Page 106 of Colton

He pulls back enough to look at me. His hands come to my cheeks, cupping them as he looks at me with so much relief, adoration, and regret that my stomach twists a little.

“What were you thinking, coming here like this?” I hiss. “They already hate you!”

“I’m aware,” he chuckles, then kisses my forehead tenderly. “But I know how much your family means to you, and I’m prepared to do anything for their approval.”

“And you thought that dropping by unannounced would do the trick?” I deadpan.

“No,” he drawls. “But it’s a start. I’m not going to waste more time, Ava. I’m not going to let you feel so scared ever again.”

I swallow thickly and step back. I sit on the edge of my bed and pat he seat next to me. Colton sits down, takes my hand, and rubs his thumb over my knuckles.

“How are things back at the Academy?”

“I wouldn’t know,” I shrug. “I handed in my resignation letter.”

My eyes snap to his, widening widely. My mouth drops open, and it takes me a moment to process what I just heard. Silence stretches between us, and he’s waiting for a response. What am I even supposed to say? It never crossed my mind that he’d go to the extreme and quit his job.

“You did what?” I whisper. “Why?”

“Because if I stayed, the board, the headmaster, and the parents would raise concerns. It wouldn’t affect me too much, but it would affect you. So, to protect you, I did what needed to be done.”

I swallow the knot forming in my throat, and my heart clenches. All the excitement I felt when I saw Colton in my living room takes a backseat, and the more pressing matters take over.

“But you loved that job,” I say, suddenly feeling small. “I don’t want to be the reason you stop doing what you love, Colton.”

“You’re not,” he says quickly, but I can’t help but feel like I’m the one to blame. “It’s something I did because I love you, Avalon. You mean more to me than any job in the world. If need be, I’ll drop being the mayor, too.”

“No!” I stand up abruptly, my hands trembling slightly. “How can you say that so easily? You can’t just drop everything for me, Colton!”

He stands, too, and takes a small step toward me. “I’m doing this because I want to. I know you’re blaming yourself, so let me make this clear. I love you, Avalon,” he takes my hands in his, kissing each of my knuckles individually, not once taking his eyes off me. “I love you more than I will love any job, and you mean to me far more than any position of power. I’d give it all up for you in a heartbeat.”

My heart does a flip. The myriad of emotions swirls inside of me, and my breath catches in my throat. The words fall from his lips with such precise ease that I doubt this is real.

Colton loves me.

He loves me.

When did I become such a crybaby? My throat swells from the emotion, and I struggle to breathe. I’ve loved this man for a long time now, and yet, he’s the one who says it with such ease, the confidence on his tongue making me swallow thickly.

“I need to know this is forever,” I whisper, tears threatening to fall. “I need to know you won’t change your mind down the line, and I need to know you’ll continue to choose me. Please.”

“Avalon,” he says softly, then reaches for my cheek and strokes it with his thumb. “You are my forever. You’re the most important person in my entire life, and you will always be my priority. Please, let me show you just how much you mean to me.”

Without hesitation, for the first time in what feels like forever, I nod. Immediately, his arms wrap around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. Tears fall freely down my cheeks, but now they’re from sheer happiness.

Colton kisses the top of my head, running his hand softly down my back. I know that going back to the Academy will have a lot of downs, but right now? I don’t care. I’m done there, anyway. I have a week left, then it will no longer matter.

Because in a week from now, I’ll be with Colton freely and without any regrets.

This relationship may have started as a secret, but now? He’s someone I’m proud to show off.

The rest of the night ends… well… as well as one could expect.

Mom glared at him at every turn, while Dad at least tried to get to know him. I’m grateful he brought Dahlia, because her easygoing nature seemed to warm them up, even if only a little.

My siblings warmed up to the two rather quickly. Especially my brothers, who were over the moon when they saw the games Colton brought. Apparently, the game is very popular and expensive. Emma was happy with the makeup kit she received, too. She always had a talent for artsy stuff, and seeing her happy made me happy, too.

This seems like the beginning of our happiness, and I’m not complaining.