Chapter 23
twenty-three
AMANTHA
“What are you doing here?” Val glowered over my shoulder at the woman.
It wasn’t until the stranger opened her mouth to argue that I noticed their resemblance.
Her eyebrows furrowed the same way Val’s did, though her brown irises were rimmed with gold instead of flecked.
The woman whom I assumed was his sister, Camilla, gestured wildly as she spoke.
“What did you expect, Valentine? You gave me no choice. If you would have—”
Val tugged me inside and began shutting the door in his sister’s face.
“Val!” I shot him a look of warning, grabbed the door handle, and forced it back open. “Remember how we’re working on not being a jerk?”
A sunny smile blossomed on Camilla’s face, revealing an adorably tilted front incisor. “Thanks. He can be such a jerk sometimes,” she said.
I laughed. “The biggest. Come in! You must be Camilla.”
We strode past a grumbling Val, chatting away.
He sulked down the hallway after us. “So, I’m guessing you’re missing your own children’s football game?” He clucked his tongue disapprovingly.
The words wafted toward Camilla, who completely disregarded them while she beamed at me.
We claimed the couch, leaving Val to the brown leather armchair in the corner. Anticipation wiggled in my stomach. Being introduced to a member of Val's family—albeit forcefully—felt important.
And this was Camilla. Val had spoken so highly of her.
Camilla tossed her long, dark curls over her shoulder and said, “I’m so excited to finally meet you!”
Val snorted. “Finally? I literally told you about Amantha a few hours ago.” It was as though he heard my stomach drop, because he smiled gently at me and said, “No, it’s not like that.
I’m more than ready for you to meet my family.
I just wasn’t ready for her”—he glared at his completely unaffected sister—“to meet you. She’s clinically insane, so ignore anything she tells you. ”
Camilla didn’t bother taking her eyes off me to raise a middle finger in Val’s direction.
I giggled, then turned back to her and said, “I’m happy to finally meet you too! And I’m sorry, but did I hear you call him Valentine? Is that a nickname or something?”
Val’s eyes flashed a dangerous warning at Camilla. “Don’t.”
Camilla lit up like a firework on the fourth of July. “You didn’t tell her?!” Her glee burst out before Val could utter another word.
“Val’s full name is Valentine!”
My jaw dropped with an audible pop. I swung my eyes to Val’s humiliated form, which was shrinking against his backrest.
“You are so going to pay for that,” he spat.
Camilla bounced up and down on the plush couch. “I so don’t care. Our mom was obsessed with Saint Valentine, and since her sweet boy was born in February…”
“Valentine?” A full laugh bubbled up my throat before I could stop it. Another one took its place. And another one. Wiping the unexpected laughter from my eyes, all it took was one glance at Val’s grim expression for me to completely lose it.
After a moment, I rushed over and threw my arms around his neck. His rugged cheeks were still flushed with embarrassment.
“Oh, Val, I don’t care what your name is. I’m just thrilled it’s as bad as mine!”
“Har. Har. Har.” Val’s lips twitched, though his chocolate eyes forgave me instantly.
Camilla pressed both of her hands to her heart, watching us like we were the leading stars of her favorite romcom. She slapped the cushion beside her, gesturing me back over.
“Enough about old Valentine! Get over here and tell me all about you!”
I sat back down and chuckled. “Uh, I don’t know where to start. I’m a mom with a ten-year-old son, and I work at the museum with Valentine.” I waggled my eyebrows at Val’s eye roll. “And… I kind of like your brother?” I stage whispered, “Don’t judge my poor taste in men.”
Camilla doubled over at that. “Val,” she said with a laugh. “She’s amazing.”
“I know.” He leaned forward in his chair, a subtle spark blazing as his gaze met mine.
I swallowed.
“Besides the fact that you are obviously way too good for my brother”—Camilla took me by the hand—“I’m happy for him. To be honest, I’m shocked you didn’t run screaming in the other direction when you met him.”
“Actually, you’re not far off.” I turned sweetly to Val. “Do you want to tell her? Or should I?”
“Maybe we leave that part out?”
“You wish.” I launched into the tale. Camilla sat enraptured, laughing, cursing her brother, and asking approximately a million questions.
Eventually, we were interrupted by our actual food delivery. Val took the opportunity to literally shove his sister out the door as she profusely promised to see me soon. The door clanged in the frame as Val leaned against it in relief, clutching our Thai food to his chest.
I grinned, kissed his cheek, and took the bag of food from him. “I like her.”
Val chuckled wearily. “Well, she clearly likes you too.” He trailed me to the kitchen, where we unpacked the food. “I still can’t believe you told her about our interview.”
“And I’d do it all over again just to watch your face. That was a really interesting shade of red, Valentine.”
Later that evening, my eyelids stirred as Val’s lips pressed to my forehead. Faint strands of Whisper Harbor drifted from the illuminated TV. As I blinked in the dim light of the living room, Val’s handsome face came into focus.
“What time is it?” My voice was thick with sleep.
“A little past eleven.”
The strands of my hair ruffled slightly as Val placed another light kiss on the top of my head. I allowed Val to extract me from the cushions. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and groaned.
“Ugh. I’m always falling asleep here.” I pulled him onto the couch beside me. Snuggling against his broad chest, I rolled the soft cotton of his shirt between my thumb and forefinger. “I guess I’m getting too comfortable with you.”
