Page 93 of Still The One

‘I, however, am a complete idiot. I got home and realized I only wanted to be where you are – with the only girl I’ve ever truly loved. My house didn’t feel the same. Florida didn’t feel the same. Even my bike didn’t feel the same. I know you’re mad thatI didn’t tell you about still being married sooner, but I want you to know that I have a plan.’

A weird half-cry, half-laugh exits my lips. ‘You do?’

He nods. ‘I’ve only been thinking about it for five years. I just – it took this for me to realize I’m ready. I love you, Eve, until death do us part. Still. Loveisenough.’

Tears are streaming down my cheeks at this point. I drop to the ground on my knees in front of him. ‘You love me?’

He grins sincerely, looking as emotional as I’ve ever seen him. ‘Ireallydo. Literally since the day we met, even though I don’t understand how it’s possible to love a stranger, but it happened the second I laid eyes on you, and I can’t let you go again.’ He takes a heaving breath, as if getting through that was a strain. ‘But in case you don’t feel the same, I also filed for the divorce, and I’ll sign the papers, but only if you really, really,reallywant me to.’ He looks at me with puppy dog eyes, pleading for forgiveness with a sparkle of hope that this will go the way he wants.

I cross my arms over my chest – playing hard to get even though my heart has jumped to life and is twirling in my chest. ‘Are you done lying to me?’

He nods enthusiastically. ‘If Ieverlie again, I’ll let you come at me Cayden-style and I’ll just take it.’

I laugh through the tears. ‘And what if I really, really,reallywant you to sign those papers?’

The shy, hopeful grin on his face gets a little more secure with each ‘really’.

‘Well, in that case, there’s a question I’mma need to ask you.’ He’s really laying it on thick, pulling out the panty-melting southern drawl he knows I love to help convince me.

The click of a lock grabs my attention, and when I glance down the hall, I see Phil. He gasps loudly, earning Foster’s gaze as well.

His eyes are wide, a baseball bat in one hand, and a muffled squeal escapes his lips as he suddenly realizes what is happening. He drops the bat on the carpeted floor.

‘He’s doing it! Oh my God, he came back!’ he squeaks, easily waking up the rest of the floor, then quickly placing both hands over his mouth, attempting to stifle any further sound.

He came back. And here I am, in myleastsexy pajamas, nervously biting my lip, feeling my heart race with every breath, as though it’s dancing to a beat I can’t hear. Could the moment so many girls dream of actually be happening to me? Again?

‘Go ahead,’ I say, trying to hide the excitement bubbling up inside me. If my insides burst, butterflies will flood the hallway.

Foster heaves a sigh of relief; a giddy chuckle that matches how I feel exactly slips from his lips as he theatrically tosses the divorce papers over his shoulder. They flutter to the ground like confetti as he reaches for my left hand, raising it to his lips without breaking our intense gaze.

‘Evie, losing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I don’t wanna give up. I choose you. First. Over everything else. Will you, please,staymarried to me?’

I raise my hand to my lips, trying to conceal the silly grin spreading across my face. ‘For how long this time, do you suppose?’ I joke, unable to pretend I’m even considering saying no to him.

‘Five, thirty, maybe fifty years?’

I laugh, nodding my head yes. ‘Yes, Foster. I would love to stay married to you.’

With a swift motion, he slips the ring onto my finger, then rises to his feet, pulling me up by one hand with him, and envelops me in a tight, one-armed embrace, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of my forehead.

‘I love you too,’ I say into his ear, words I haven’t spoken out loud in so long, but they feel so right.

Phil’s emotions overflow as he starts jogging in place, his hands raised in the air, his fingers wiggling in excitement. ‘Congratulations! That was exactly what I was hoping for! Maybe not at four in the morning – I thought you were an intruder – but still, what a way to wake up! Also, for the record, this is exactly what I want, so if any of your biker friends are into Phils, please let me know,’ he exclaims playfully, with only a hint of jealousy in his voice.

Foster’s lopsided grin speaks volumes. He’s clearly overjoyed. ‘Can a Guy buy his wife some breakfast?’

I laugh at the pun but shake my head, gripping his hand and guiding him into my apartment. ‘How about you, myhusband, make me, yourwife, some breakfast –afterwe consummate this marriage reconciliation thing, of course.’

‘See ya, Phil,’ he says without hesitation, closing the door behind him.

And with that, the little voice inside me while he was here healing, screaming ‘he’s still the one’, is now singing in full chorus and I couldn’t be happier. He is – and always has been – the one.

34

GUY ‘FOSTER’

Five Years Later

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