Page 59 of Falling Inn Love
I love you.
* * *
My plane touches down. I hurry to baggage claim, grab my bag, and make my way to the curb outside arrivals. I’m not there two minutes before Beth pulls up in my truck. She jumps out and runs to me, hugging me tight. God, she smells so good. I cling to her and I never want to let go.
“I missed you,” I murmur into her ear, pulling her closer.
“I missed you more.”
As she drives us back to the inn, she catches me up with all the details about the fall festival and her conversation with the lawyer. She’s so excited about everything, I can’t imagine she still wants to leave us anymore.
“Are you paying attention?” she asks. “I can’t wait for you to meet Logan and Preston. I told them everything I know, and Preston has some ideas. Of course he needs to speak with you directly, if you’re feeling up to it.”
“Of course, and thanks for doing that. We’ll take all the help we can get.” As usual, I’m overwhelmed about the finances. Now that Caleb is doing better, I can focus fully on the inn.
“Are you worried you won’t have the money in time?” she asks.
“No, I think it’s going okay. I just worry I’ll mess something up. I shouldn’t have gotten to this point in the first place. I should have come up with all the things you suggested on my own. I should have worked harder.”
She knits her eyebrows. “You’ve been doing the best you can. Everyone is proud of you, and we all missed you so much.”
“Maybe…” I can’t help but feel like she’s exaggerating a little.
“Everything is good at home, Ev. Seriously. Just focus on healing.” I don’t say anything and she glances over at me, looking worried.
I grin at her.
“What?”
“You saidhome.”
She grins back. “I did.”
“So does this mean you think of The Golden Gable as home, too?”
“Maybe…” she says.
I decide to stop pressing and just enjoy spending time with her while we’re still alone. “Missed you,” I say, raising her hand in mine and kissing her wrist.
“The puppies missed you the most.”
“Oh. Chip and Bossy missed me the most? Really?” I smirk at her.
“Yes,” she lies and grins.
“We’ll see about that.”
* * *
Beth and I are snuggling on the couch watching Netflix and I can tell something’s bothering her. She rests her head on my shoulder, puppies curled into us and snoring peacefully. I wonder what she’s thinking about; I know what I’m thinking.
We’re like a family.
I love this. I love us. I want these nights on the couch on cold nights. Family dinners. Snuggles. Puppies. Future kids. I want this. Bad. Doesn’t she?
I have to know what’s up. “Hey, are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”
“What?” she asks absently, a faraway look in her eyes. “No, I’m just really glad you’re home. I’ve just been thinking about the inn. I’m worried you could lose it and what that could mean for everyone here.”
