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That did sound more like the Brianne he knew, but the way she’d pushed him toward Katrina felt a little different. Sure, she might have been doing it just to prove a point. They might not be good together.
He refused to let any of that hold him back. He gazed down at the woman he’d watched and supported over the last couple of decades, still in disbelief that he had finally gotten what he’d always wanted. His life was complete.
She gave him a funny look, tilting her head. “What’s that look for?”
He shook his head.
“No, you have to tell me now. Consider it payment for all that stress you would have let me go through just so you could be on the better end of the surprise.”
If he wasn’t so happy, he might have noticed the way his jaw ached from the smile he still sported. Instead, he noted that Katrina seemed just as happy as he was. “I’m just glad it all worked out. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” He pulled back, his eyes sweeping over her wardrobe and one brow lifted. “I thought you said you were getting ready for bed. Sorry, but your jeans and this shirt beg to differ.” He reached out to touch the collar of her shirt and Katrina swatted him away.
“Just be glad I’m not dressed in sweats. I bet you wouldn’t have been so interested in confessing your love for me if I was dressed how I used to be when I first got back to town.” Her voice was lighthearted, free from the angst that had weighed her down for so long.
But it wasn’t how she’d said it that threw him off guard.
It was what she’d said.
He hadn’t told her he loved her.
Had he?
Simon ran through their conversation in his head, unable to remember if he’d said he loved her or if he had confessed that he simply wanted to see where this could go. His delayed reaction caught her attention and she frowned, inching closer.
“What’s the matter?”
He blinked, reminding himself to smile again. “Nothing. I was just thinking.”
She slipped her arms around his back and pressed her body into his. The way she fit against him like a missing puzzle piece had him thinking even harder about what she’d said.
He did love her and he knew it. But was it the kind of love she was talking about? It had to be. At this point, her mistake might simply be God’s way of helping him know exactly where they both fit.
Simon’s arms tightened around her and he rested his chin on top of her head.
This was exactly where he was meant to be. They fit together better than peanut butter and jelly.
Rather than heading inside, Katrina and Simon ended up sitting on the porch. He laced his fingers with hers and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. Simon had lost track of time, but that didn’t matter, either.
There was nowhere else he would rather be than with Katrina by his side.
The door to the house opened behind them. There was no pulling away, no jumping apart to hide what had started between them. Instead, Katrina glanced over her shoulder. She turned back just as quickly. “Oh, hi, Daniel.”
Daniel glanced between Simon and Katrina, grinning like he’d just walked in on something inappropriate.
“Isn’t it a little late for you to be up?” Katrina teased when her brother didn’t speak immediately.
“Isn’t it a little late for you to be out here with a guy?”
She snuggled more against Simon. “I’m sure your wife is waiting for you somewhere. You probably should hurry home.”
Daniel moved past them, heading down the steps, then stopped and faced them. His eyes appraised Simon, then Katrina. When he brought back his focus to Simon, he nodded. “Do you need to reschedule our meeting in the morning?”
The grin he sported said everything his words couldn’t. This was his baby sister and he wanted nothing more than to tease her.
Katrina must not have noticed because she jumped, her head swiveling around to stare at Simon. “You finally called him?”
“Called? Nah. Your brother practically ambushed me.”
She shot a confused look toward Daniel, who shrugged.
