I squeeze her hand. “Thanks, Bug.”
I smile down at her and Reed’s words come back to me. She truly is my light. But he was a close second.
We break the tree line and even though he hasn’t dropped Henry off in three Mondays, my throat still tightens on the ridiculous chance Abe will pull up to the curb and Reed will walk Henry up to the school.
Jade circles around me, waving and saying hello to friends.
“Bug, you gotta go to school.”
She continues circling. Darcie and Georgia have moved on to someone else to pick on now. Most of the drop-off and pickup parents now ignore my existence which is fine by me.
“In a second. I’m waiting for Henry.” She continues circling me, her hands running along my shirt as she rounds each side of me.
I glance at my phone. “It’s getting late, maybe he’s not coming.”
“He’s coming,” she singsongs, not stopping.
“One minute, Jade then you have to go into school.”
“He’ll be here.” She skips around me.
I roll my eyes, waiting for the minute to be up.
“Jade doesn’t want to go to school today?” Darcie asks, and I glance her way.
“You know Mondays.” I’m polite instead of telling her to piss off and mind her own business which is what I really want to do.
“I knew it,” Jade murmurs.
I turn, and the familiar sight of Abe’s car unleashes the butterflies in my stomach.
Henry runs out, heading right toward Jade and my breath is stuck in my throat waiting to see who else is in the backseat.
“Ready, Jade?” Henry asks.
Jade hugs my legs. “Bye, Mom.”
“Bye, Bug.” I pat her back, my attention solely focused on the car.
The back door opens on the street side. A few cars passing by honk and then he circles around—a silver tie clip gripped between his teeth as he ties his tie. Just like the first time I saw him again, his blue suit is pressed and tailored to his body, his hair gelled to messy perfection. I refuse to take my eyes off him in case I really have lost it and my imagination has conjured him up.
He holds up his finger in my direction, walking past me and up the stairs to the school. “Henry,” he says, holding his fist out.
They fist bump and then he descends the steps, his eyes never leaving mine. I’m still in a state of shock as he comes to stand in front of me.
“Ready?” He holds his hand out.
“For?”
“The rest of your life.”
I smile, fitting my hand in his. He pulls me into his chest and we couldn’t get closer if we tried.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. Pulling back, he holds my head in his hands.
“I’m sorry, too. I love you, Reed. I should have never made you choose. We can do long distance. We’ll figure it out.”
He shakes his head. “No, you were right about that. If we’re going to give this a chance, we can’t be seven-hundred miles away from one another.”
“Then what are we going to do?” I ask and press my lips together, waiting for his answer.
“When I first saw you again, my heart skipped a beat. I never believed in that shit. I mean I knew I’d eventually fall in love, but for your body to have a physical reaction? That stuffs for fairy tales and TV. With you though, I’ve never been surer of anything. You were meant for me.” He tucks my hair behind my ear and leans in close. “Victoria Clarke, I choose you. I’m not taking the job in New York.”
His lips fall to mine and I close my eyes basking in all the love and adoration of his kiss. We break apart and I glance at the faces around us. Jade’s giggling at the top of the stairs, her hand over her mouth and she smiles at me before heading into the building.
“Are you sure?” I whisper.
“One hundred percent positive.”
He holds his hand out for me and I take it. And I’ll never let it go again.
Epilogue
One month later…
“Ready?” Reed walks into the office as I finish typing my email.
“Almost,” I say.
He sits down in front of my desk looking gorgeous in a navy blue suit. He props one foot up and rests it on his knee.
“Did you win?” I ask.
I would watch Reed in court every day if I could, but after the last case, I’ve kept my distance. He’s absurdly paranoid and it’s hard for him if I’m there.
“I did.” A huge smile crosses his face.
“I’ll have to make sure to give you a congratulatory kiss.”
“Just a kiss?” He sits up, grabs a Post-it note and a pen.
“Is that for me?” I ask, eyeing the note in his hand. With my hand on the mouse, I close out everything and log off.
“It’s not always about you.” He winks, scribbling something in his lawyer handwriting which reminds me of a doctor’s.
“I’ll be right back.” I pretend to say goodbye to Chelsea, so he has an opportunity to hide the note for me to find on Monday.
“Hurry. Abe’s waiting.”
“Only you can get an Uber to act like your own personal chauffeur.” Hannah comes out of her office, leaning her shoulder on the doorframe with a manila folder in her hand.
“Hi, Hannah,” he says.
“Where are you taking our girl tonight?” she asks.
The two talk and I peek my head into Chelsea’s office.
“I’m leaving.”
“Thanks for the update, I’ll be sure to call NBC and let them know,” she jokes, standing and following me out. “Reed ‘The Steak’ Warner, how the hell are you?” She acts like she didn’t just see him yesterday.
I’ve been granted with a pickup and a drop-off every day for a month. I can’t complain. There’s something about almost losing something that makes you hold it tighter.
“Chelsea,” he says and smiles, tossing the pen into my holder and standing to his feet.
“Would you guys mind dropping this off at the tax attorney’s office? His office isn’t too far.” Hannah holds out the envelope and I snatch it up.
“Sure.” Then I look to Reed. “We have time, right?”
He nods.
The envelope is snatched out of my hands. “I’ll do it. You two go.” She shoos me with her hand.
“Thanks, Chels.”
“I’m going that way anyway. I’m on a search for penis paraphernalia and I might just grab myself one of those Unicorn Cock vibrators. My cousin’s bachelorette party is coming up.”
She rolls her eyes like having to go into a sex store is such an inconvenience for her would upset her. Having to go into a sex store. This is Chelsea we’re talking about.
“Want to join me?” she asks Hannah.
“Me and you in a sex shop?” Hannah shoots her an expression that says never. “I’d rather not get arrested tonight.”
“Fine. Leave it to me to be the curator of cock on my own then.” Chelsea shrugs like she doesn’t really care, which she probably doesn’t.
“Okay, have a great weekend, girls.” I wave goodbye and Reed pats my lower back to get me going.