Chapter 18 #2
Beau released Ivy’s hand and made a beeline for the hallway and the vent where his mother used to hide her most precious belongings.
In the past, she’d hidden a gold ring that had been handed down by Beau’s grandmother, and a necklace with a dragonfly pendant that hadn’t been worth much, based on how much it had rusted.
But it had seemed to carry sentimental value to his mother.
He should ask his mother about its significance someday.
He moved the loose vent cover and reached inside. His fingers stopped on a thumb drive. He’d found it. He palmed it and then headed into the living room.
“This is it. This is what we came for,” he said to the lieutenant while holding up the drive.
She unfolded a paper bag and asked him to drop the evidence inside.
He hesitated.
“I’ll take good care of it,” she reassured. “I promise.”
It was time to let go. He dropped the evidence inside the bag, thanked the man who had opened the door, and followed the officer to her vehicle. He listened as she reported that they’d gotten what they came for.
The lieutenant thanked him before taking off.
He couldn’t wait any longer to talk to Ivy, so he stopped at the truck. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Ivy opened the passenger door and climbed inside, afraid Beau was about to say goodbye.
“Hey,” Beau said as he claimed the driver’s seat. “Did I do something to offend you?”
Ivy didn’t need to hear the “It’s me, not you” speech. She got it. The investigation was over. There was no need for the two of them to interact any longer. She crossed her arms across her chest and hugged her elbows.
“No, of course not,” she said. “I get it, Beau. We shared a couple of kisses and, sure, they were of the epic, soul-melting variety, but we don’t have to have an awkward conversation where you tell me this is over.”
“Is that what you think I’m going to say?” His tone said she’d caught him off guard.
“Isn’t it?”
Face muscles relaxed, he leaned in toward her. There was no guardedness in his eyes this time when he looked at her, just openness and something that looked a whole lot like vulnerability. His gaze was gentle, unwavering, and full of warmth like a caress.
“I couldn’t be thinking more the opposite, Ivy.”
Had she just heard correctly?
“At some point today, it dawned on me just how crazy I am about you,” he started.
“I fell in love with you hard and fast from the second we met. And then I spent the last couple of days fighting it with everything inside me.” He paused for a beat.
“Here’s the thing. I don’t want to fight it anymore.
I want to do the opposite. I want to lean in and see where this goes.
The other thing is that I already know what’s happening next on my end. ”
“And that is?”
“I’m in love with you. You’re the person I want to wake up to every morning.
Your face is the last thing I want to see when I close my eyes at night—for the rest of my life.
And I know that sounds nuts because we’ve known each other for two days, except I feel like I’ve known you my entire life.
” He hesitated for a second. “When it comes to you, I’m all in.
Forever.” Another hesitation. “Do you think you could love me if I give you space to figure out your feelings?”
Her breath caught, but not from shock—from the sheer rush of happiness flooding her chest. Her smile was so wide it almost hurt as she whispered, “Space is an awful idea.”
He frowned. His brows knitted in confusion. He was reading her response wrong. “I thought what was happening between us was mutual.”
“You aren’t wrong, Beau. I’ve heard people talking about meeting someone and having that instant bam where they knew this was the person they wanted to spend the rest of their life with. I thought it was all just hormone-fueled attraction.”
He cleared his throat. “And now?”
“I realize how wrong I was,” she said softly. “It might not happen that way for everyone, but I was struck by lightning the minute we met. Every time we touch, my body tells me this is something special, something not easily replicated.”
She leaned toward him until their lips were inches apart.
“I’m head over heels in love with you,” she said.
“You’re my home, and I’m ready to spend the rest of my life with you, however long or short, because I’ve also realized that tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Life is going to hand us some awful days, but we’ll be fine as long as we have each other to share the burdens—and the joys, too.
I’ve never felt with anyone else the way I feel when I’m with you, and I don’t want to waste another minute of forever. ”
“Does that mean you’ll do me the incredible honor of marrying me?”
“Name the time, date, and place, and I’ll be there,” she said. “To be clear, though, I don’t need a piece of paper to confirm my dedication to you.”
“Neither do I, but it’s a good place to start.”
Ivy couldn’t imagine her life with anyone else. She’d found her person, the one she couldn’t wait to make hers.
So she leaned into him because every great promise should be sealed with a kiss.