27. No. 27 Do it in public #2
Chancing a look to my side, I see Cas, their arms around Nina and looking at me over her shoulders, checking in, their eyes asking if I’m good.
I give a quick nod and appreciative smile.
Connor’s next to them, looking at August. He tries oh so subtly to give his uncle a thumbs up like he’s telling him to keep going but I see it anyway and try harder to hide my laughter.
“I was butthurt and embarrassed she’d left,” he admits.
“And it didn’t help that everyone around here had something to say about it.
” August turns his head slowly to give every local an accusing scowl.
“Which is why I was so reluctant to start things up with you. I didn’t want to be the talk of the village again. ”
I nod because I’d kind of felt the same although my resistance was much weaker, which makes sense given what August had been through. “That’s fair.”
“Meghan, showed up at my door late last night, said she arrived later than she’d planned and didn’t want to wake her parents up.
She’d been planning on coming by to return the ring and apologise for icing me out.
She stayed because I’m a dick but not enough to kick her out when she was clearly tired and emotional, but she stayed in the guest room, and took it upon herself to come and get coffee this morning before I’d woken up.
” He looks regretful. “I was planning on telling you everything today but she kind of made her entrance in true Megs style.” He shakes his head, despite the nickname, he’s holding no affection for the girl in his tone.
“Why didn’t you tell me all this before?” I ask.
He shrugs slowly. “I guess I liked that you were the one person around here who didn’t know. Everything feels light when you’re around and I didn’t want to weigh us down with shit I couldn’t change.”
We stare at each other for a moment, silence stretching like a chasm between us.
“Megan said something this morning, she told me I loved Port Doone more than I ever loved her. And she’s right.
” Ouch, I’m kind of feeling sorry for this girl.
“I always thought I loved Megs, but it was nothing compared to what I feel for you. I wouldn’t leave this place, my home, or my family for her because she didn’t offer me more than life here.
But if you asked me to move to Timbuktu tomorrow, I’d be packed in an hour. ”
My lips twitch a little.
“I’m so in love with you.” He deflates, like holding back those words had been keeping him stiff and uncomfortable. “I love your sunshine and your kindness, your optimism and your fluffy socks.”
I bite down on my lip to stop it curling up at the edge.
“I love how brave you are for doing new things and trying things that make you nervous. I want to be more like you, and every day we’re together, that bravery becomes mine too.
” He steps back up to the counter, his eyes holding mine captive, sincerity and warmth keeping me glued to him.
“But I also like that when you’re not feeling so brave, I’m the one who can help, I’m the one you can lean on.
I like that you want me as much as I want you.
Bea—” He pauses for a beat his mouth hitching up on one side.
“I want to be your emotional support peen.”
I snort, loudly and unintentionally, slapping a hand over my mouth.
“What the fuck?” Connor mumbles beside me, and a little chatter goes up around us as people are clearly confused by what they heard.
“Is this some kind of street theatre?” A tourist with an American accent asks somewhere across the room.
I school my face and give August my best scolding look, which isn’t all that good. “Just because you made me laugh doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”
“I’m getting close though, right?” He smiles at me.
Yeah. Yeah, he is. “I really wish you’d told me about it before today,” I say, trying to hold on to some of my annoyance, but it’s slipping through my grasp like sand.
“I know,” he says sincerely. “I should have said something. Eli told me to, and I ignored him. I was wrong, he was right.”
Loud coughing starts behind August. “Christ, can I get that in writing?” Eli chokes.
August looks to the ceiling for divine intervention, his patience for the others in the room dwindling down to nothing. I fist my fingers around the soft cotton of his t-shirt, bringing his attention back to me and he leans down until his forearms are flat on the counter and we’re eye to eye.
“If any other women rocks up here claiming to be your fiancé, I’m going to lose my shit,” I tell him.
“Completely understandable,” he agrees. “But I promise, there was just one.”
“I love you too,” I whisper, inching forward. “And you owe me three items on my list you now have to do with me. My choice.”
“Deal,” he says without hesitation and then he kisses me.
An uproar of cheers and whistles goes around the café, but they’re drowned out by the bubble around August and me.
We kiss like no one is watching, definitely not like his parents are a few feet away witnessing the whole thing.
We kiss like if there weren’t a counter between us, we’d be climbing each other.