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Her breathing hitches.
“Maggie, it was never a sacrifice being here with you. I never missed the life I had before. I’ve never missed being with other women. I wasn’t giving up anything to be here with you. I was gaining everything.”
She puts her head in her hands and starts to sob. I don’t know how to read her reaction. Is she happy or sad? I have no clue. I don’t know what I should do or say so I don’t do anything.
Finally, she looks up and says, “You should have told me sooner.”
She takes a shaky breath and then continues. “Declan, I love you too. I think I’ve loved you since Election night.”
I smile. I’ve loved her that long too.
I put my hand over hers. She uses her other hand to wipe away her tears.
“You should have toldmesooner,” I say.
She laughs. “I thought you’d break my heart. I’ve lived in denial. I thought that would keep me from getting hurt, but when you left today...”
“I’m sorry,” I say, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles softly. “I shouldn’t have left, but it hurt too much to be around you.”
“What changed your mind?”
I rub the back of my neck and say, “James had me arrested at the airport.”
Her hands fly over her mouth. “Seriously?”
I nod. “He and Will showed up and helped me see what a jackass I was being. If I’m being honest, Mags, I was just scared. I was scared to tell you.”
She puts one of her hands on my cheeks and then one of the corners of her mouth turns up. “We’re both idiots.”
I laugh. “We really are.”
She leans forward until her lips hover over mine. “I love you.”
I press my lips gently to hers, and it feels like I’m home. She sags into me – she feels it too. When we break, I say, “I love you. What does that mean? What do you want?”
“Will you move back in?”
My heart skips a beat. “Really? Is that what you want?”
She laughs. “Have you been a part of this conversation? We’ve loved each other for years. What are we waiting for?”
I smile. “You’re right. I’m not waiting any longer.”
“Are you sure you’re not giving up the life you want? What about all the adventures you’ll miss?” she asks.
“Oh, I’m not going to miss out on any adventures. We’re going to have them together.”
A big smile spreads across her face right before I lunge across the table to take her in my arms.
Sterling Family Group Text
Brooklyn: Did James really arrest Declan at the airport?
James: Arrest is a stretch.
Declan: It felt like an arrest.
Will: I didn’t see any handcuffs.
