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“Nona, huh?”
“It slipped out. Is that okay?”
“Normally, I’d say hell no.” I wrap my arms around my chest. “I don’t let anyone call me that.”
“But—?”
I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling. “But I think I like it when you call me that.”
“Would you like me to call you that more?” He sidles up to me, hands in his pockets like a nervous teenage boy.
“That depends.”
“On what?” His brown eyes land on me. The warm glow of his wood shed accentuates every groove in his perfectly toned torso. How the hell did I get so damn lucky?
I shiver, rubbing my arms. I don’t know if it’s the cool night air or the way Levi makes me feel. “On if we can continue this party at one of our houses.”
“Oh shit, sorry.” Levi wraps me in a bear hug and the strangest sensation washes over me. I feel like I’ve been in his arms my whole life. That this is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I’ve always believed I’d find love someday, but I never thought it would be from my noisy as hell next door neighbor, and I never thought it would happen so fast.
“I love you.” I whisper. My eyes bolt open. “Oh shit. I didn’t mean that.”
Levi pulls away and stares down at me. “You didn’t mean it.” He cocks his thick, sexy brow. “Or you didn’t mean to say it.”
A long beat passes between us. Long enough for me to think I seriously might die of embarrassment. “I don’t know.” Levi’s mouth pops open and I’m sure he’s going to tell me to get the hell out of his woodshop. That I’m a Grade-A psychopath clinger who should lose his number.
Instead he surprises me. “I can live with that.” He leans down and whispers in my ear. “I love you, too.” Then winks. Honest to God, the manwinksat me.
“Wait are you saying that because I did, or because you actually think that?” He wraps his fingers around the front of his flannel and pulls me closer, pressing a single kiss on my lips. “I don’t know.”
I squeal as he lifts me off my feet and cradles me like a bride. “Your house or mine?” He says.
“Yours.” I say, and allow Levi to carry me out of the woodshop and up the path to his gorgeous, fairy tale house. The funny thing is, deep down inside of me, I’m certain that one day we’ll be calling itourhouse.
Epilogue
Winona
Five Years Later:
Today is the big day.It took a bit of blood, sweat, tears and equity, but Levi and I are launching our new business. After working my ass off in the bakery, Levi sculpting and carving more custom furniture that I thought was humanly possible, we’re finally opening Maxwell Designs, an all-in-one interior design firm with made to order custom wood pieces.
I press the sides of my dress with my palms, wondering how on earth I got my bumps and bulges to smooth. A whistle from the doorway turns my head. Levi, dressed in the custom suit I made him buy for our opening, leans against our bedroom door frame.
“Holy cow, you look unbelievable.” His eyes roam up and down my body and I can feel my cheeks turning the same shade of red as my dress. “My stunning sexy as hell wife.”
“That suit is unbelievable.” I toss my hair over my shoulder and move toward my gorgeous husband. “The man wearing it’s not so bad, either.” I press my nose against his neck and take a long inhale of his clean woodsy scent.
“It’s a little snug.” He says, wiggling in his pants.
“It’s supposed to fit that way.” I straighten his starched collar. Levi drew the line at a tie. You can’t win them all. My hand shakes when I pull it away, and as with everything I do, Levi notices. When I head back to the mirror to double check to see if my dress really fits or if I’m delusional, Levi wraps his strong arm around my waist and pulls me snug up against the front of him.
“Are you nervous, baby?”
I take a deep breath, forget to blow it out. “A little.”
“It’s just a party, Nona.” I’ve grown so accustomed to the nickname that I’d think something was wrong if he called me anything else. But, if anyone else dared try it I’d have to put them in their place. “You love parties.”
“I know.Otherpeople’s parties. This is like a celebration of us.”
