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“Well, that was the sweetest hello.” A smile stretches across my face, and I relax against the shop’s exterior. “You’re helping yourself, Daisy Girl. Of course you’re worth the wait.”
“I’m doing what I can to see you again,” Emery says, sounding distracted as I hear a whispered voice in the background.
“When will that be?” The fact that she hasn’t given a date to her return still makes me a bit uneasy. I want her in my arms. I want to be counting down the days until she returns.
“When everything plays out how I’ve planned it to.” A heavy car door slams and there’s a long pause. “I gotta let you go. My work order just arrived.”
“You’re at work early on a Sunday.” I head toward the back of the shop where my ax and wood block are. It’s late afternoon here, but chopping wood will pass the time while I wait for Rhett to return in an hour or so.
“I am. I’ll talk to you later. I promise.”
“I can’t wait to hear about your day. I love you.”
Mid October has finally graced us with cooler weather, but the way I’m stress chopping this wood, it’s still not cool enough. Rhett’s truck pulls into our shop twenty minutes later, his head already shaking with disapproval. Tori sits shotgun with curled brown locks, a full face of makeup, and a fitted blazer. Her smile is laid back as Rhett scowls. I still haven’t figured out the energy with these two. Tori dresses the part and takes her job so serious, yet when she’s outside of cliental or off the clock, this carefree, playful side comes out. It’s difficult not to smile around her. Rhett, on the other hand, has theyou get what you see, no matter what I’m doingattitude.
“Ian.” Rhett rolls down his window. "We are supposed to head over to the leased walkthrough, and you’re dripping with sweat.”
“I’ll shower.” I sigh.
“Good call installing a shower in the shop. Hurry up and use it.”
“I’ll be finished in four minutes.” I set the ax back in its place and make my way inside.
“Did you really not take that joke opportunity?” Tori giggles as she turns to Rhett. “Look at you becoming a softy for things other than your mini goats.”
“Knock it off, Miss California,” Rhett groans, and I notice he only calls her that when annoyed. “Him missing Emery isn’t worth a lame sex joke.” That didn’t stop him from making a few of them when she first left.
After a shower and clean clothing, we take the short drive down the road to the downtown building. The street holds more familiar faces to spot as the tourist season has begun to die down in October. Rhett pulls in front of the corner building and idles the truck.
“I’m gonna park this around back since I still have the trailer attached. You go in the front since we are already late.” Rhett glances in his mirror, back at me.
“Sure.” I climb out, my stomach unsure if we can take on another project if this building needs to be done quickly. Turning down work is not something I want to do, but we need more employees.
I shut my door and head to the front, reaching for the handle. It’s unlocked, and as I open it, I’m hit with the smell of fresh paint. Sage walls and partially exposed old stone greet me. My heart stops as a large white daisy mural takes up the back wall. Underneath it is Emery.
Slowly, she walks toward me, and I’m paralyzed. Her sundress sways, and the jean jacket she wore religiously five years ago hugs her body. She’s here. In this half-renovated bistro that shut down years ago. The room spins and my eyes land on the coffee bar in back. I take in the chairs and everything I worked long nights on building. It was all for her.
Holy. Shit.
“I crossed the street.” Emery’s soft voice filters through my ears. I don’t even notice she’s made it to me until her arms wrap around my neck. “We’re in this together, from here on out.”
I pause, making sure I’m not making this all up in my mind. “You had all this arranged in two and a half weeks?” I’m stunned I didn’t figure this out. Tori and Rhett busted their asses for Emery. For me.
“A lot has happened in two weeks.” She slides her hands down my chest, and my eye catches something.
“Is this real?” My thumb brushes over the daisy tattoo on her wrist. She nods as I press a kiss to it.
“It’s beyond a reminder of the limits I let you test with me.” She smirks. “Daisies also mean new beginnings. I’m here to stay, Ian Wells.” My throat tightens as her arms wrap around my neck again. “I’m still going to need you to be patient with me because therapy has not been fun, but I know it will be worth it.” I nod, unable to speak, and hold her closer against me. “I’m yours, if you’ll have me.”
I answer with a kiss that has me supporting her weight. She melts into me, lips parting before deepening the kiss. I pull back to double check that this isn’t a wicked dream. “I love you, Emery Davis.”
“I love you more, Ian Wells.” I blink into focus as my eyes blur. Years of waiting to hear those words fill me with elation.
“No morewhat ifs.” Relief removes the heavy weight of doubt and years of hurt as I stare into her eyes.
“You were never a what if, Ian.” Her head shakes as her eyes tear up. “You were always admittedly for me.”
The End
