Ignite (Cloverleigh Farms #6)(97)

“I said things to push you away because I was scared,” I confessed. “You ignited a fire in me I couldn’t put out. I couldn’t control my feelings for you, and I’m someone who likes to be in control all the time. But Winnie, that fear was nothing compared to how scared I’ve been that I lost you forever. I never should have let you go without telling you that I love you, I want to be with you no matter where you are, and even though you were in fucking kindergarten when I graduated from high school, you’ve taught me something incredible.”

“What?” she whispered, tears falling freely now.

I smiled at her. “To believe in happily ever after.”

“Now you kiss her!” crowed Luna.

“And the spell will be complete!” Hallie finished.

I cradled Winnie’s face in my palms and pressed my lips to hers.

“Holy shit,” Ellie repeated.

“Dude,” said the teenage guy.

“What do you say?” I whispered. “Can I have one more chance to make you mine?” I glanced back at the girls. “Or maybe ours?”

“Yes,” Winnie said, laughing and crying at the same time. She melted into my arms, and held me tight. “I love you too, and yes.”

The girls rushed forward and circled both of us in their arms, and my heart had never felt so full. After a moment, we turned to face the stunned crowd.

“I got that whole thing on video!” shouted Emmeline, holding up her phone.

“You know,” said Winnie’s father, scratching his head, “something about this seems very familiar.”

“I thought so too,” said his wife, slipping an arm around his waist. “And I think this calls for some cookies and hot chocolate. Who wants to come in for a minute and let these two have a moment alone?”

“Me!” shouted Hallie and Luna, racing toward the porch.

“Thanks, Mom,” Winnie called. “We’ll be there in a minute.” We watched as the MacAllister family, Kyle, and the girls trooped inside the house.

“I’m going to head out,” Ellie said. She gave Winnie a hug and shook my hand. “Dex, that was . . . something else.”

My face was hot. “Yeah.”

“I’m just glad I was here to witness it. And you.” She pointed at Winnie. “Owe me the thing.”

Winnie groaned. “Shit, I guess I do. When?”

“We’ll talk. Night, you guys.”

She got into her car and drove away, leaving Winnie and me alone—finally. When I took her hands, she shivered.

“Are you cold?” I asked. “Let’s get in my car.”

“No, I’m not cold.” Laughing, she shivered a second time. “I’m just shocked and happy. Is this a dream?”

“For a while there, it felt like a nightmare.”

“You poor thing, over there on the Wilsons’ lawn.” She threw her arms around me and clung tight. “But no one has ever done anything like that for me.”

“What, made a total fool of himself?”

“Yes. It means everything! When I got out of that car and saw you there on your knees, my heart melted. I was mush.”

I kissed her nose. “But you still made me give the speech.”

“Of course I did—running through the street is only half the big romantic gesture. The guy still has to say all the things.”

“Did I say them all? I feel like I left out half the stuff I wanted to tell you. The crowd was making me nervous.”

“Tell me now that we’re alone.”

I looked down at her blissfully happy face. “I want to be with you no matter where you are. And I know asking you to leave your new job and move back here just for me is shitty and unfair.”

“But you want me to do it?”

I nodded. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want you with me all the time. You make every single day better.” I kissed her lips. “You make me better.”

Her eyes closed, and she tucked herself against me. “I want to be with you all the time too. We’ll figure it out, Dex. I love you so much—God, it feels good to say that.”

“It feels good to hear it. Better than I even imagined.”

She leaned back at the waist again. “What made you change your mind?”

“Apart from feeling like you took a huge piece of me with you when you left and there was a gaping hole in my life?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Conversations with people who matter to me. My sister. My girls. Justin. Chip. Even Naomi, believe it or not.”

Her eyebrows rose. “You told Naomi about us?”

“She sort of guessed, based on things the girls have said, and I didn’t deny it.” I kissed her forehead. “I’m done hiding and pretending. I don’t care who knows I’m in love with you.”

Her smile warmed my entire body. “Me neither. I can’t wait to introduce you to my dad and sisters.”

I winced. “Your dad must think I’m such an asshole.”

“No way. Sometime I’ll tell you the story of the day my sisters and I made him go declare his love for my mom at her job in the middle of the day.” She smiled at the memory. “Tonight really brings that moment full circle.”