Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(97)

“You’re here for Lila James?” Vi purred, and her voice sounded unusually flirty, and she giggled after she said it.

I guessed someone good-looking was most likely dropping off another pile of work for me. One that I wouldn’t be taking with me on my way out the door.

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face when I came around the final corner.

My mouth fell open as I saw Hugh Reynolds standing there in all his glory. Tall and lean, a navy blue baseball cap on his head, a pair of dark jeans, and a white buttoned up that was even more wrinkled than usual.

“Hi,” I said, the word coming out all breathy as I came to a stop a few feet from him.

My legs weren’t moving, as I was literally stunned that he was standing here.

“Hey, Snow.” He closed the distance between us as his tongue swiped out to wet his plump lips. I didn’t miss the little gasp that escaped Vi as she watched him stride toward me.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered.

“You forgot this.” He held out my Snow Day notebook, and I chuckled as I took it.

“Wow. You came all the way here to give me the notebook?” My voice was all tease because the way he was grinning at me made it clear that wasn’t the reason he was here.

“Well, you left the last thing on the list unchecked. What kind of guy would I be if I didn’t help you rectify that quickly?”

“You did help check quite a few of those off the list, didn’t you?” I moved forward, my chest bumping into his as I tipped my head back to look at him. His hand looped around my waist, tugging me forward, and he turned his cap around and winked at me.

“I sure did. And it inspired me to make my own list. I did it on the plane ride here.”

“Is that so?” I asked, my breaths coming hard and fast. I didn’t even care that we were doing this in the middle of the reception area with Vi watching us like she was watching a movie.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

“I only have one thing on the list, because only one thing matters.”

I glanced down at the paper.

#1. Go get your girl.

I didn’t need to speak another word. My arms reached up for him, and he lifted me off the floor, my legs coming around his waist. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in.

He started walking and pushed through the doors until we were out of the waiting area near the elevators.

“I don’t want to get you in trouble at work,” he said against my ear. “But I needed to say something to you, and it couldn’t wait another minute.”

He set me down on the floor, and I swiped at the tears rolling down my face. I gasped as I took him in and noticed the bruise on his cheek.

“What happened?” I reached up and feathered my fingers across the discolored bump that was there.

“Your brother knows. He actually took it much better than I thought he would.”

“My brother knows what?” I asked, shaking my head.

“That I’m in love with you. That I’m moving to Chicago if that’s where you want to give this a try. Because I’m all-in, Snow. And I’ll follow you wherever you want to go.”

I couldn’t speak. I’d waited so long to hear him say those words to me. I shook my head, trying to push down the lump lodged in my throat, robbing me of my words in this moment.

“Take your time,” he said, smiling as his large hand rested on the side of my neck while his thumb stroked my cheek.

“I love you,” I said, as I finally calmed my breathing and pulled myself together.

“I love you, too.”

“You told Travis, and he hit you?”

“Yep. I thought he’d hit me a couple times, but he just needed to react, and I don’t know, he just looked at me, and I think he saw it there.”

“What did he see, Bear?”

“A man who’s in love with his sister. A man who’s losing his mind because the love of his life is gone, and he didn’t get to tell her how he felt.”

“I hated the way we left things, and then I didn’t know what to do when I got here. I wasn’t sure how you felt, and I’ve just been so miserable,” I said, the last word breaking on a sob.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “I’m sorry I didn’t do something sooner. I knew how I felt for a long time, and I should have manned up. I was just so afraid of holding you back, and I didn’t know how to make it work with me there and you here. But that’s not an issue anymore. I realized that being with you is more important than anything else.”

I pulled back and looked up at him. “What does that mean?”

“It means that I found a way to come here if you want me to.”

“What about the restaurants? And your family? Your life is in Cottonwood Cove.”

“My life doesn’t work without you.” His forehead came down to touch mine. “That’s the truth. I go where you go.”

I chuckled. “Well, I’ve got good news for you.”

“I don’t know, Snow. I think my news is going to be hard to beat.”

“I think you’re right.” I pulled back, taking both of his hands in mine. “I just quit my job. I kind of hate it here. I want to go home. With you. I want to work at the restaurant every day and skinny dip in the cove every night.”