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“Thank you for the necklace,” she whispered, her voice turning open and honest. “It’s beautiful and perfect and so many other words that I can’t even think of right now. And it’s not just that.”
Her gaze turned pensive, and Clark felt a jolt of worry for what was about to come. But when she began to speak again, his fears eased almost immediately.
“And I want to thank you for more than that too,” she continued. “You helped me find myself again. And I can’t express how grateful I am that I have you in my life.”
He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one softer than the last.
“You don’t have to thank me for any of that,” he murmured against her lips. “I love doing it. And… I love you.”
They broke apart, and Valerie gave a soft gasp as she registered his words. She gazed up at him with emotion filled eyes for a long moment, and he was certain that his heart stopped beating entirely as he waited for her to respond.
Then she let out a soft noise that was halfway between a laugh and a sob. She shook her head, tears shimmering in her eyes even as a radiant smile broke across her face.
“I love you too,” she breathed. “So much more than I ever thought possible.”
Happiness unfurled within Clark’s chest, and he kissed her again. More fiercely this time, letting all of his love pour into her. When they broke apart, they both were a little breathless, and he held her for a while longer, basking in the sweetness of the moment. Then he nodded toward his truck.
“Want to go to Sweet Thing for some pastries and a coffee?”
She glanced at her watch, noting the time, and gave Clark a grin. “Only if you don’t mind company. I’m supposed to meet Rudolph there in less than twenty minutes.”
“You talked to him then?”
Valerie nodded, telling Clark the full story of how the conversation with the rugged older man had gone. He could tell she was excited about getting to know Rudolph, and he had a feeling that Rudolph felt the same. Who wouldn’t want to become better acquainted with this sweet, funny woman?
“I don’t mind a bit of company in the slightest,” he said, reaching down to intertwine their fingers as he walked toward his truck. “Especially if it’s company that I get to share with you.”
And with that, they both climbed into the truck, smiling at each other as the sound of Christmas music filled the cab. Clark drove off toward their friend’s bakery, his heart nearly bursting with joy. He had everything he needed, right here in the cab of his truck.
For the first time in his life, he felt as if his entire future was unfolding in front of him, allowing him to catch a glimpse of how it would be for the two of them for many, many more evenings to come.
* * *
