Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Kate
Is he…angry?
My chest hollows out as I realize he is. Very angry. I don’t understand. I thought I was doing the right thing. Doing what he wanted.
I put a lot of thought into it after talking to Penny this morning, and as much as I’ve grown to care about Tucker, I can’t leave the island. I can’t leave my life. Even considering it for a man I’ve known for a mere seven days is ludicrous.
So I kept busy all day, running errands for Penny and confirming everything for the wedding was perfect and on track. And when I didn’t see Tucker once throughout the day, I took it as a sign.
We’re done. Over.
But I couldn’t resist writing that note clenched between his fingers, thanking him for giving me the best week of my life. I thought it a fitting end to our little fling.
“It’s a thank you note,” I say when it becomes clear he’s actually waiting for an answer to his furious question.
“I know what it says, Kate. Why did you write it and have Blaine deliver it to me? Why now?”
“I don’t know. It just seemed…appropriate,” I mutter.
“Don’t do that,” he barks. “Don’t stand there and act like this thing between us is over, and you’re having no trouble walking away.”
My spine stiffens, anger pouring down the column to settle in my gut. “It is over, isn’t it? You’re leaving tomorrow. There’s no reason to drag this out.”
He stumbles back a step, his eyes wide. “Drag it out? You act like this thing between us has been the worst kind of torture, or something.”
“Don’t you see, Tucker?” I snap, losing the tenuous grip I had on my control. “It is torture. For me, at least, it’s the worst kind of pain, knowing you’re leaving tomorrow, and I won’t see you again for what? Weeks? Months? Years?”
Much to my despair, moisture fills my eyes. Shit. I’m going to ruin my makeup.
I shake my head and sniff back the tears. “I can’t do this right now. This is Penny’s day.”
I start to walk past him, but he grabs my wrist with one hand to stop me while shoving my note into his pocket with the other. I start to struggle, but he retains his grip on me, refusing to relent .
When I stop fighting and finally meet his eyes, he asks a single, simple question.
“Do you love me?”
“What?” I blurt, my heart pounding even harder. “No. That’s crazy. It’s only been a week, Tucker.”
He shakes his head impatiently. “Do. You. Love. Me?”
A shudder runs through me, and I lose my grip on my emotions. I start to cry in earnest, and Tucker smudges a thumb across my cheek.
“Because, Kate, as impossible as it seems, I’ve fallen in love with you this week. I’ve never felt this way before, and I don’t want it to end,” he says, and even through my shock I can see the earnestness in his expression. “No. I refuse to let it end. This thing between us is not over. Not by a long shot.”
Startled and confused, I stare at him in disbelief. “You don’t love me. You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because… You just can’t.”
“I assure you, Kate, I can. And do . You’re perfect. Brilliant. Funny. Loyal. Magnetic. Sexy as hell. I love everything about you, Kate Reid, and I’m not letting you go.”
My knees weaken, my body sagging a bit as if I’m melting. Then, I stiffen and shake my head.
“You’re only saying all this because I was a virgin and you feel…I don’t know. Guilty?”
He barks out a harsh laugh. “Guilt is an emotion I’ve never felt when it comes to making love to you. And as for being your first, I feel nothing but honored that you would trust me so completely. And just like you trusted me then, I need you to trust me now, Kate. I fucking love you, and I’m not leaving tomorrow.”
“What?” I gasp.
Some of the staff comes out to finish setting tables, and he pulls me into the building, away from them. We end up in front of the altar where Penny and Logan will vow to love each other forever in a just short while.
“I spent all morning on the phone with my dad, working out the details,” he says once he pulls me to a stop. “I’ll be working remotely for the next year. If things go as well as I expect them to between you and me, I’ll be taking an early retirement from the company.”
His declaration nearly knocks me off my feet. “You’d leave your family company, your legacy…for me?”
“In a heartbeat, Kate. The only reason I agreed to the year of working remotely was so you wouldn’t feel like I’m giving everything up on some kind of whim. I know what I want. I can see our future clearly,” he says, then shoots me a compassionate look. “But I understand that this has all happened really fast and might be scary for you. So, right now, I’m not asking for forever. I’m only asking that you give me a year, Kate. A year to prove that you’re it for me. And to prove that I’m the perfect man for you.”
“This is insane, Tucker,” I stutter, and he grins.
“I know. Isn’t it great?”
I blink a few times as his words sink in. He’s right. It is great. For once in my life, I have the chance to be impulsive. To take a leap of faith. I could end up heartbroken, but I could also end up happier than I’ve ever imagined I could be.
And, damn it, this man is worth the gamble.
I take a deep breath, meet his eyes, and finally say, “I love you, Tucker Gibbs.”
He whoops, wraps his arms around me, and picks me up before swinging me around in a circle. Setting me back on my feet, he looks down at me with pure love shining in his eyes. Then he leans in, and just as our lips meet, loud applause startles us apart. I look over to see Penny, Logan, Sam, and Blaine all crowded in the doorway, clapping and cheering with bright, misty smiles on their faces.
They move into the room, and we all laugh and hug each other. Pulling out of an embrace from Penny, I give her a stern look.
“Logan’s not supposed to see you before the ceremony.”
She scoffs. “You know I’m not superstitious, and there was no way I was missing this to uphold some outdated tradition. I’m so happy for you, Kate.”
I feel a hand slip into mine, and look over to smile at Tucker before meeting Penny’s eyes again. “I’m so glad I didn’t listen to you when you warned me to keep my hands off him.”
“So am I,” Tucker adds, releasing my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulders. “So am I.”
Then his arm drops to my waist, and he bends me backward over it while kissing me like his life depends upon it. Everyone cheers again, and I blush when he finally releases me.
“Okay, you two will have plenty of time for that. Right now, Kate needs to help me finish getting ready for my wedding!” Penny says, her voice raising an octave on the last few words.
I let her pull me away, but I watch Tucker over my shoulder as I go, imprinting the sight of him, smiling at me with love in his eyes, in my memory.
He only asked for a year, but I’d give him anything.
I’d give him everything .