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“How much did you hear?”
“All of it.” Her smile is tight. Revealing nothing.
“Saved me a flight.” My heart is racing, eager. I weld my feet to the grass and wait for her to say something. To say anything. I hope it’s what I want to hear.
“I texted Cris a few days ago to ask if I’d be well-received if I showed up. She offered to pick me up at the airport herself.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” My chest feels heavy and light at the same time. It’s a good sign that Talia wanted to come here, right?
“Me too.”
“Listen, I’ll never know what it was like for you to lose your mom, or live with the guilt of not being able to say goodbye. But I sympathize as well as someone who has two living parents can.”
“Archer, you don’t have to do this.”
Panicked that she might be telling me no after all, I blurt out, “Want me to move to Miami?”
She blinks, her eyebrows shooting up. She looks stunned. I’m stunned. I didn’t expect to make that offer. With her in front of me, and my window of opportunity quickly narrowing, let’s just say my priorities are suddenly crystal clear. I won’t lose her again.
“You’d be willing to move to Florida?”
“I’d move to the fucking moon for you, Talia Richards. I love you. I’ve been in love with you since you wrecked my car, and my good sense along with it. Hell, probably longer than that. Since the first time you wrote me an email that started with ‘Hey Kingpin.’ I’m gone for you, Wildflower. Isn’t it obvious?”
She takes a step closer, then another, a smile softening her exquisite features. “I missed you.”
It’s not an I love you, but I’ll take it.
“God, I missed you.” I wrap her in my arms, juggling the flask I still have in my hand for some reason. When we separate, I hold it between us. “Nate’s version of coercing my speech out of me.”
“If there’s bourbon in that flask, I’m going to have to ask you to marry me,” she says. Then she takes it from me, twists off the top, and tips it back. Her long hair is pinned up on one side, the rest in long, loose curls falling down her back. She’s beautiful and amazing and perfect for me. How can she not see that? She hands the flask back to me and licks her lips. “Well?”
“Well what?” I ask, tucking the flask into my tuxedo pocket.
“It’s bourbon. So I’m asking.”
I laugh, a little confused. Hell, a lot confused.
She doesn’t so much as crack a smile.
“I pushed you away when I should have been pulling you closer. I’m not good at this, Archer.”
“Me neither, honey,” I admit, touching her forehead to move a stray strand of hair away from her face. “We’ll get there.”
“You can’t tell anyone I proposed on Vivian’s wedding day. She’ll throttle me.” Talia squeezes both my hands in hers. “I love you too, by the way. Are you going to answer me or what?”
I open my mouth. Close it. Shake my head in disbelief. “You’re really proposing to me?”
“I’m really proposing to you. Why don’t we work out geography later and plan on seeing as much of each other as possible for the time being? I’m miserable without you.”
“Good,” I tell her, letting out the breath I’ve been choking on since I laid eyes on her today. Before she can argue, I catch the back of her head and press her mouth to mine for a long, drawn-out kiss that is our best to date. She tastes like longing and love and forever. When we part, I rest my forehead on hers.
“Is that a yes?” she whispers.
“It’s technically a hell yes.” A grin pulls my cheeks.
“I’m sorry I’m so bad at this.”
“You’re doing great. Better than great,” I tell her, overwhelmed by having everything I wanted here in my arms.
