Page 77 of A Conflict of Interest

“You are really brave.”

“I’ll stick it out for you…”

I grinned, but I softened, shifting in closer to her on the bed. “Is everything… going to be okay? With Danielson trying to get your new job offer sunk…”

She shrugged, looking past me. “He can try. I’m stubborn. Besides, I think that whole scene earlier really shot his credibility. What about you, though?” she said, furrowing her brow. “I mean… it’s not going to get you in trouble? I was pretty sure…”

I put a finger to her lips. “Don’t you go worrying about me,” I laughed. “You heard what the big boss said. It’s a small enough issue that, with it being behind us now, is probably enough to overlook. And… besides, if being with you is going to get me into trouble, then I want to face that trouble. I’m not planning on running away from anything.”

I saw the flicker of hope and hesitation together over her face before, softly, achingly, she said, “Then… everything you’d said, er…”

“I wasn’t just making that up to mess with Danielson. The, uh, the universe already sent enough things to mess with him.” I moved in closer, and I took her hand softly, interlacing my fingers with hers where they lay on the bed between us. “I think I’m done with looking for reasons not to trust you. Everything you do tells me that you mean it… that you just want me to be happy, for its own sake, even when you don’t think you’ll getanything from it. I mean, for God’s sake, Veronica, how could I not be in love with you when you do that?”

She swallowed hard, eyes wide as she looked at me, lips parted in the low glow of the light string hung up over the bed. “Kelcey…”

“You look at me like I’m the most wonderful thing in the world. I’m not getting used to that,” I laughed. “I love you. So… if you promise you mean it this time… I want to be with you.”

“I do,” she blurted, practically tripping over herself to say it. “I promise. I just want… I want you to be happy. I don’t think anyone’s ever smiled the way you smile. So… whatever gives the world more of that… that’s what I want.”

I laughed, ducking my head, feeling my face prickle, my heart beating faster and thisfeelinglike I wanted to melt in her arms right now. “Oh my god, Veronica, that’s so romantic I’m going to die.”

“Well, I’d prefer if you didn’t die. I… I love you, too,” she whispered, like she couldn’t even believe she got to say it. “And I want to be with you. Next time I see my family, I want it to be with your arm in mine and I want to laugh at Mom’s stupid jokes and sayyeah, you were right all along, Kelcey’s the one I love.”

I sighed happily, pulling her in closer to me, and I buried my face in her shoulder, muffling my voice against her sweater. “That sounds really nice. I mean, I hear there’s going to be a family visit upstate after the new year…”

“Did Anna already invite you?” she laughed. “She’s so much softer than she lets on. I would love nothing better than to bring you. We always meet some family friends there. This year I want them to know I scored the cutest girlfriend in history.”

“Oh, stop it,” I laughed, big and bright, swatting at her. “Oh my god. Let’s just hope it isn’t overshadowed by your parents.”

“Psh. Mom and Dad deserve a little credit. Mostly just because I want to watch Anna have a complete meltdown over it.”

“I don’t understand,” I pouted. “It’s all love. Just… so much love, for everyone. What’s the problem?”

She touched her forehead softly against mine, the tip of her nose brushing mine, as her perfect chocolate-brown eyes gleamed with laughter. “Let’s not bother trying to understand everybody else’s deal. I know I love you, and that’s enough for me. Not to be corny on you or anything.”

“I kinda like it when you’re corny.”

“Well, if it’s for you, five chili peppers of sincerity all day, baby girl,” she laughed, and she sank into me, meeting me with the softest, sweetest kiss, and I melted into her—adoring her, holding her into me and kissing her like nothing else mattered.

Of course, it did. We still both had big, full lives to figure out from here. But knowing that I’d be figuring it all out with Veronica at my side?

I was so down for that.

Epilogue

Veronica

Old Preston house—I could never get used to how garish this place was. Couldn’t believe I grew up here and thought it was normal. Even living in Kelcey’s apartment for the past year, it wasn’t like it was a modest place, but it was more… tasteful than this big-ass wannabe manor with an entire department store’s worth of Christmas decorations on it and around it. I parked the car, and Kelcey stopped the music, stretching her arms out.

“God, I haven’t been here in a million years,” she said. She turned to me, eyes shining in that way where Istillcouldn’t figure out how she was doing it, like she could light up the world. I’d spent the past two years dating her trying to figure it out, and I hadn’t made any headway.

Of course, the new rings we had on our fingers told me I had some time still to work on solving that particular mystery some more.

“Did you miss it?” Kelcey said, and I snorted.

“Miss this place? With Grandma’s music blaring loud enough to kill a deaf horse, and Miss Charlotte telling me how uncouth and unbearable I am? I miss Milan already.”

She leaned across the center console, resting her head on my shoulder, murmuring a soft laugh. “It was an amazing trip… with the best souvenirs ever.”

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