“I can’t breathe without you.”
My eyes stung. “You can’t say stuff like that,” I whispered.
“I thought I was strong enough to do the right thing.” He shook his head. “I’m not.”
“Being apart is the wrong thing.” He stepped closer. “The absolute wrong thing.”
Even when I didn't like it, he’d been honest. And not forgiving him was the wrong thing too, especially when I’d made mistakes too.
“Admit it. You miss arguing.”
“So much.”
“And my sweatshirt.”
“You can’t imagine how much.”
“There’s nothing strawberry ice cream can’t fix,” Eric said, apparently paying more attention than I suspected.
“Agreed.” Lincoln held out his hand for a low five. Then he hooked my chin. “Don’t give me a chance to screw this up again.”
My stomach dropped. I thought . . . I thought he wanted to try again. Was he telling me not to do that?
“We’ll make mistakes—”
“Marry me. I don’t want an out. I want an in. A permanent one.”
I blinked at him. “What about taking it slow?”
“Waiting a week for you to be my wife is slow.”
I looped my arms around his neck. “Is this your version of I love you?”
“Come home and never leave again, no matter if I say something stupid.”
Looked like that was how he told me he loved me. And after hearing what his mom had said, that was starting to make more sense.
She also said people have different ways of showing their emotions. That some of us don’t know how to.
Lincoln was starting to make sense.
He’d gone out of his way to look after both me and Eric, and I needed to decide if I could live with him without hearing the words I wanted to hear desperately. This man had gone to bat for us repeatedly. Staying at his apartment. Making deliveries without being asked. Chasing down former clients so they’d give us business again. He was a good, good man. I loved him deeply. And he wanted to marry me. Keep us.
I smashed my lips against his. Whole. I finally felt whole again.
He held me tight against him, giving me every bit of himself. I felt how he’d missed me. That he loved me. That he needed me.
“This is the best,” Eric said as we broke apart.
I brushed my mouth against Lincoln’s. “You know how terrible I am about losing my keys. I don’t think we’re ever going to be able to leave.”
“Good. Because I’m not helping you find them.” He kissed my forehead tenderly. “How the mighty have fallen.”
I’d said those exact words to him the day of his arrest, just like I’d pretended to lose my keys to keep him out of jail. And he remembered.
“I already told you I have.” He was going to make me admit I’d fallen for him a lot. I just knew it.
He smirked. “I meant me.”
Epilogue
Lincoln
“I thought I’d get married before you. Are you doing this because you’re the oldest and want to go in order?”
Teague tugged on his red bow tie.
“I’m getting married because I love her.”
“Good thing we had these suits made on the double. Thank God we’re wearing them at your wedding instead of mine.”
I scowled. “You can manage for the ceremony. For dinner, you can lose the tie and cummerbund.”
“Thanks for the permission.” He punched me in the arm. “I’m happy for you.”
I was happy for me too. Ecstatic was more like it.
We were getting married on the rooftop of our apartment building. And we’d thrown it all together in four days.
“Is it straight?” Eric turned to me for examination.
“Looks perfect.” I reached in my pocket. “I have something for you.”
He watched with careful fascination as I opened the small box. “Cuff links.”
“These belonged to our grandfather. They’ve brought me a lot of luck.” I urged him to accept the box. “I want you to have them.”
“Me?”
I nodded. “Allow me to show you how to put them on.”
I threaded them through the slits in the cuffs of his white shirt.
He studied his wrists and grinned. “These are great! Thank you.”
“They look very nice.” I shrugged on my coat. “You’re quite handsome today.”
He checked his reflection in the mirror. “I want to wear my new suit every day.”
Teague yanked on his collar. “You two are crazy. I can’t wait to get out of this thing.”
“I appreciate your great suffering on my behalf.” I buttoned my jacket.
Beau burst through the guest bedroom door. “You should see how beautiful she looks.”
“Good thing we’re all decent.” Teague flashed her a saccharine grin.
She lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “Like you’re worried about that.”
“I’m modest.” Teague batted his lashes.
She smacked him in the stomach. “Wow, Eric. You have a better sense of style than Lincoln, and that’s saying something. These suits are fantastic.”
He beamed. “We went with red. For love.”
She glanced down at her own scarlet dress. “Good choice.” She slipped her arm through his. “Ready to walk Lexie down the aisle?”
“I can’t wait.”
“I’ll distract her, while you two get upstairs.” She shooed us out the door after I straightened my bow tie one last time.
In short order, I was getting married.
I never imagined the possibility before Lexie. Now, I couldn’t picture anything but being her husband.
Teague slung an arm around me as we exited the apartment. “Mom’s really happy right now.”
I hoped wherever she was that was true.
Muffy and Millie raced ahead up the stairs, but stopped on the landing, unsure where to go. I flicked my chin, and they bolted up the next flight.
“I suppose a thank-you is due,” I said when we neared the top.
“To who?” Teague held open the rooftop door.
“You.” Muffy and Millie bolted onto the grass we’d added. “For forcing me to foster them.”
“Actually, I only sent you home with Muffy. You’re the one who came back for Millie.”
Because Eric loved her, and I wanted him to have the dog.
“Get over here, handsome. I need to sneak one more kiss before you’re a married man.” Miss Adeline waved us over with the Bible in her hand.
Pepper’s cheeks turned as crimson as her dress. “You know you don’t have to do what she says.”
“Hush, girl. I’m an old woman who won’t have many more opportunities like this.” She winked.
I bent and kissed both of their cheeks. “Thank you for officiating.”
“My ordained minister’s license arrived just in time.” She buffed her nails. “Hope you don’t mind if I wing it.”
“Tell her no.” Pepper pointed at the old woman. “I’ve given her a strict script for our wedding.”