Page 73 of Crazy Little Thing Called Love

His smile returned, and he took her hands in his, pulling her even closer, until their bodies touched. “Thanks, but I don’t need the money. I have it.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I sold Beatrice.”

She stared in shock. “But you love that car.”

“I love you more,” he said, dipping his head to gaze directly into her eyes. “I’m not taking your money. This is something I have to do on my own.”

She understood. Boy, did she.

“I’m sorry, too,” he went on. “I never should have said that about your grandmother’s house. It’s important to you. You shouldn’t give it up.”

“Too late. I called Gran’s attorney and told him to give the house to Mandy.”

“What? But she’s just going to sell it.”

She shrugged. “Then we’ll have new neighbors in Kismet, and I bet they’ll be wonderful. Besides, you were right. My parents are gone. Keeping the house doesn’t keep their memory alive. I have them in here.” She placed their joined hands over her heart, warming when Del squeezed tightly in agreement. “Things shouldn’t be more important than the people you love.”

His hand slipped from hers, sliding down her hips to wrap around her waist and pull her entire body flush to his. She could feel the rapid thump of his heartbeat. Or maybe that was hers.

“Are you saying you love me?” His voice pitched deep and sexy.

She gave him the only words she could. “Yes. I love you.”

“’Bout damn time.”

With a smile, his lips descended on hers, and she met him with equal fervor, relishing the one thing she’d been denying herself since their awful fight days ago—Del.

Her heart soared as his touch sent her body on a rocket blast to the sky, never indicating a fall. Because Del would never let her fall, and if she did, she knew he’d always be there to catch her.

CHAPTER 25

Cassie walked down the street, a wide smile on her face. Three months had passed since she told Del she loved him, and she still couldn’t seem to wipe the stupid-in-love grin from her lips. Probably because she was stupid in love. So awesomely, freaking happily in love. Some days, she had to pinch herself. Then others, Del did something to annoy her and she remembered it was all too real.

Good and bad, during their small spats or the mind-blowing make-up sessions afterward, she and Del had something special. She was so glad she’d taken a chance on them. Even when the man annoyed the ever-living daylights out of her, she loved him.

And she knew she always would.

She touched the beautiful heart shaped necklace Del had given her a few days after they made up. She couldn’t believe he’d bought it so long ago and kept it. Just for her. Looked like Gran hadn’t been the only one who had a suspicion she and Del would end up happily ever after.

Making her way through the door of Jack’s Grill, she covered her ears at the sharp piercing sound coming from inside. The Jackson family had leased the building next to the distillery, and the restaurant preparations were in full swing. Right now, they had the kitchen fully finished with new, top-of-the-line equipment. The dining area was coming together, booths along the back wall, tables and chairs out on the floor. Everything looked almost ready to go.

So, what was making such a racket?

Her gaze crossed the room until it fell on the culprit of the high-pitched eardrum shatter. Del stood on a ladder with an ancient-looking screw gun, a pair of downhill skis screwed onto the wall in front of him. As she glanced around, Cassie noticed a lot of things had been added to the walls. Snowshoes, old miners’ pans, a framed copy of the lyrics to America the Beautiful.

“This stuff is tacky, Del.” Ace stood at the bottom of the ladder, glaring up at his brother, arms crossed over his chest. “Take it all down.”

“No,” Del argued. “It’s fun, and everything here is a bit of Colorado history. Tourists love this tchotchke type stuff.”

“I don’t know man.” BJ stood by his twin’s side, running a hand through his long, unbound hair. “Ace has a point. It kind of makes us look like one of those kitschy restaurants. What’s next? You going to ask our waitstaff to wear pieces of flair?”

Del pointed the screw gun at his brothers. “First of all, don’t insult Office Space, it’s a classic. And second, I know what I’m doing. I’m not just throwing up random junk. This all has meaning to our state, our town, us. Trust me.”

Her heart swelled when the twins shared a glance then gave Del a nod. In the past few months, he’d come into his own. He’d dropped the have-no-cares persona and started honestly talking to his siblings. And to her. Together, they’d helped each other open up to life, truth, and love. She had no idea how she’d gotten so lucky, but she wished everyone could be this happy.

“Trust me. It’ll be a big hit. Plus, it will give people something to talk about while they wait for their food. Ya know, dinner conversation for the awkward first date.”

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