Page 69 of Yours Temporarily

I then request he run the meeting until I return. Jill usually sends out the agenda to the team before the meeting.

“When’s lunch delivered anyway?” Nico checks his laptop screen as if he hasn’t heard my urgency and request. But he must’ve because he waves me off. “Go get the girl already!”

***

My palms sweat as I step into the café’s open-air front room with tables arranged under the new overhead lights. Cheery artwork depicts people gathered around dining tables or laughing alongside displays of fresh fruit and vegetables. I navigate the rows between seating arrangements, my chest swelling, my pride not only for Zuri’s realized dream but also for my small part in her journey.

But the unmistakable hint of burnt bread undermines the smell of new furniture and a faint smell of fresh paint. As I approach the kitchen door, trickling water boosts my hope. She’s there. Not long ago, she guided me back there to prepare our dinner as we discussed our fake arrangement. Little did we both know her invitation into her world would unlock my heart.

Hesitation grips me at the threshold, and a battle between hope for the future and fear of the unknown anchors my feet.

Zuri stands by the sink, washing her hands, her gaze fixed on a to-do list on the nearby corkboard. The AC kicks on, and its breeze wafts in, tousles her short curls, and highlights the simple appeal of her maroon leggings and black top. Gone are her jeans and white top. The outfit effortlessly accentuates her hourglass form. She’s breathtaking. My breath catches.

She turns off the faucet, and I clear my throat to make my presence known. Still, she jumps a bit, turning around. Her hands, dripping water, clutch at her heart as she gasps. “Jer!”

Warmth floods me at her familiar endearment. Jer. I’ve longed to hear it, to be near her. I should’ve brought her ring with me. I want it back on her finger where it belongs.

We both stand frozen, locked in each other’s gaze, absorbing the sight of one another. If only looks could satisfy my longing as I take in her doe-brown eyes, so sweet and innocent.

My chest heaves with each breath, my mind racing yet blank—no prepared speech comes to mind. But perhaps, at this moment, words are unnecessary.

Still, I clear my throat. She’s waited too long for me to voice my mind. “When you walked into my office three months ago with that apology meal, I was famished. The aroma alone distracted me from my wait for someone else, a different woman I’d planned to rope into being my fake fiancée for the wedding.” How that other woman has faded into insignificance! “She’s a distant memory now, and her face barely registers. But I had described to Jill the ‘perfect woman’ I expected that day.”

A light laugh escapes as I recall the miraculous turn of events. “Jill sent the other woman away before you arrived, claiming she didn’t fit the description I’d outlined. Then you showed up, the stunning woman I’d described. You, not her, were meant to walk through that door.”

“I call it divine intervention.” She shakes a finger at me, and her smile, so infectious and warm, lights up her features. “And to think, you weren’t even supposed to be at that party. Remember how I practically slammed the door in your face?”

“Yet you invited me before you even knew me.”

With a shrug that belies her kindness, she confesses. “Damien was skeptical you’d come. But I pushed for your invitation. I saw an opportunity for him—and perhaps for me—”

“To see a side of me hidden from the world.” I take a slow step forward. “You always see the good in everyone, Zee. Despite any preconceptions Damien may have shared, you chose to see beyond them.”

“Food gatherings have a way of breaking down walls.”

But I’m letting her steer the conversation away from what I fear to say. I dare not do that again. A deep breath drags out my innermost confession.

“You shouldn’t have given me the ring back.” My voice lowers to a whisper as my trembling hands seek refuge in my pockets to stay concealed.

“But you mentioned after the wedding—”

“That was before I knew you, before I spent time with you and realized what I was missing.” Before the pivotal moment in our relationship. “There were no rehearsed lines the day I proposed to you on the rooftop. Yet, looking into your eyes, brimming with hope and trust, I found myself envisioning our future together.”

Why did I ever think this would be hard to say? The truth pours from me now.

“The calmness you instill in me overwhelms my senses, compelling my words to spill freely. Your faith and sincerity inspire me.” I advance toward her, and the warmth emanating from her smile suffuses my being, a sensation that sends joy spiraling through me. My chest warms. “Whenever you’re upset because of me, I feel lost and empty.”

As I take another step, she mirrors my movement, closing the distance between us. With each step forward, my words flow more effortlessly, driven by the truth in my heart.

“I’m compelled to step away from my desk so I can spend time with you.” I’m tempted to skip the upcoming meeting. “But more than anything, I like you so much—I can’t imagine going back to a life without you in it.”

She presses a hand to my cheek, closing the gap entirely. “The main reason I agreed to this fake arrangement was because I liked you from the start. I love you, Jeremy Kress.”

I sweep her into my arms, lifting her off her feet.

“We’re in luck, Zee.” Breathing in her essence, I set her down and cup the softness of her chin. “Because I’m in love with you too, and this time, it’s not just temporary.”

At last—oh, at long last—I kiss her, investing all my pent-up emotion and excitement into the moment. She kisses me back, and relief washes over me—relief and gratitude for having found someone to love who loves me back. No doubt, Zuri is mine permanently.

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