Page 111 of Falling Like Stars

At ten after nine, I hear voices at the front door. Zach talking to his bodyguard.

“Thanks, Ezra. Have a good one.”

I let out a breath and shake my hands. I’m nervous to see him, scared that how bad it was will be evident in his face—his eyes, his expression, and the wound she left him.

The door closes. “Rowan?”

He’s coming through the living area. I rush to meet him halfway. The light is dim for our dinner, making the white of a butterfly bandage high on his right cheek bone stark by comparison. The skin is puffed around his eye and dark beneath it, but otherwise he looks okay. He is okay.

He’s beautiful.

Zach’s expression as we move to each other is full of love. For me. And I know my expression is the same, because I can’t contain how I feel about this man.

He wraps his arms around my waist, and we press our foreheads together as I hold his face—gently and away from his injury—in my hands. Zach takes my wrists, and kisses each of my palms, one at a time. Then his mouth touches mine, softly at first, then more intently as my lips part and I breathe him in. His taste is so familiar now and so clean and good.

We kiss for a long time until he slowly breaks it with a final, soft kiss on my upper lip. But we stay in that close, warm space. He holds me in his arms, and he’s so tall, my head is level with his chest; I hear the strong, steady beat of his heart.

“How bad was it?” I ask.

“It wasn’t good,” he replies. “I’ve had better times in Florida.”

I look up at him. “Will you tell me about it?”

“Another time,” he says. “Did Dottie call you?”

I nod.

“Good. You needed to know your work is safe. And I know you didn’t want me to get involved, but I didn’t see how else to fix it. And I needed to fix it.”

“I know. I just care that you’re okay.”

“I’m okay. Better now.” He pulls back to cup my cheek. “Everything’s going to be better now.”

“It is,” I say, because no one is going to hurt him again. He’s safe with me and I’m safe with him, and that feels like the most precious gift we could give each other.

Zach brushes his thumb over my lower lip, and then his gaze goes behind me to the dining room. “You’ve been busy. What’s all this?”

I lead him to the table. “Dinner.”

He studies the table, the wine, and the lone glass, then brings his eyes back to mine. They’re beautifully rich in the dimness and I see myself in their depths. Not as the broken girl I was six months ago, but as someone who is loved. Is worthy of love. I must be, because I have Zach’s heart and that is a treasure, one that I know I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life.

“This is a moment,” he says. “The best moment.”

I smile and kiss him softly. “Welcome home.”

Epilogue

“ZACHARY RYAN BUTLER,” my brother says, his face filling the screen on my phone. “You called. FaceTime, even. I think I’m going to cry.”

Jeremy pretends to wipe a tear, the jackass.

“Mom and Dad, say hi to your youngest.” Jeremy flips the phone so I can see our parents sitting on the couch, watching the Oscars pre-show. They both wave.

“Good luck, honey!”

“Proud of you, son.”

Jeremy turns the phone back on himself. “We’re all pulling for you over here, bro.”

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