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“Is this because of me?” I ask. “Am I invading your space? I can—”
“No, Harlow,” Cole interrupts, holding up a hand to stop me. “I’m happy you’re here. You make my brother and my niece happy. And since they’re two of my favorite people, that means you’re number three on the list now. Please don’t think this is about you. I’ve been thinking about this for the last six months or so. Before you two ever got together. I just think I need a change.”
I nod, feeling somewhat comforted by the fact that I’m not chasing Linc’s brother out of his house. Still, I can’t help but feel like he wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for me being here.
“I have another idea,” Linc says, suddenly. “Wait here.”
He gets up and walks out of the room, leaving me and Cole sitting there in awkward silence. Luckily, he’s only gone for a few seconds before returning with a large brown envelope in his hands.
"Don't move out,” he says, looking at Cole. “You can stay here, and we'll move out."
Cole’s face is a mask of confusion and I know mine matches his.
“What?” Cole asks.
“Technically I don't actually live here,” I say. “I still have my apartment above the shop.”
"Yeah, right,” Cole laughs. “You’re here more than you are there.”
I open my mouth to object, but I know I don’t really have an argument. Cole’s right. I can’t remember the last time I slept at my own place. Maybe 2 weeks ago? I do know that I was miserable and slept like shit the whole night, wishing Linc was there. The next morning, he’d texted me to tell me that he couldn’t sleep without me in his bed and could I please never make him do it again. So far, I haven’t made him. I look up to find Linc watching me, a serious expression on his face.
"I was waiting for the right time to bring this up,” he says as he pulls a stack of papers out of the envelope in his hand. “I was hoping to make it more of a romantic thing."
He slides the stack of papers across the table toward me.
Cole makes a choking sound. "Bro, I'm not sure you know what romance is, if you think paperwork is going to cut it."
"Read it," Linc says, not taking his eyes off mine. His serious expression has my heart pounding in my chest. Whatever this paperwork means, it’s clearly important to Linc.
I finally drag my gaze from his and down to the thick stack of papers in my hand. It takes my brain a full minute to comprehend.
"A house? You bought a house?"
"I boughtusa house," Linc says softly. "I want you to come live in it with me and Ella. I want us to be a family."
I bring my hand up to cover my mouth as my eyes fill with tears, making it difficult for me to make out the words on the paper. But one thing stands out to me. The address of the house. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my eyes and look up at Linc.
"You bought my mom's house?" I whisper.
He nods. "I know how much it means to you. I know what losing her cost you. Not just her, but the house you grew up in. I’ve seen your face light up whenever we drive past it. It’s the perfect house to raise a family in. You deserve to have it back."
I’m frozen in shock, wondering how I got so lucky that this man is mine. I don’t have the words to tell him, so I just sit there staring at him in awe. I barely notice when Cole quietly sneaks out of the room, leaving us alone. Linc takes the papers from me and wraps my hands in both of his.
"Harlow, I love you. I hate that we wasted so many years not being together. I don't want to waste another second without you. So, I'm going to do what I should have been doing for all these years. I'm going to tell you exactly how I feel and what I want. And I'm going to hope you want it too."
I sniff loudly and nod, but I still can’t speak.
"I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night. I want bed head and morning breath and dancing in the kitchen after Ella goes to sleep. I want all the good and the bad and everything in between. I want to build a life with you. I want you to be my last first kiss ever. Because you're it for me. So, let me be clear. I’m in love with you. Now, 10 years from now, 50 years from now. That's not changing. So, what do you say?"
I nod, a laugh escaping through my happy tears. "I say, yes."
“Yeah?” Linc asks, his face lighting up in a smile.
I nod again. “Yeah. I love you so much.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me for a kiss. As our lips meet, I’m hit by an overwhelming sense of rightness that settles over me like a warm blanket. This is where I belong. In Linc’s arms. Now. Tomorrow. Forever. When the kiss ends, Linc rests his forehead against mine and we both go still, enjoying the moment.
"Geez, for a second there I thought you were going to propose." Cole says from the kitchen entryway, startling a laugh out of me.
