“Just a friend here to support another friend?” I ask, trying to gauge his reaction to my question.
His eyebrows furrow, his only response a slight nod of his head as he looks toward the flowers. It’s the reaction I need to continue.
“It’s interesting because Graham seemed to be under the impression that we were more than just friends.” My heart beats faster as I get the words out, testing the waters.
“What’d he say? Actually, let me go ask him myself. He always did have an issue with knowing when to keep his mouth shut.” Theo moves around me, taking a step toward the front doors, only to be stopped by the foot traffic in front of him.
I chuckle, grabbing his arm in an effort to stop him from creating more distance between the two of us. “I’d actually prefer you didn’t threaten my new boss after I justaccepted a job offer.”
Theo turns toward me, that blinding smile spreading across his face as he throws his arms around my waist. He picks me up, and as he spins us around in a celebratory hug, some of the angelica from the bouquet in my hand flies off onto the ground. I squeal at the sudden movements, and Theo’s laughter echoes in my ear. The hug is a warm embrace, confirming my suspicions that this is what I was missing on my ride down in the elevator.
Setting me down gently on the sidewalk, he keeps his hands wrapped around my waist. “I knew you’d get the job. I’m so proud of you, Angel.” My breath hitches as herests his forehead against mine, as though the physical connection between us gives him the strength he needs to ask his question.
“Friends is what you wanted, is it not?” he asks me.
“Only because it’s what you wanted.”
I’m holding my breath, waiting for his response, when he says, “Only an idiot would want to be just friends with you, Sienna Parker.”
As though his resolve snaps the moment my name releases from his lips, he pulls me in even closer, crashing our lips together. Immediately feeling at home, I melt into the kiss as our tongues collide. Only breaking apart when the flowers I’m holding tickle our cheeks as I try to pull him closer.
Theo’s smiling when he releases me from the kiss. “I want to be worked into your plan. Any way you’ll have me. Just work me in. This last month without you has been excruciating. I’m sorry for everything. The only thing I regret more than walking away from you that night is not realizing sooner that I’ve fallen deeply, hopelessly in love with you, Sienna Parker. If I had known then, I never would’ve let you leave.”
With my free hand, I cup his cheek, staring into those beautiful green eyes as tears begin to spring from mine. “I never would’ve left if I knew then that I was deeply, hopelessly in love with you, Theo Kane.”
He pulls me in for another kiss, but I cut it short as I continue, “I don’t want a plan. You’ve shown me that even when things don’t go according to plan, it doesn’t always mean it’s bad. Sometimes the things we don’t plan for are the best things that could ever happen to us.”
He chuckles. “Then I propose an idea. One year. Let’s plan for one year together. No more, no less.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.” With another kiss, the morning melts away as I’m held in the arms of the man who I love.
EPILOGUE
THEO
Six Months Later
We’re back at the lake house, lounging on the couch in the living room as we watch the fire crackle. Beth has joined us. She and Sienna engaged in a conversation about a newly released rom-com movie they recently went to see for “Galentine’s Day.”
Roman sits next to me as he taps away on his phone, finishing up last-minute business before putting it away to spend the weekend with the rest of us. We’ve decided to come up here for a long weekend to spend time as a family before our schedules get hectic in the spring. As the weather gets nicer, it’s prime time for construction.
Being here with Sienna again, with her on my arm as my real girlfriend this time, feels right. As if everything in my life has officially clicked into place.
We’ve drafted our one-year plan, leaving room for flexibility, of course. Which I’m thankful for, consideringI have something planned for later that will throw our plan completely out the window. Something tells me she won’t care too much about that, though. The thought of building a life with Sienna gives me a newfound purpose I didn’t know I needed.
I’ve spent most nights at her place, but when Beth really needs to focus, Sienna comes over to my place. Although that usually ends in Matt and me fighting over some dumb shit he ends up saying, and we have to hide out in my room for the rest of the night.
I throw my arm over Sienna’s shoulders as we wait for Alex and Leo to join us. Slipping my free hand into my pocket, I rub my finger along the small blank key I’ve tossed in there. I run through my plan again of how I’m going to ask Sienna to move in with me.
Beth and Sienna’s lease is up at the end of the month, making it the perfect time for us to look for something together. It wasn’t exactly in her original plan, but the other set of keys weighing down my other pocket reminds me that, with Beth inevitably moving out, Sienna will be looking for a new roommate anyway.
I wish I could take credit for us all meeting back here, but it was Alex’s idea. When he found out that Sienna and I made things official, he lost it. He was excited that we were finally together, of course, but more than that, he was excited at the chance to crown a winner of this year’s Kane Family Games. After all, we never did play that last game of Uno, and he always did hate leaving things unfinished.
Leo joins us from the kitchen, setting a plate of meatsand cheeses on the coffee table. He takes a seat next to Beth as I start a conversation.
“I still can’t believe you and Alex tied this year,” I say to Leo. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Roman empty the box of Uno cards onto the table, preparing to shuffle them as we wait for Alex to arrive. After a few table flips and food fights over the years, Roman became the designated shuffler.
“I can’t believe it either, but I’m ready to beat him this time,” Leo rubs his hands together, “That asshole needs to be taken down a few pegs anyway.” I smile at Leo. After our last trip to the lake house, I checked in on him so frequently that he eventually told me to fuck off (lovingly). We were able to talk things through, and I eventually stopped apologizing for triggering his anxiety.
