40. Laine
Applause courses through the crowd as Sutton lowers his glass, his words still hanging in soft glow of the string lights. Wells claps him on the shoulder, grinning, while Cassidy wipes a tear from the corner of her eye, laughing through it. Around us, people murmur about how touching and thoughtful the toast was, how Sutton’s words seemed to resonate with everyone in some way.
I stay rooted to my spot, the glass of champagne in my hand forgotten. My heart is doing something strange, like it’s caught between racing and stopping entirely. Sutton’s voice keeps echoing in my head, but it’s not the part about Wells or Cassidy that’s sticking. It’s everything he said about love: messy, unexpected, and worth the chaos.
When I look up, Sutton’s already stepping off the small platform, weaving his way through the crowd with a polite smile here and a nod there. But then his eyes meet mine, and his face shifts into something softer, something undeniably just for me.
My breath hitches.
He doesn’t break eye contact as he approaches, stopping just close enough that I can feel the invisible tether between us, a stronger pull than gravity.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice low, almost teasing, but his expression gives away something more serious.
“Yeah,” I manage, though I’m not sure if it’s true. “That was…some speech.”
“Glad you liked it.” His grin is small but steady, and then he glances toward the trees, where the soft glow of the party gives way to shadows and quiet. “Come with me?”
“What?” My voice is barely above a whisper, and I glance around. “Why?”
His brow lifts, a hint of mischief dancing behind his eyes. “I have something I want to say. And I’d rather say this part without an audience.”
I hesitate, but only for a second, because even with my brain shouting warnings, my feet are already following him as he leads me away from the noise, the lights, the crowd.
And into whatever this is.
The night air is thick with the scent of pine and wildflowers, a smell that—when I was back in the city earlier this week—I wished I had bottled up and carried with me everywhere. The festivities continue behind us, the reception reluctant to come to an end.
“That was quite the show,” I murmur.
Even in the dim moonlight, I can see Sutton’s cheeks redden. “That wasn’t exactly in my comfort zone,” he agrees.
He sighs, looking up at the sparkling blanket of stars overhead. The quiet stretches between us, but it’s not the uncomfortable kind. It’s heavy, charged with all the things we’ve left unsaid. The things I didn’t realize how badly I’ve been needing to hear.
Sutton’s jaw works for a moment, his hesitation making me ache. Then, finally, he speaks.
“I used to think love was simple,” he begins, his voice steady but carrying the weight of a confession. “I thought it was about finding someone who fit into your life—like checking off boxes. But I’ve realized something.”
He steps closer, his eyes searching mine, like he’s making sure I’m really listening. “You’ve turned my life upside down, Laine,” he says, his voice dropping even lower. “And for the first time, I’m not scared to admit that. I’ve spent so long trying to stay in control, trying to avoid risks, avoid heartbreak. But you…you’ve made me realize that love is worth all of that. It’s worth everything.”
His words hang in the air, raw and honest, and all I can do is stare at him, my heart swelling and twisting all at once. He takes one more step, reaching his hand out to brush mine, the smallest touch sending sparks down my spine.
“I don’t expect you to feel the same way, not after how I treated you last week,” he says softly. “But I need you to know, Laine. I need you to know that you’ve changed everything for me.”
The world seems to hold its breath, the stars above us blinking like they're listening in, waiting for my response. My chest feels too full, my ribs barely containing the rush of emotions crashing over me—hope, fear, longing. But when I look at him, standing there with his heart on the line, the words I can’t seem to find don’t matter. Slowly, deliberately, I reach out, my fingers slipping into his, our hands fitting together like they were always meant to. His breath stutters at the contact, and for a heartbeat, we just stand there, anchored by something fragile but unbreakable.
And in that still, moonlit space, there’s nothing left between us but the truth.
My voice trembles when I finally speak, but the truth in it doesn’t.“You’ve changed everything for me too,” I whisper.
