Page 83 of The Trouble with Runaway Brides

Will: You whore.

Each one is nastier than the last. I inhale deeply when another one comes in, lighting up my screen.

Will: We don’t need to talk. Your shit from my place is already packed up and shipped back to yours. Have a nice life with Whitmore, he can’t give you half of what I can.

I want to message back that Lance can give me his heart, whereas Will never could. Will might not want to admit it, but he didn’t love me.

I grab some clothes from my suitcase and get dressed, then I go to the front of the cabin and open the door. “You can come in.”

I close the door against the cold and delete all the messages from Will. Lance doesn’t need to see that to fuel this fire that’s already burning.

He walks back in and shucks off his coat. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “He didn’t answer, then he texted me to pretty much say fuck you, bye.” I head back to the bedroom. “I can’t blame him. I ran out on him.”

“So should we out ourselves then?” He lies on the bed and I bend over to kiss him. It’s hard not to, now that he’s completely mine.

“Sure, and New York tomorrow?”

“I want you in my bed at home. Let’s go.” He gets up. “This bed needs replacing if anyone will be living here for a long time.”

“So, this place was your great-grandma’s, huh?” I look around at the antique furniture.

“That’s what I’ve been told.”

We found these mission boards she had for every one of her grandchildren that detailed how she got them to get over their issues and marry the person they loved. It’s cute and so Dori. I miss her. I wish she could’ve seen Lance and me now.

We take a shower together, then we pack everything to leave our cozy little love shack.

As he’s locking the door, I wrap my arms around his middle. “Do we have to?” I have a slight whine to my voice.

“Yes, unfortunately, but we have a bigger love shack to go to.” He brings my hands up, kisses them, and turns around, taking my bag to his truck.

We drive back toward downtown.

“Wait, I need fuel. Can we go to the diner?” I ask.

He laughs but indulges me and parks in the downtown area and turns off the ignition.

The minute we walk in, everyone claps. I feel my cheeks heat. A whistle rings out and we spot Brinley and Easton in their usual booth.

“I feel like we should bow,” I whisper.

Lance takes my hand and nods as we pass people. “Thanks, everyone.”

The noise dies down as Easton moves to Brinley’s side of the booth and we slide in the now empty side. Lance puts his arm around the back of the booth and I snuggle into his side.

“Aren’t you guys the cutest thing ever?” Brinley says with a megawatt smile.

“Thanks.” I’m not ashamed as I tilt my head and kiss Lance’s jaw. I love the scratchiness against my lips since he hasn’t shaved in a few days.

“How long until you turn into that boring, no-sex couple?” Easton asks.

Lance puts his arm around my shoulders, bringing me even closer to him. “Never.”

“It hasn’t happened with me and Van yet,” Brinley says.

“Where is he?” I ask.

---