Page 85 of Matched

“We need to tell them how your first day went before anything else. I bet Rocky’s been blowing up your phone, asking if you got to see Jordan Emery and Theo Lewin or Jude Nielson.”

His lips skimmed over my jaw. “Mmm, but I’d rather put that off and celebrate with you now.”

Remembering my original task, I pulled away from him. “I want to show you something.”

He grinned at me. “I knew you were hiding something from me.”

“Don’t get too excited,” I warned him as he followed me down into the basement. Our apartment was on the ground floor, with a tiny walled garden. When we’d had our second viewing, we’d explored the door leading off from the kitchen and discovered it connected to a basement room that the previous owners had used to store junk.

Not anymore, though.

When I flicked on the lights, Charlie’s audible gasp echoed around the concrete walls. “Is this?—?”

“Our own version of The Game Room. That pinball machine there—” I pointed at the machine I’d paid an astronomical sum to restore. “—is the same one we first played on.”

“You sentimental bastard,” he choked out, his eyes filling with tears. “Nate.Nate. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I wanted to surprise the love of my life with something significant to our relationship.”

“You surprised me, alright. Nothing will ever be able to top this.” Swiping his hand across his eyes, he pulled me into him. “I love you more than anything. Anything ever. You’re everything to me.Everything. I need you to know that. No matter what. Even if we lost everything else. As long as we’re together, everything else is a bonus.”

“I feel the same. It’s you and me, Charlie B. We were matched for a reason, and I’m never going to let you go.”

His eyes met mine, his gaze resolute. “Never.”

“Never,” I said.

THE END

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