Page 57 of Tin

“He needed to hear.” Kirsten steps up to move directly in front of me. “He needed to know. Everything. And I swear to you, Quinn, his reaction wasn’t what you’re thinking.”

“Then why did he leave?”

Helplessly, she glances around one last time. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, honey.” My mother drapes an arm around me, and my father curls his around my waist from the other side. “Time to close the door on this chapter and see what’s on the other side.” She smiles, and I know she’s thinking about our last conversation about my life. Maybe she’s right. Maybe there is something to hope for. I found light once in the black abyss I’d fallen into. And now that he’s back, maybe I can come out of it for good. If he really is back.

My family shuttles me past the Murphies and their attorney, all of whom are out in the hall waiting to glare at me as I go by. I don’t care anymore. Somehow, the words Judge Hanson said to me have changed things. It’s like she took the power back from the universe and handed it back to me. For the first time ever, I am in charge of my own destiny. And now that I know what that means, I’m not screwing it up. Starting with the man I love. The man who made me want to be better. The man who found my heart when it was missing and gave me his until I found my own.

“He’s handsome,” my mother whispers as we walk outside. I smile. He is.

I rest my head on her shoulder and close my eyes to the bright sun. “I didn’t realize you got to see him. He was sitting behind you.”

Her hand squeezes my side. “I didn’t, really. But I’m getting a pretty good look at him right now.”

My eyelids fly back up in a flash, only now all I can see are black splotches while I wait for my eyes to adjust. Frustrated, I blink repeatedly. All I want is to see his face. See him grin that Riker grin and know that everything is going to be alright. That he forgives me. That he accepts me. All that I’ve done. All I’ll never be able to give.

And then, finally, I do. He’s got both hands placed in his pockets, his lips tucked up halfway in a tentative smile. It’s like he pours strength into me just by being present, and I start to move toward him, getting faster with each step I take until I’m there, in his arms. Safe. And whole.

“Please don’t tell me to leave,” he whispers.

“I won’t. Not ever again. I swear.” I wrap my arms around him as tight as I can. I don’t ever want to let him go. I just want to hold him. Kiss him. Tell him how stupid I was to push him away. The only thing I don’t want to say isI’m sorry. I’m so fucking overI’m sorry.

I tilt my head back and find looking down at me. God, how much I’ve missed this. Missed him. Whatever convoluted ideas I had about love once upon a time have been completely eradicated and replaced with the magnitude of his fierce heart and what it has taught me.

“I’ll never be able to give you what you lost.” I need to say it. Now. I can’t move forward wondering. Waiting to hear him change his mind about us. About me.

“I’ll never be able to take back what was done to you.” His lips brush my forehead.

“I never expected you to.”

He lowers his lips to be even with mine. “Neither did I. All I’ve ever wanted from you wasyou. It’s all I’ll ever want.” He kisses me, and I believe him. More importantly, I can give him what he wants. Truth is, he already has it.

I’m still clinging to him when Devyn begins to usher us all down the steps of the courthouse. “I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to get out of here and not come back for a while.” In unison, five heads jerk around at her. “What? I’m a freaking lawyer. Ihaveto come back. You”—she points at me—“are never to set foot in another courthouse for as long as you live, though. Unless it’s for a good cause.” She winks. “You know, like a marriage license.”

“Oh, you know, we could just grab one now while we’re here, and then you’ll really never have to come back.” Kirsten. Who clearly thinks she’s being hilarious.

“Alright, alright. I get it. My man is hot, and you all think I need to slap a sold sign on him.”

“Actually, I was thinking he needed to slap one on you. So you remember next time you want to do something stupid. Like run away from home and the best thing that ever happened to you.” Kirsten nudges Riker as she passes him.

“You girls are so romantic.” He laughs. “Seriously, though. Could you stop horning in on my proposal?”

My eyes widen, and I’m certain deer in the headlight doesn’t even begin to cover it.

“Relax. I’m not asking you to marry me.” He kisses my cheek. “Now.”

“Huh.” I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or not.

He notices and leans in close while we walk still wrapped up in one another. “Oh, don’t you worry, Boots. It’s going to happen.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” And he doesn’t make those unless he knows he can keep them.

I smile. My life is changing. And I’m finally ready to change with it.

CHAPTER TWENTY

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