Page 79 of The Other Plan

He spun me around and dipped me again, this time leaving me dangling backward.

“And it’s all because of you, Jenna. You helped me remember who I am. And because of that, I’m finally going to live the life I’ve always wanted. And I’m going to live it with you.”

He yanked me back up and slid a hand behind my head. But before I let him kiss me, I leaned back a little.

“Are you sure, Carter? This is a huge step. I mean, we haven’t been together very long, and I could never forgive myself if you gave up your entire career and—”

“And we didn’t work out?”

I shrunk a little and whispered, “Yeah.”

Carter chuckled and slid his hand along my face. “Nonsense. We’re going to work out. I know you are a planner, and everything happens according to whatever schedule you create, but love doesn’t care about schedules. We may not have known each other long, and this may all be happening fast, but it’s real, Jenna.” His gaze deepened as he stared straight through me. “I loved you then, I love you now, and I love who I am when I’m with you. I don’t need to waste precious time to know that I love you. And whatever schedule you want to create for when you can be certain our love is real, I’ll be here. Loving you. I’ll be loving you at a year, at ten years, at a hundred years... always. And when you finally reach the point where you’re certain this is real, I’ll be smiling at you with a big, fat ‘I told you so.’ We’re going to work, Jenna. I know it. I love you. Always.”

My soul lit up at his words. At their exquisite truth. Our love may have blossomed during a stolen moment in paradise, but that didn’t make it any less real than if we’d spent a decade together figuring it out. Time couldn’t dictate love. The revelation hit me with a jolt. I loved him, body, mind, and soul... and my superpower told me this love of ours was going to last.

“I still love you too, Carter.”

His grin nearly split his face. “You’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”

He dipped me backward and crushed my lips with a kiss that left me wobbling in the knees. When he stood me back up, I melted back into his arms.

“I’m really happy that you said that you love me and want to be with me because I’d have been a pretty sad puppy if I’d have moved up here and you wouldn’t see me anymore.”

“I— I can’t believe you’re really moving here. Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

My body warmed at the realization that I could have it all... Carter and my life here in Door County. It was more than I could have ever imagined, and I wanted to pinch myself to see if it was real.

When he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine again, I sighed and melted into his kiss and his touch, the tingles traveling all over my body and confirming that this wasn’t a fantasy.

Carter was mine, and he would be here with me always.

We stood on the dance floor kissing, the bodies moving around us as I sunk deeper into our embrace. It wasn’t until I heard a gasp from Aunt Tilly that I finally pulled myself back out into the world surrounding us.

“Oh, my!” Aunt Tilly said.

I turned around to see her standing with Lydia, huge grins lifting their bright pink lips.

Lydia waggled a finger at us. “Now, this I like.”

“Yeah, I like it too.” I smiled up at Carter.

The look in his eyes would have dropped me to my knees if he wasn’t holding me tight against him.

“You want to get out of here?” he asked, brushing a kiss against my cheek.

“I’m exhausted, actually,” I admitted. “My feet hurt. My body aches. I just want to lay down.”

“You. Me. Your place. Foot massage. Back massage.” He lifted a corner of his lip, then leaned down and whispered, “I’ll give you a front massage too.”

Laughing, I swatted him on the chest but nodded my head. “Yes. Take me home, Carter. Just you and me from now on.”

“And Arnold too, of course.” He slung an arm around my shoulder.

“Well, of course. He’s a package deal with me, you know.”

“Good. I like that goofy dog of yours. I think he’s warming up to me too.”