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Casey sucked in a breath, the air catching in her throat, unwilling to travel to her lungs. “Push me away,” she murmured.
“I regretted it the second I said it, Casey girl. I swear it! I never should have taken your life into my hands and made decisions for you. I waswrong, one hundred percent wrong.”
He leaned toward her and pulled her body into his. His strong arms squeezed, encasing her small frame against his chest.
Casey exhaled and closed her eyes, allowing his words to settle in her heart.Could this really be the truth?
“You told me that no one had ever asked you what you want to do with your life.” He choked on his own words and ran his fingers through her curls as he pressed her head against his chest. “And when you told me about your dream, I just wanted you to have it so goddamn bad. But I was too selfish and refused to give up on my own.”
“Austin,” she whispered and squeezed her eyes shut.
“I’m sorry, Casey. I was so blinded by my drive to make partner that I forced you into—”
She pulled away, stretching her leg as a cramp formed in her hamstring. Swiping at the tears coating her cheeks, she smiled. “I love my internship. You were right to push me.”
He shook his head and ran his thumbs over her cheeks to remove the tear stains. “No, nothing I did was right.”
Her heart swelled, bursting against her ribcage and threatening to jump from her chest into her lap. “So...” she choked out, “Mavis?”
“Is my past. Totally and completely my past.” He nodded and tugged her back into his embrace. “I may have loved her yesterday, Casey McDaniels, but beyond any doubt, I loveyoutoday,” he whispered.
She smiled, and her heart restarted, waking from the dormant state she’d survived in for the last five months. Lifting her gaze to Austin’s, she sighed. “So, what does this mean, California boy? You quit your job. You want me back...”
From the first-aid kit, his hands pulled out a Band-Aid. Lifting her leg back to his lap, he tore the wrapping apart and pressed the bandage to her knee, covering the injury completely.
“It means I’m a Cubs fan.” Grinning, he tapped the royal-blue brim of his ball cap with excitement. “You are the love of my life, Casey McDaniels. And if you’ll take me back, I’d like to spend every inning of our lives trying to make up for the pain I caused you, cheering you on through every fastball thrown our way.”
Her heart mended, each tear and pull and stretch stitched itself back together, and her soul reached out to his.
Casey grinned as the truth of his words settled in her heart and her stomach released a groan, begging for food. She giggled and dropped her hand to her belly as her cheeks flushed. “I’m hungry.”
Austin leaned forward and picked up a high heel, placing it back on her foot with a grin. “Well, then let’s get you a cheesy sandwich, Cinderella.”
“Counterproposal.” She giggled. “A pitcher of celebratory Old Style instead.”
His smile squeezed her heart as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, murmuring against her mouth. “Sweet home, Chicago, Casey girl.”
Sweet home, Chicago, Austin. Welcome back.
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THE END
