At the Stars(71)

“We so will. My dad said to just respond to everything with ‘yes, dear.’”

That makes me laugh. “You’re not really going to do that, are you?”

“Probably not.” He kisses me again. “I do promise to listen. No more assuming you’ve gone off to marry your ex until I know for sure.”

I laugh again. “That’d be good.”

“Baby, it’s going to be so good, you’ll never want to go anywhere again.”

“I like the sound of that.”

He squeezes me tight. “Me too. Now, come on. I want to introduce you to my father.”

“Wait. Before I forget. Your jacket.” I open my bag to find it—the one he loaned me the night we met, so I’d be warm. I kept forgetting to return it, and I found it when I was packing. I brought it so I could give it to him before I left town.

He shakes his head. “Hang onto it for now. You can bring it to my place later. You know, when you bring the rest of your stuff.”

Umm... “The rest of my stuff?”

His dimples pop when he grins. “Sure. I bet you already checked out of the Inn. We’ve got all the ugly stuff out of the way, right? And you already love how I cook my eggs. What do you say?”

I take a deep breath, and grin back. No fear this time. I want to trust him. I want to jump. “I do love how you make your eggs.”

“Then you’re gonna stay?” The hope on his face almost makes me cry.

Did I ever really mean to go? I’m sure I believed I did. I have a car crammed full of stuff parked outside. Looking around, looking at Jake, I know my heart is here. It settled in, it made friends and a fresh start, and found someone special.

I can’t go. No way. “I’m staying,” I promise him. And I’m glad.





THE END