“Laine,” he murmurs, my name soft on his lips, like a promise. “I love you. ”
The words settle between us, cradling this moment in their quiet embrace. The distant hum of the party becomes nothing more than background noise, insignificant compared to the weight of Sutton’s gaze and the steady warmth of his hand in mine. It’s just him and me, standing on the edge of something I’ve never dared to believe could be mine.
He lets out a shaky breath, like saying it has released something that’s been building in him for years. “I’ve loved you for longer than I’ve let myself admit.”
I blink, and tears spill over before I can stop them. His thumb brushes them away..
“I love you,” he says again, his voice firmer now, a vow. “And I will, for as long as you’ll let me.”
“Sutton,” I say, the truth steady in my chest, “I love you too.”
The smile that spreads across his face is like nothing I’ve ever seen before—like the sun finally breaking through the clouds.
Before I can say anything else, he leans down, resting his forehead against mine, his voice light with relief. “Say it again.”
I laugh, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me. “I love you.”
He closes the last bit of space between us, taking me in a kiss that’s soft and certain, like he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.
“This doesn’t mean things are going to change, right?” I ask.
Sutton tilts away from me, and I rush to clarify.
“I mean, if we’re together. We’re still going to be best friends, don’t you think? I won’t get annoyed when you color code your closet, and you won’t get annoyed that I have a new hyperfixation every three weeks?”
Sutton drags me into his chest with his good arm. “I do wonder how long you’ll be able to put up with me making a spreadsheet every time we go grocery shopping.”
“And you’ll tire of the way I simply refuse to stick to a recipe when I’m cooking.”
“Which would make the whole grocery spreadsheet pointless.”
I ruffle Sutton’s curls. “Wouldn’t that just drive you crazy?”
He thinks for a moment, a smile teasing at his mouth. “Doubtful.”
“What about when I book us flights for a vacation we weren’t planning on taking?”
Sutton shrugs, dimples hinting at his cheeks.
“Or when you see the hundreds of scrap-paper notes and little reminders I leave scattered around?”
“I’ll still love you.”
“What about when you realize I only finish one out of every ten books I start?”
“Even then.”
“And what about—”
Instead of waiting for my next scenario, Sutton catches my mouth in a kiss, rendering me speechless. Sutton’s lips crush against mine, curving with a smile. Somehow, he tastes like the ranch, like a cool creek and evergreens. I kiss him gingerly, mindful of his broken side as I fight every urge to wrap my arms around him and hold on with everything I have.
Sutton, however, seems to forget about his injuries. He squeezes me against him, stooping his tall frame down to kiss me deeper before hoisting me up with one arm. I’m only an inch off the ground before he drops me back down, wincing in pain.
Still not ready to completely give up my grasp, I graze my finger lightly along his face, following the lines of healing cuts, the shadowed bruises, the growing beard.
How amazing it will be to memorize every detail of this face. How amazing it will be to watch it change over time.
Suddenly, Sutton’s expression drops. With his good hand, he palms the back of mine, holding my hand against his cheek. “Your flight is tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
He nods, like he’s trying to brace himself against something inevitable. “What happens then, Laine? Are we…” He trails off, his voice heavy with unspoken fear.
I lean in, close enough to feel his breath against my face. “I have to go back to New York, Sutton. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving this behind. Us behind.”
His brow furrows, his gaze searching mine for answers I haven’t fully figured out yet.
“I need to go back. My life, my parents—they’re still there. But…” I take a steadying breath, my voice shaking with honesty. “But I’m not saying goodbye to this. I’m not saying goodbye to you.”
His shoulders ease just slightly, relief softening the edges of his face.
“We’ll figure it out,” I continue. “I don’t know how yet, but we will. Because you’re worth figuring it out for.”
Sutton exhales, his forehead resting lightly against mine as his grip on my hand tightens.
“I’ll wait, Laine. However long it takes, I’ll wait.”
I let out a breathless laugh. “I don’t think you’ll have to wait too long, Sutton.”
He grins, dimples cutting deep into his cheeks, and then he kisses me again—taking his time, like he’s memorizing the moment.