“Or you’re just obsessed with my couch.”
“Or that.”
Val slipped a rosy paper from the pocket of his shorts and placed it in my hand. The darkened living room made it difficult to read the faint scrawl.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“It’s a receipt. I bought you my couch.”
Either sleep still fogged my brain, or Val made zero sense. “You bought me your couch?”
Val smiled sheepishly. “Technically, I bought you this same couch. I know you said you didn’t need one, but I wanted you to have one at your place too.” He bit his lip in an almost unrecognizable mannerism. In contrast to his usual collected demeanor, the man beside me was nearly quaking.
My heart was replaced by a glowing, cozy fire.
“I… I don’t know what to say.”
That I feel so special?
That I never want to leave?
That I think I’m falling in love with you?
“That was so thoughtful.”
“You’re welcome. I hope it’s not too much,” he said.
I shook my head, overcome with the impossible task of finding words that fit how I felt.
“It’s perfect. Really, Val. Thank you so much.” That wasn’t even close to how I felt, so I decided to abandon words entirely. The soft kiss I pressed to his mouth spread down to my toes.
A contented sigh crossed Val’s lips as they met mine, his hands coming up to frame my face. After a long, languid kiss, he pulled back, eyes the color of warm melted chocolate.
How had this gem of a man been hiding—or rather, sulking—in plain sight this whole time?
Val took my small hands in his warm ones. “Amantha, I want to say… I know I’m not great with words, but I hope you know how much you mean to me. I think I’m starting to… Well, I care about you very much. Very much.”
The sincerity of those words melted me into a puddle that entirely belonged to him. One that would never—no, could never—belong to anyone else.
I knew, without a doubt, that I was in love with Val Russo.
The fact was terrifying and exhilarating.
Panicked, but peaceful.
I didn’t know how all these emotions could coexist, but Val’s calming presence somehow made it possible.
Through not trying to please Val, I had found a piece of myself again. He had been a conduit. A steady, reliable hand assisting in my journey to reclaim my identity. There was no way I could ever thank him enough.
Perhaps giving him my love would be a start.
“You don’t know how much that means to me,” I whispered. “I know when all this started, we tried not to think too hard and just see where this went…”
Val’s chest froze, his breath held with the captive strength in which he held my gaze.
“But that’s the thing, Val. All I’ve been doing is thinking. I can’t stop thinking about you. All the time.” I bit my lip, my next words terrifying to admit, though I’d never wanted to say anything more. “I’m pretty sure I’m falling for you. Hard.”
My heart stopped as Val captured my chin, his blazing eyes impossibly closer. His whisper was a caress.
“That is by far one of my favorite things these lips have ever said.” He traced the curve of my trembling mouth with his thumb.
“What are the other phrases?” My breathy laugh shook with anticipation. “Shut up, Russo?”
“Oh, most definitely.”
The tender passion in his fiery kiss stoked a flame that could never be snuffed out. Unspoken understanding flowed between us.
This was real. This was mutual.
I had chosen him, and he had chosen me.
Our blooming relationship was flourishing into something stronger than I could have ever hoped for.
I wound my fingers into his silky curls as I pulled myself onto his lap. I had never needed anything more than I needed this man in my life, so I silently committed myself to him with each kiss.
My past. My present. My future.
It was all ever his to begin with.
Val led me to the door. Struggling to keep my floating feet on the ground, I reclaimed my sandals and insisted I’d be fine driving home.
“The couch will be delivered tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, I won’t be there, since I’m going to be at my family’s for Sunday dinner. Text me after they come, okay?” His long, lingering goodbye kiss made me lightheaded.
Val Russo was a man of many talents.
But instead of ushering me out, he stopped in front of the hall closet. I frowned, perplexed to see Val stoop, retrieve a pair of running shoes, and lace them on his feet.
“What are you doing?” I checked my watch. “Val. It’s almost 11:30! Are you really going for a run?”
“Yes, I am.” Val chuckled with a sigh. “Told you, I’m not great at relaxing.”
“That may be true, but don’t you need sleep?” I felt like a zombie, and it wasn’t even midnight.
Val responded by kissing my cheek and holding open the door, not persuaded in the least.
I grumbled and trudged into the hall. “Fine then. But you better watch out. If you don’t chill out soon, I’m going to slip you a sedative or something and make you relax.” My chuckle at how absurd that sounded was interrupted by my sleepy yawn.
Val froze, his body replaced with a stone sculpture, eyes wide and staring. Each muscle seemed drained of both blood and movement.
I backtracked quickly. “I’m kidding, of course!” I raised up to kiss his icy cheek. “I’d never really drug you, I swear.”
Val didn’t respond, though his wide eyes continued to watch me.
“I'm sorry. I promise to never threaten you with pharmaceuticals again.” I waved goodbye, blowing a kiss over my shoulder on the way to the elevator.
Sunday afternoon, the couch arrived. After presenting the pink slip and signing for it, I ripped off the protective plastic, threw myself onto it, and texted a selfie to Val.
AMANTHA: I’m in heaven. You’re the best boyfriend ever! Have a great day with your family!
The rest of the evening passed in a blur. From my new favorite spot, I answered a few work emails and a call from Kate, who wanted to catch up.
Still glued to the cloud-like cushions, I later drifted off with a smile, never even realizing that Val hadn’t texted me back.