Page 56 of Wanting Happily Ever After

“Uh-oh.” Brody scooted backward against the headboard. “That doesn’t look like a face that’s enjoying much of anything.”

His tone was teasing and light, but Sarah saw the worry flash in his eyes at the shift in her expression.

“Oh no.” She smiled as she reached out for his hand. “I am very much enjoying you here, but I also think it’s probably time we talk.”

“I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

She didn’t blame him for being trepidatious; she hadn’t exactly been an easy person to get close to. But she was hoping to change all of that once and for all.

“Time for a good talk,” she amended. “As much as I’d like to ignore real life for a while longer, I don’t think that’s going to be possible. I mean, Rory’s going to ask a question or two soon. The fact that she hasn’t yet is kind of a miracle.” She laughed. “I think she just likes having you around.”

“As much as her mother?” Brody winked and wrapped his fingers between hers so he could pull her a little closer.

Sarah laughed. It was so easy to be with Brody. And it felt so good. But the laughter died on her lips as she remembered what it had felt like to stand on the shore and not see him there. To think she’d lost him.Could she risk her heart like that again?Only different this time, because what she felt for Brody was so completely different than what she’d felt for Josh.

She squeezed her eyes shut. It wasn’t long ago that she wasn’t sure if she could.But now…

“I thought I lost you,” she said as she reopened her eyes. “When I couldn’t see you there it was—”

“It’s okay.”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not okay, because I need you to know this, Brody.” He nodded and she continued. “I was so scared. Of course I was terrified that I’d lost you. But also, I was afraid that we’d missed our chance. That we’d never know how we could be together or what we could have had. And all because I was too frozen to let you in.” A tear streaked down her cheek but she didn’t wipe it away. “I was wrong to push you away for so long, Brody. And I hate that it took a close call for me to understand that properly, but…it’s all just so clear now. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before.Never.I can feel the way you love me, and I need you to know…” She took a deep breath. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again and again and again. It may have taken awhile for me to figure it all out, but I love you, Brody. And I want this…if you still want it.”

Having said everything she’d needed to say for way too long, Sarah released a breath and waited.

But Brody didn’t keep her waiting long. He pulled her across the small distance on the bed separating them and kissed her hard. “Damn, woman, but I’ve been waiting for you to say those words for far too long. Of course I want this. You…Rory…all of it, because I am so crazy in love with you. And I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with you from the moment I met you.”

More tears spilled down Sarah’s face, but these were all tears of happiness. “I think that now that I have you here, I might not let you go.”

He kissed her and pulled her tighter. “I’m totally good with that. I can’t actually imagine being anywhere else than right here with you.”

“Thank you for being so patient with me and all my crazy.”

“Baby, I’ll take your crazy any day, all day.”

“Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her back into the bed. He hovered over her and pressed kisses all over her face. “I can’t wait to—”

A knock on the door sent Brody flying off her.

Rory!

They hadn’t really explained their relationship to Rory yet. But at the same time, they hadn’t tried to hide their affection for each other either. Everything had just happened as a natural evolution, and Rory had seemed to accept it. He’d always spent a lot of time with them, but the hugs and kisses were new. As was the discovery of finding her coach in her mom’s bed.

Shit.

Sarah tugged the covers back over her bare chest but before she could react further, the door opened and Rory ran into the room. She jumped on the bed between them and looked at them both in turn. Sarah braced herself for the questionthat was inevitable. That would be so hard to explain.

She tensed, but when Rory asked, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?” her tension evaporated and she burst into laughter.

“I think they’re ready to flip,” Brody told Rory, who was perched on a chair next to the stove, an apron tied around her waist and a spatula in her hand, watching the pancakes on the griddle intently. “When they get these little bubbles on them, they’re ready,” Brody explained. “Do you want to do it?”

Rory nodded seriously, so Brody gave her a quick explanation and stood back while she shoved the spatula under a pancake before slamming it down into the pan. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Not bad for a first effort. Next time, just try it a little more gently, okay?”

She tried again, and after a few flips, actually turned out to be pretty good at it.

“Nice work, kiddo.”

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