Chapter 12 Marshall
MARSHALL
“You’re good to go,” Nathan says, releasing me from the cell I spent the night locked inside. “The city decided not to press charges for the damages, but it would be a good idea if you offered up some volunteer work.”
“What about…”
“Don’t worry about him,” Nathan says of Drunk Idiot who’s sleeping off a hangover in the far cell. “I’ll see to it that he leaves town.”
“Thanks.” I rub the back of my neck trying to work out the stiffness.
Or maybe it’s the fear that Hope doesn’t feel the same.
She probably thinks I stood her up last night.
Or she saw me get hauled away in handcuffs and assumed the worst. I’ve yet to hear from Caden or Ruby, but since today is a big day at the gym, my sister’s probably helping out there.
I shrug into my coat and shove my wallet and phone—which now has a dead battery—into my pocket, prepared to walk to Hope’s place since I don’t have a car. Caden promised they’d take care of Gram, so my only priority this morning is to find the woman I love. I hope to God I haven’t fucked things up.
“Marshall!” Hope rushes me so fast I don’t even see her coming. One minute I’m on the sidewalk all by myself, the next I’m tackled into a snowbank and her lips are on mine. I nearly forget I’m on the ground until the seat of jeans starts to dampen.
“Hey,” I say, combing the hair back from her face. “I’m so sorry about—”
“I didn’t get your message until this morning. Actually, it was Hillary who found it since I thought it was spam and deleted the voicemail without listening to it. But now I know it was you and—and Marshall?”
“Yeah?” I ask, chuckling.
“I love you.”
“You do?”
“I think that’s why I’ve been so afraid to go out with you this whole time. I knew I’d fall in love with you so fast, and I was afraid you were just trying to sleep with me. That you’d move on as soon as something better came along—”
“Hope, there is nothing better than you. I love you, and that’s not going to change.”
“You mean that?”
“I mean it enough to promise I’ll never miss another New Year’s Eve kiss as long as live.”
A slow smile spreads across her lips, illuminating her entire face. “Good answer.”
“I love that you’re here,” I say. “But can we please get out of the snow? My jeans are getting pretty soaked.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Because it gives me an excuse to get you out of them sooner.”