“Maybe the magic of this place is in finally seeing what has been in front of you all this time for what it really is.”
What the hell was he—
“I love you, Faith.”
What?
“I know now that I’ve always loved you. I’ve just been too stupid to see it for what it really is, and then too proud to expose myself to you so completely.”
“Logan. You don’t have to do this.” Faith shook her head. She needed to stop this. She needed to stophim. It was bad enough he’d completely destroyed this wedding and, along with it, their reputation. He did not need to make a fool of her in the process. “They already know the truth. Don’t make it worse.”
“Worse?” He chuckled, but shook his head and grabbed both her hands in his. “The only way I can make this worse now is if I walk away from here and you still don’t believe me when I tell you exactly how I feel. I was never acting, Faith. Ever.”
No.
It was too much. He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was saying. And even if he was…Faith turned to her sister, who had been sitting quietly in her wheelchair the whole time. She was grinning, and if Faith wasn’t mistaken, there looked to be a tear in her eye.
Not helpful.
She turned to look at Stephanie, who, up until a few hours ago, she might have considered an ally in this entire situation. To her surprise, Steph no longer looked angry, and she was watching the proceedings with a very strange look on her face that she couldn’t decipher.
“Look at me, Faith.” Logan squeezed her hands gently until she turned around again. “I’m not saying this because of a bet. Or to get the wedding of the century. Or for any other reason than the most important one. I love you.”
It wasn’t a bet? It wasn’t…it wasreal?
It took her a minute, and then another to let his words register, but Logan didn’t rush her. She looked down at their clasped hands and let the heat from his body flow into hers. The meaning of his words hit her the way they were supposed to and then, finally, she looked up.
“Youloveme?”
His smile lit up his entire face. His eyes sparkled and he didn’t even hesitate as he said, “So much that it hurts to be near you and not have you understand exactly how I feel. Earlier, when you told me you were done…” He shook his head and swallowed hard. “I won’t accept that, Faith. You and I…we’re so far from done. We’re only just beginning.”
Faith struggled to process what he was saying.
Was it just another attempt to get to her or pull one over on her?
He’d done it before. He’d teased her and fooled hersomany times in the past. Was this time different?
And how could she know?
Faith didn’t speak, but watched Logan carefully. He looked straight at her, his gaze never wavering. The smile on his face was true, not cocky or teasing or arrogant, but…genuine.
“You love me?” she asked again. Something inside her needed to hear it again.
“I. Love. You.” He shook her hands a little and brought them to his lips. “And I always will. You can push and push, but I’m not budging. I love you today, and always, Faith Turner. We were meant for each other, and I know you believe that, too.”
She did. And it wasn’t just because she wanted to. It wasn’t just because she lovedhim.She felt it in her heart. The very same heart that had been so closed off for so long that she’d missed her own true feelings for too many years.
Dammit. Hope was right.
And thank God she was.
Without wasting another second, Faith pulled her hands out of his so she could wrap them around him, pull him close, and kiss him harder than she ever had before.
No one else mattered. Nothing else mattered.
Once her lips were on his and he was kissing her back with just as much need, the entire world was right.
It wasn’t until someone behind them muttered, “It’s about time,” that they pulled apart.