Page 37 of Stopped

“Good evening! Is this Elijah Thompson?”

“Sp-speaking.” I swallowed around the lump in my throat.

“This is Dina Ricks, Town Clerk. Please allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your victory!”

“Huh?” My blinks became exaggerated as I tried to parse her words through the sludge my brain had become.

“Mr. Thompson? You’ve won the election. You're the new Town Supervisor of Windhaven.”

“I won?” I might have succeeded in securing the election, but I definitely wasn't winning any awards for being quick-witted.

“You won.” Dina’s patience was admirable.

“I won!” Clarity came rushing back as I shouted the words before dissolving into near-manic laughter. “Oh my God, I won!”

All around me, friends and family alike burst into raucous cheering. The noise was deafening as they swarmed closer, jostling to be the first in line to celebrate my victory. Thank God my boyfriend was there to create a defensive wall with his bulk.

“Congratulations again, Mr. Thompson. Enjoy your evening.” Dina’s voice carried the tone of her smile before the call disconnected. I barely managed to pocket my phone before the people who’d come to support me breached the barrier of my boyfriend's arms. From there, it all became a glorious blur. I couldn't stop laughing, smiling, crying. There were more hugs and handshakes than I could keep track of. My mother was crying. My friends were chanting. My entire extended family was buzzing like a hive of bees. And through it all, Will’s hand on my lower back kept me tethered through the maelstrom of excitement.

“Congrats, baby,” he whispered, smooth and seductive in my ear. “I knew you had it in the bag.”

I leaned back, trusting his body to be there to support my weight. Arms slid around my waist and held me secure. “Thank you, Will. Thank you for everything.”

“It's been a wild ride, but we made it.” His cheek pressed to mine as he hugged me from behind.

“All because of a couple routine traffic stops.” I laughed and blanketed his arms with mine.

“Nothing else would get through to you. I had to get creative.”

“I, for one, am exceptionally glad you did.” With a wiggle, I turned to face him. “Kiss me, Sheriff Doherty.”

“Gladly, Supervisor Thompson.”

And kiss we did. A second round of cheering erupted around us as we locked lips and became a tangle of limbs in the middle of a sea of people. People who had never once stopped supporting me through all my life. Every good time, every success, every failure was part of the patchwork of my life and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate this latest victory—supported by my friends, family, and my boyfriend ten years in the making. Never had I ever been so excited to start a new chapter of my life.

Chapter Twenty

William

One Month Later

“Baby, hurry.” I poked my head into the bathroom and tried to see through the steam. EJ took showers hot enough to scald and the billowing clouds were as thick as ever. “I don't want to miss the cider donuts.”

“Babe, the festival doesn't start for another half hour. You will get your donuts, I promise.”

I whined to exaggerate my point before leaving him to it. My eagerness for fresh donuts was only part of my excitement. I had big plans today. Big plans that I refused to put off any longer. I'd already wasted too much time when it came to my EJ. I putzed around his little cottage to temper my antsiness, tidying up odds and ends while smiling to myself like a fool over all the new little mementos I discovered around his home.

We’d definitely gone full-speed ahead making up for lost time over the course of the last month. There were half a dozen new pictures scattered on the shelves from dates and adventures we’d had—fancy dinners, a river cruise, a trip to a nearby cidermill, and countless drives along the country roads we called home. A picnic basket I bought him held pride of place on the top shelf of one of his bookcases. He used it at least once a week to surprise me on my lunch break during patrol.

My excitement took on another level of intensity as I heard the shower turn off. Another fifteen minutes passed before his footfalls came down the hall. As soon as I turned to face him in the entrance to the living room, we both burst into laughter. We’d done it again—his cozy charcoal grey cowl neck sweater was damn near a perfect match to the turtleneck sweater I'd picked to wear. His tan chinos were just a shade darker than my beige ones. The only difference between our leather loafers was the size.

“Jesus, we’re ridiculous,” EJ quipped with a warm grin. “Looking delicious as always, babe.”

“Ditto, my dear.” I closed the distance between him, brushing a kiss over his freshly-shaved cheek before pausing to draw a lengthy inhale. “Did you steal my cologne again?”

“Yes. I like smelling like you.”

“Mm. Me too.” I peppered kisses along his jaw and drew back with a soft sigh of contentment. “Let’s go. I don't want to be late.”

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