Page 89 of All My Heart

Cole scowled as if he was the relationship expert. “Definitely not. It should be a surprise.”

I couldn't stop the nerves even as I was convinced I needed to at least tell her how I felt. But on Christmas? I didn't like not waking up to her or sharing Christmas morning with her. I loved my family, but Luna was the woman I wanted in my life. It felt wrong to spend the day by myself.

“Stay for brunch and look for tickets. You can fly out this afternoon. It's not a long flight. You can be there by dinner time.”

I pulled out my phone to check out the flights. “She might be with her family.”

Daphne grinned. “Surprise her at the beach house.”

“She's living there, right?” Cole asked.

“That's what it looks like.” In one of the videos, she'd shot an image of her air mattress. Would she be okay with me renovating the house with her? I had a bigger hurdle before we even talked about that. Did she love me?

That's the question that kept my stomach tight and made it difficult to enjoy brunch. As the day went on, more of my siblings showed. First Wes and Sutton, then Jameson and Claire. Owen was at his dad's.

I didn't want to leave, but I couldn't stay. Not when I needed to tell Luna how I felt. If I didn't do it today, I might lose her forever.

When I said my goodbyes, everyone wished me good luck.

Dad walked me out to my truck. “I hate to say this. But I hope we lose you to Florida. Just don't be a stranger.”

I turned to face him. “There's no guarantee she wants me.”

“I want you to be happy, and if Luna is who you want, then we'll have to visit you in Florida.”

“I have no idea what's going to happen. I don't want to get ahead of myself.”

“Bring Luna to see us soon.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I hugged him, knowing I was making the right move. My family would always be here for me, but Luna could move on, never knowing how I felt about her. That was unacceptable.

On the plane, I rewatched Luna's videos, crafting my plan for what to say to her. By the time I landed, I was no closer to figuring out the best way to do this. I hoped it would come to me while I was waiting for her at her house.

I rented a vehicle and searched for recent listings in Sanibel. When I found the house, I put the address into the GPS and headed in her direction. I was laying it all out, hoping that Luna felt the same way about me. It was the biggest risk I ever took. Hopefully, it would pay off.

At her house, I parked at the curb, surprised to see a sedan in the driveway. Was she home from her family's already? My heart picked up, because I thought I'd have more time.

I got out of my car and moved toward the porch. I heard a voice inside the house and wondered if she was taping something. Then the door opened, her phone sitting on a tripod in the living room. It was facing us, but I only had eyes for Luna.

She wore a white tank top and cut-off jean shorts, and her legs and feet were bare. Her toenails pink. She was gorgeous.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Axel, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.” Thankfully, my voice came out stronger than I felt.

Her forehead creased. “But why?”

I stepped inside, waiting for her to close the door before I spoke. “I needed to talk to you.”

She wandered into the living room, and I followed her. “You're making great progress.”

She turned to face me. “You came to see the house?”

“I came to see you. I needed to tell you something.” There was no point in pushing this off for later.

She cocked a hip, her eyes wary. “Is there something wrong with the cabin?”

I stepped closer to her.

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