Chapter 30 #2
He was stiff, and his lungs seemed to work double time. “Is this for real, or are you going to rug-pull me as soon as Kynzleigh walks out of the restaurant?”
I tipped my head back toward Theo and Kynzleigh. “You think I’d kiss you like that for show?”
Griffin said nothing, lips tight.
I lifted his hand from my waist and flipped it over, palm up. “It’s real. As long as you never take this off again.” I pressed a kiss over his wedding band.
“Never,” he vowed, voice like sandpaper. “Not for anything.”
“Good.” I pulled his forehead to mine, my fingers twirling the back of his hair. “I’m sorry I told you to stay away and that I don’t love you. I was just scared. I want you, Griff. So much.”
“I want you too,” he said. “But you already know that.”
“No more leaving, okay? You can’t do that to me ever again.”
“I won’t.” He crushed me to him, burying his face in my hair. “I promise. Wherever you are, that’s where I belong. I’ll never stay away again.”
“Good. Because…” My breath hitched. “My entire life, I felt lost. Nothing felt like home, not with my mom and not after. I’d given up thinking I’d ever belong anywhere.
And then I met you, and suddenly, there it was—the feeling I’d always craved.
” I leaned my head on his shoulder, my mouth near his ear.
“Then you left, and it was like I was lost all over again. I can’t tell you what that did to me. ”
“I’m so sorry.” His nose pressed into my cheek. “If it helps, for the first time in my life, I felt completely lost too. I can’t even breathe without you. You’re home for me, Jules.” His hands framed my face. “I missed you every day.”
My palms flattened over his and I closed my eyes. “Me too.”
“We choose each other from now on,” he said. “No matter what else happens, we have to put our marriage first. Agree?”
“Agree.” I nodded, my nose brushing his.
That one word might as well have been a renewal of our vows for the way it settled into my bones. My fears were quiet, leaving nothing but gratitude and peace in their place. And love. Always love. For him.
And if that were true…
I gathered my courage and said just above the music, “We don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to. We can move back to Phoenix.”
His head dropped back and his chest shook with fake sobs. “Are you serious?” He laughed. “Too late now. I just signed a contract with HFD.” His head tipped to the side. “I thought you loved it here.”
“I do,” I admitted. “But I don’t want you resenting me ten years down the road. You are more important than where we live.” Even if going back terrified me.
“Yeah.” He shook his head again slowly. “Well, I don’t want you resenting me either. So I think we should stay. At least for now.”
Tell him. He’s so relieved you’re back together; it’s the best time to break the news.
But I couldn’t make myself do it. The way he was looking at me—open, unguarded, like I was the only thing in the room—I never wanted him to stop.
I’ll tell him on the way home.
Griffin glanced past me and laughed. I turned to see for myself. Sophie was slow dancing with a very grumpy, very reluctant James—and she was leading. Maddie and Theo were hamming it up. She twirled him out and then lowered him in a dip.
“Hey,” Griffin said, digging his fingers into my side. “Have you been wearing my ring on that chain this whole time?”
I grinned shamelessly. “Yes. Mine and yours, right next to each other.” I made my lashes flutter. “Right over my heart.”
He shook his head, nostrils flaring, and wrapped his arms around my back. “Good grief.” He kissed me on the top of my head, his laugh reverberating in my chest. “You are something else, woman.”
I closed my eyes, reveling in his love. “Sorry, not sorry. That’s what you get.”
“Fine.” He exhaled. “I guess we’re even.”
Maggie and Bowen materialized beside us, slow dancing too.
Bowen tipped his chin at Griffin. “Glad to see you’re working it out.”
Griffin blinked. “Oh dang.” He held out his fist for Bowen.
Bowen squinted but bumped him back.
“About that thing you asked me earlier,” Griffin said in a tone that screamed secret. “I would be honored.”
Bowen grinned. “Cool, man. Cool.”
“What’s cool?” Maggie asked.
“Nope. That’s for me to know and for you to find out later. Much later.” He spun her away, making her laugh.
I flicked my brows at Griffin.
He smiled. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Okay. But I’m not waiting until later to hear about Kynzleigh,” I said. “I can’t believe you ever liked someone with a name like that.”
“What’re you talking about?” He scoffed. “I was thirteen. She was blond, arguably the prettiest girl in eighth grade.” He threw one hand up. “And her name has a Z in it. What more could a boy in the throes of puberty possibly want?”
“Seriously, what’s the story there?” I asked. “Why isn’t she Mrs. Griffin Dupree?”
He guided me slowly around the dance floor and filled me in about the bet with her friends and the Starbucks gift card. Had I known that story, I wouldn’t have been quite so nice to her.
But really, what did it matter now? What did either of our pasts matter? As long as we were together, we could face anything.