Dad coughs into his hand, glancing away. “Wrong choice of words.”
I shake my head. “No. It’s not. I’ve felt like a part of me has always been missing. I didn’t quite fit in anywhere,” I begin, before turning my attention back to Drew. “But with you, with you, Drew, I felt whole. I fit.
“I love you. I know you told me to wait to say it. I know you probably think I’m saying this because I have a huge heart and my emotions are heightened. But that’s not it. That’s not the reason. I’m saying it because today, I watched as my library burnt.”
“Let’s not bring up the books again,” Hayden mutters, glancing away when everyone sends her a silent warning to be quiet.
“And all that mattered was you. The life I have with you. I love you. I love everything about you. and I hope, so deeply hope, you love me back.” I duck my head, panting heavily. When he doesn’t speak, when my legs threaten to give out, I peek out through my lashes and lean in. I keep my voice low. “It’s okay if you don’t. I know that probably sounded way crazy and stalkerish and—"
“Charlotte,” he croaks, before pausing, clearing his throat. I take in my surroundings and gulp. My entire family has congregated around us and are glaring at Drew, their stance ready to pounce if he doesn’t say it back. It almost makes me smile.
“If it’s the pink or glitter, I can change it,” I ramble. “Or if the sex toys are embarrassing, we can totally give them back. I’ve never used them so I’m sure she will take them.”
“Fucking hell,” Max groans, stepping away from the group.
“There are some things a father doesn’t need to hear.”
“Or cousin,” I hear muttered.
My gaze is pleading, my heart breaking. “I can learn to cook better. I won’t practice with the poles or—”
In one long stride, he’s standing in front of me, his fingers running through my hair until he’s cupping the back of my neck. He drops his head down, his eyes blazing as he stares at me through those thick lashes. “Never change who you are.”
“But—”
“I love you, Charlotte. I meant it the night under the stars and I mean it now.”
“You do?” I whisper, my lip trembling.
His lips tug into a small smile. “I do.”
A laugh slips free. I can’t stop it. I don’t want to. It’s happiness bursting free. I turn to Mum and Dad. “He loves me.”
Mum clutches Dad closer. “We heard.”
My attention goes back to Drew as I lean up on my toes and wrap my hands around his neck. “You love me. All of me.”
His eyes darken. “And you love me.”
Our lips meet and he flicks his tongue against my bottom lip. White light flashes behind my eyes as everything that had hit me in full force, slowly evaporates, leaving only me and him.
“You love me,” I whisper, the world around me spinning. My legs give out and he catches me, pulling me into his arms as we lower to the ground. “My library is or was on fire.”
“I know.”
My voice shakes as I continue. “She nearly killed us.”
“I know.”
“She killed Scott— not that it’s a loss.”
“I know.”
A paramedic kneels in front of me, shining a light in my eyes, and I blink away the harsh light.
“Oh my God,” I cry out, sitting up.
“What hurts?” the young paramedic asks.
I turn in horror to Drew. “We need to go. Your sister is getting married.”
Megan Brown looms above us, a notepad in her hand. “We need to get your statement before you leave.”
I pout. “Really?”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “Yes. You can run through it while the paramedic looks over that cut.”
“Is it over after that? I mean, you still don’t think I killed him?”
“I never did,” she replies softly. “But hopefully, yes, it will be.”
I glance up at Drew. “It’s over. It’s just me and you.”
He grins, beautiful and sexy. “Just me and you.”
*** *** ***
We have a bigger challenge to face than Sophia Parish, something far greater than the ramblings and actions of a crazy person.
We have to deal with Drew’s family.
It’s hard to believe it was only last night that I stood up to them and everything unfolded.
Now we’re late and we look a hot mess.
Neither of us had time to shower. My mum helped me fix my hair the best she could and reapplied some of my makeup. But with the soot and the smoke sinking into my skin and hair, there wasn’t a lot we could do. I changed my forest green dress for a simple wrap around one, and all it has done is highlight the scrapes on my legs, the bruises on my arms.
PC Brown kept us longer than we anticipated, but I was more than happy to fill in the blanks that she had been missing. Missing pieces she needed to send Sophia to prison for a very long time. They even got word to us before we left that they found evidence of the notes and proof the flowers had come from Sophia. It was all clicking into place. For me. But not for the others. It’s too late for some of them to get justice but I hope it doesn’t stop their family from pressing charges.
It isn’t something that will happen overnight though. We have time. Right now, it’s time to heal, to get our strength back. It’s a time for living.
Living for a future that holds no certainties. I don’t need them. Not anymore. I don’t need everything to be in order or to fit into a neat box. What I have with Drew, what we share, it surpasses all of that. He goes beyond my wildest dreams. This is just one chapter of our story. Tomorrow, the page will turn, and we’ll start another.
And I’m excited to see what it will bring.
I can wait for children. I can wait for marriage. Just as long as we always feel like this toward each other while we wait.
“Are you sure you are up for this?”
I grip his hand over the gear stick and link our fingers together. “We’ve had a really bad day. I don’t want to make it worse for you.”
“Alison would understand,” he assures me. He said the same thing outside the library.
“Maybe, but I don’t want to be the reason you don’t turn up to your sister’s wedding.”
“I love you,” he tells me as he pulls up outside the church. “Remember that.”
I gulp. “I love you too.”
He puts the car into park and neither of us waste time gathering ourselves before we slide out, rushing up to the church. Alison steps out of a door located at the side of the entrance, her bridesmaids, Natalie and a girl I don’t recognise, following behind her.
Her eyes widen as she takes us in. “Drew, what on earth?”
“We aren’t late,” I breathe, sagging with relief.
Her attention cuts to me, running her gaze over the cuts and bruises and probably the soot I couldn’t wipe off my skin. “We had a delay,” she murmurs.
Drew bends down, kissing her on the cheek. “You look so beautiful,” he tells her. “We really are sorry. It’s a long story, and one we will tell you after you’ve gotten hitched. We just couldn’t miss your special day.”