Page 103 of The Serendipity

“Your father decided to take the plea deal. You don’t need to testify because there is no trial.”

The relief moving through Archer is palpable, and once again, I lean in to hug him. One armed this time, as I’m still holding my phone in my other hand.

“He sent a certified letter through his lawyer, and I’m not sure if you want to read it.”

“Did you read it?” Archer asks.

“Maybe.”

“Do you think I want to read it?”

“Not right now,” Bellamy says. “It’s sort of half of an apology and half justification and all very, very typical of your father.”

“Leave it on my desk. I’ll get it when I come back.”

“And when will that be?” Bellamy asks. “Do I still need to send a plane?”

Archer’s smile makes my whole body feel fizzy and light. “Can you keep things running there?”

Bellamy scoffs. “I’m the CEO, Archer. The only reason you’re as involved as you are is because you don’t like giving up control.”

“Well, consider this me giving up. At least for a while. I foresee a very, very busy schedule in my future.” His voice is dropping lower with each syllable, and I’m tempted to just chuck the phone in the corner with the empty ice cream cartons.

“You’ve got big plans, hm?” Bellamy sounds amused.

“The biggest,” Archer answers, plucking the phone from my hand. “I plan to spend a significant portion of time showing Willa exactly how much I love her.”

He ends the call on Bellamy’s laughter and then drops the phone into a soft pile of sweaters. I blink up at him, stunned and delighted.

“What?” he asks, lips curling up in the kind of smirk I never could have pictured on his face when I first met him. I trace the line of his mouth.

“Is that how you’re going to tell me you love me for the first time—on a phone call to Bellamy?”

“It wasn’t how I planned it, no. But then, Willa, you’ve been frustrating my plans from the moment I met you.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, distracted by his mouth as he leans closer.

“I’m not,” Archer murmurs, his breath fanning my cheek. “I love that about you. I love your lightheartedness and your free spiritedness and how your apartment can be such a mess but your cookies are so detailed and perfect. You are a wonderfully beautiful contradiction I never knew I needed, and I love you. I love you, Willa.”

“I love you too, Archer. And as much as I want to tell you all the reasons and list them out, right now, I think I’d rather kiss you.”

“That can be arranged.” This last word is said with his lips against mine, and then he’s pulling me up in his arms, carrying me toward my apartment door while kissing me frantically.

“Where are we going?” I ask, giggling as he kisses me again.

“I may love your chaos, but I cannot keep kissing you in the middle of this mess. We’re going to my apartment.”

“Should we just see if the closet will take us?” I ask, and Archer freezes.

He pulls back a little to look at me, the love and care clearly written in his gray-blue eyes. “As grateful as I am for the outcome, I would very much like to avoid closets for a long, long time.”

Epilogue

Willa

“Areyou sure you’ll be okay?” I ask Bellamy.

His sigh is dramatic, even over the phone. “I’m not an invalid. Or an octogenarian—yet. I’ll be perfectly fine without the two of you. Iknowyou don’t want me joining you for your honeymoon.”

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