas.”
Juliet rolls her eyes before walking into the kitchen and leaving us alone once again.
Asher turns back to me, a huge smile lighting up his entire face. He leans down to kiss me, but Juliet’s voice cuts through the shop. “Nomaking out in my bakery!”
EPILOGUE
Summer
I lean against the wall,admiring Asher from across the living room. He’s cradling Milo in his arms, her little orange and white feet sticking up, and kneading the air as he scratches her belly.
The sun drifts in through the balcony doors and heats the wooden floor. It’s a one-bedroom apartment on the bottom floor of a small complex with four units. The kitchen has black marble counters and dark blue wooden cabinets, which I was originally against because it makes the space so much darker, but the colors seem to complement each other more and more every time I see them. The apartment leans into Carmel-By-The-Sea’s cottage core and has textured walls and round archways. It shouldn’t work, but it does, and it feels like our very own fairy tale.
Just like in Seattle, Asher has a much nicer apartment, though the studio I have in Monterey has grown on me. But I spend most of my free time in Asher’s apartment; he justsuccessfully convinced me to bring Milo over. Milo, of course, loves having a man obsessed with her—who doesn’t?
I know that I love feeling Asher’s full attention on me. And we’ve only gotten stronger here together. Even though Asher’s commute is a bit farther than he’d prefer, he’s really enjoying the new university, so much so that he’s trying to convince Jared to move here and apply for a position. I am finally in the midst of my practicum at a children’s behavioral center, and getting to speak with kids as actual patients has been the most amazing feeling. Every breakthrough, every wall dropped, every milestone reached, has warmed my heart and made me feel like I can really make a difference for kids who need help in this world.
Despite the blow-up at Cascadia University, my life has turned out better than I ever could have imagined. I have an amazing man by my side, his sister is one of my best friends, and I am so close to getting mydream job.
What more could I ask for?
“Penny for your thoughts?” Asher asks, gently setting Milo down.
I smile and shrug. “Just thinking about how lucky I got.”
“How luckyyougot?” he asks as he steps closer to me.
