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We both get out of the car, walking up to the house. Delaney walks in first, heading down the hall towards Mitch’s room, and I walk in the opposite direction, straight to Clark’s bedroom door. I knock quietly, listening to him move around before he pulls the door open.
He stares at me, confused.
“Beauty?”
“Remember back when I was like ten years old and I said, ‘If two people are meant to be then they’ll find a way. It might feel like everything is stacked against them, but if the love is real, they’ll make it work?’”
He nods his head, reaching out to grab my hand.
“I don’t want to go off to college. I don’t want to go anywhere if you’re not there.” He starts to speak, but I put my hand up to stop him. “Let me finish. I’ve never had this dream of spending my life in school, that’s just not me. I’ve always had this dream of just living. I haven’t done a lot of that lately, because my life has been so full of grief and guilt, but then you came along and opened my eyes.”
“Beauty…” he says, wrapping his arms around me.
“I love you so much, and I know it’s going to be hard, I know our love isn’t meant to be sunshine and roses, we’re two damaged people. But that’s okay because we’re two damaged people trying to heal each other.”
He pulls away, his hands gripping the sides of my face, and then he’s pressing his lips to mine, in a kiss that consumes every inch of me. It’s almost as if he’s taking the broken pieces of my soul and putting them back together.
Like a puzzle, everything that’s broken inside both of us fits together in its own imperfect way.
“I love you too, beauty. As a matter of fact, I was just packing a bag to come and tell you pretty much the same thing.” He chuckles, moving to the side so I can see his bag sitting on top of the bed.
“When was it that you stopped hating me?” I ask him.
“What? I never hated you. It’s always easier to be an asshole and push away the people you care about rather than allow them so deep inside of you that you allow them the opportunity to tear you apart.”
“I love you, Clark James.”
“I’ll never get tired of you saying that,” he says, just as his lips connect with mine.
Epilogue
CLARK
Two Years Later
I laid my mom to rest two weeks ago. You can call me selfish, and I’d agree, but it took me a long time to come to terms with losing her. There was always this little flicker of hope that she would make some miraculous recovery. Unfortunately, that never happened, but I’ve allowed myself plenty of time to accept that.
Now, I’m about to have one of the most important conversations of my life. I’m sitting in a restaurant right outside of town, waiting for Mitch. We’re meeting for dinner. It’s been a crazy couple of years. Our business took off, and things have been incredible.
Delaney started working for the company, she stages the houses right before we sell them, and she does an amazing job. That small touch from her has really helped our homes stand out in a business that’s flooded with talented real estate.
“Hey, man, sorry I’m late. I got stuck in some traffic,” Mitch says, grabbing a seat across from me.
I’m really fucking nervous. I have no reason to be, but I can’t help it.
“What’s going on? It sounded important on the phone,” he says, picking up the drinks menu.
“I want to ask Marley to marry me,” I blurt out.
He looks at me, his hands frozen on the menu.
“No shit?” he asks, his face breaking out in a smile.
“Yeah, but I wanted to get your blessing first,” I tell him.
His eyes soften and he puts the menu down.
“Damn, man. That’s fucking awesome. I appreciate that,” he says, standing up.
