Page 90 of Love Like This

“No,” Spencer said. “Stay there. Please. You’ve always wanted tosee Paris. I’ll come to you. We can make it our first real vacation.”

“No. You don’t have to do that. Really? You would want to travelall the way back?”

“I would do anything to see Paris with you. We can hold hands,stroll the streets.”

“And take a photo with the Eiffel Tower?”

“Are you kidding? We’ll take ten.”

* * *

Spencer sat in the back of her cab as it wound through thedownright cold streets of Paris, wondering why in the hell she wasn’t feelingthe fatigue she should be after back-to-back international flights. There wasonly one reason. She was about to lay eyes on Hadley for the first time inweeks and was close to leaping out of her skin from the pure exhilaration. Shesmiled at the pedestrians who snuggled further into their jackets as the windwhipped around them, tousling their hair and making one gentleman lose his capentirely and chase it down the sidewalk as his friends laughed. She made amental note: no hats tonight.

Twenty minutes later, she arrived at the Shangri-La where, at herencouragement, Hadley had reserved a full-on suite with Spencer’s credit card,complete with a terrace and an Eiffel Tower view. Hadley deserved that andmore. She wanted this trip to be a memorable one and would go out of her way tosee that happen. She planned to pamper Hadley and show her Paris in style. Ifthere was a time to splurge, this was most definitely it.

Who was she kidding? Spencer would find a way to rope the moon ineveryday life if Hadley asked her to. Everything felt different now that she’dbeen honest with herself about who she was and what she wanted. The sky was thelimit for the two of them.

With luggage in hand, she knocked and waited. The door opened andthere she was, like a long-needed drink of ice water: Hadley, in person, atlong last. Spencer took a moment to absorb the sight and enjoy every second oftheir reunion. Hadley wore jeans and a navy sweater which highlighted the blueof her gorgeous eyes. Her hair was down and she looked more radiant thanSpencer remembered. She skipped right over the shy part where they would chatand smile and get used to each other again. Nope, none of that damn gettingreacquainted nonsense. She moved to Hadley and had her by the waist in seconds,walking her into the room as Hadley laughed.

“Oh, my dear goodness. Hi,” Hadley said, as she was virtuallycarried inside. “You’re finally here.” She took Spencer’s face and kissed herand kissed her again and again. “I thought you’d never get here.”Kiss.“Time was movingtoo slow. Like a turtle in peanut butter.”

“Same. Trip took”—kiss—“too”—kiss—“long.” Spencerreleased her. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you. A turtle in peanutbutter?”

“Yes, that’s a thing. And I do, too, know, because I’m just ashappy.” Hadley pressed her forehead to Spencer’s. “Let’s neither of us moveaway again.”

“Ever,” Spencer said. “You heard it here.”

Hadley smiled. “Sounds permanent.”

“Because it isverypermanent. You were right. Happily ever after is real, and I’mstaring at her.”

Hadley paused. “Do you mean it? We don’t have to leap fully ifyou’re not ready. We can go slow.”

“I’ve never meant anything more in my life. There will be no moreslow. Where you go, I will follow.”

Hadley shook her head in surprise. “I don’t understand. What’schanged?”

“Are you kidding? What’schanged?”Spencer laughed, glanced at the ceiling and back to Hadley again. “You. Thesecond I met you everything changed. Everything down to the damn sidewalkseemed brighter and more exciting. Things are now infinitely possible that Ididn’t think were before. All fromyou.I just needed a smack in my head to understand that.”

The words seemed to carry a large amount of weight for Hadley.Spencer watched as she sifted and sorted through them. After a pause, a smilestarted slowly on Hadley’s lips and blossomed into the most beautiful beamSpencer had ever enjoyed.

“I love you,” Hadley said quietly.

Hearing the words sent Spencer on a high. Would they ever soundnormal, or mundane, or casual rolling off the tongue? She couldn’t imaginethat. Hearing “I love you” from Hadley would always undo her, and she lookedforward to each and every time. She was up for future dismantling.

“I love you, too,” Spencer said, and let the words float in theair, delicate and important. She stared at the woman who was lit up brightlyfrom the inside out. Hadley glowed in every possible way as she leaned in,kissing Spencer unhurriedly and communicating so much in the process.

“Come onto the balcony. It’s freezing, but you have to see this.”

Spencer followed, holding Hadley’s hand. Her breath caught as shesaw the tower, lit up for all the city to see in the encroaching darkness.She’d seen the tower at night many times now, but tonight was different. Shedidn’t just see its beauty, she felt it. Standing there with Hadley, knowinghow much she loved the city, it meant so much more. A surge of emotion hit andshe pulled Hadley’s lips to hers. Right then and there, they kissed with thelights of Paris twinkling behind them. The wind, the cold, none of it mattered.

“That might have been the best kiss of my life,” Hadley said,finally. “No, itwas.”

“Was there toe-curling?” Spencer asked. “I like it when thathappens.”

Hadley nodded. “Ten toes a-curling.”

Spencer’s entire heart turned over in her chest. “Please tell mewe can order room service and see what other things we can make curl? I love achallenge.”

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