Chapter 34 #2
He squeezed my hand. “Right back at you.”
He’d been brave enough to face it head-on from the start. And now it was my turn to be brave. “I said I was falling for you, but that wasn’t the whole story. I wasn’t just falling. I’d already fallen. Irrevocably. Face-first.”
Ryder’s mouth dropped open.
“Wow,” Caleb said across the booth’s divider. “Never seen him speechless before. But don’t worry, he’s in love with you too. So…welcome to the family. The sarcasm’s strong and the fucks given are few.”
The table gave a collective snort of amusement. “You’re all assholes,” Ryder told his family, then cringed and slid a look at the twins. “Except you two.”
“Is asshole a bad word?” Alex asked.
“Yes, but not as bad as fuckwad,” Abi said.
Kiera glared at Ryder. “Seriously?”
“Hey, that one they learned from Tucker .”
Tucker winced at the truth of that.
Ryder held out a hand to me, which I took. He then led me out of the diner to the sidewalk, where we stood blinking in the bright morning sun. He tipped my face up to his.
“You’re in love with me?”
“Irrevocably,” I whispered.
A look of wonder and marvel crossed his face, and he shook his head, like he couldn’t believe it, before cupping my jaw. “Say it again.”
His smile was contagious. I felt it all over my face as I set my hands on his chest to feel the comforting, steady, slightly too fast beat of his heart.
“I’m in love with you, Ryder Colburn.”
“Irrevocably,” he said. “Don’t forget that part.”
As if I could. “Irrevocably.”
“Penny.” He seemed gobsmacked, like he hadn’t dared see this coming.
And my heart broke for him. “How do you not know that you deserve every good thing on this planet?” I asked. “You deserve the love of your family, the respect of your employees, and all your success.” Going up on tiptoe, I pressed my forehead to his. “And us.”
His eyes shuttered closed. “Us. There’s an us?—”
We both turned at the sound of someone knocking on the glass and found everyone’s faces pressed up against the window. Well, except for Hank. Hank was stealing a sausage off one of the plates.
Grandma gave me a thumbs up.
Caleb was waving like a lunatic.
Tucker took a pic with his phone.
Wyatt was eating my pancakes.
“Ignore them,” Ryder said and yanked me in closer. One hand slid into my hair at the nape of my neck, the other to the small of my back. “I love you, Penelope Rose, with everything I’ve got.”
My heart swelled against my ribcage. “You’re sure?”
“ Irrevocably sure.” His smile was brighter than the sun.
“I’d convinced myself I didn’t need anything more in my life.
That it was as good as it got, even though I knew a piece was missing.
And then you came along, not needing anything either, least of all from me.
” His eyes held a quiet promise. “Crazy smart, feisty as hell, willing to challenge me at every turn. You had me baking cookies .”
His smile faded, replaced by pure affection and pride. “You’d been through so much, and still had so much courage and spirit. I knew you were my missing piece.”
We heard some murmuring from all those faces pressed up against the glass, though we couldn’t make out what they were saying.
“ And you accept the craziness that is my life,” Ryder said wryly. His phone buzzed an incoming text.
And then another.
“You should look,” I said. “Maybe there’s an emergency.”
He pulled out his phone and I leaned in. The text was from The Annoying One.
“Tucker,” Ryder said.
The text read: It’s the Legend.
I looked at Ryder.
He sighed. “The Legend of Star Falls.”
“You…you believe in the Legend?”
“Believing isn’t the same as seeing three falling stars. I saw three falling stars. And so did those idiots.” He jabbed a finger in the direction of his brothers.
I’d never known anyone to actually see the three falling stars, so I’d never given the Legend much thought. Especially since the notion of soul mates had always seemed so farfetched, at least as it pertained to me. But here I was, undeniably connected to Ryder, heart and soul.
Then and there, I knew I’d believe in the Legend for the rest of my days. My heart felt so full I thought it might burst.
“Want to get out of here?” Ryder asked.
“Yes, please.”
He led me to his truck.
“How will your family get home?”
“Kiera drove her car here.” He smiled at me. “Trust me?”
For once in my life, I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
The roads were quiet, the houses on either side of the curvy two-lane road peaceful, beautiful.
We were in an older part of downtown, a beautiful oak-lined street with glorious architecture stretching for two short blocks filled with kitschy-cute antique shops, art galleries, bars, a few inns, a fire station, and touristy shops.
Ryder parked in front of the Devereux Building.
Through the windshield, I stared up at what had been his first big job, the building cast in a golden glow by the early morning sun.
“There’s something I’d like to show you.”
I smiled. “Right here? Where anyone can see us?”
He snorted. “Come on, smart-ass.”
The ground floor had four retail spaces that held a florist, a gift and clothing boutique, and a local-made jewelry shop. The front one with the massive picture windows sat empty. The sun had everything aglow in there too, highlighting custom woodwork, the open layout.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“The building’s for sale,” he said quietly, watching me take it all in. “I’m buying it back.”
I laughed. I’d gone to the store that morning and bought fresh fruit and veggies, bemoaning the cost. But Ryder was buying a building… “Full circle?”
“Full circle.”
Music spilled out of the boutique, and chatter and laughter from the florist, all of it mixing together perfectly. It seemed so quaint and intimate, like somehow even surrounded by life, we were alone.
Ryder took a deep breath. “That space…” He pointed to the empty unit. “Needs something.”
“I can see that.”
“The large windows provide ample natural light and a stunning view of the valley. Makes it perfect for a café.”
My head whipped to him. “What?”
He was still just watching me. “Can you picture it?” He pointed to the windows.
“Tables lining those windows, the big glass doors wide open to the outdoor space, where more tables invite visitors to relax and take in the views and chow down on the most amazing food, prepared by the most amazing woman…”
My biggest dream, dangling in front of me like a carrot.
For so long, I’d been afraid of failing my family, afraid to trust again, feeling like it’d never be my time to have a life. And here it was, all of it, ripe for the taking.
“You’re…serious?”
“Very.” One corner of his mouth quirked with good humor, but his eyes were quiet, thoughtful. “I happen to know the price is right.” His gaze continued to hold mine, sincere and warm. Calm and patient.
“I…” My mind was whirling, my heart so full I felt like I could burst. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.”
I stared at him, knowing I wore a stupid, goofy smile. “And what exactly would I be saying yes to?”
His smile matched mine. “Only everything.”