Page 78 of The Luck of Finding You
“You want to know why I’ve been crying like a fool for the past ten minutes?” I ask him, and cautiously he nods. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to tell Mo—who is your dog, by the way, how did I never put that together? Anyway, I was trying to figure out how to tell Mo that I was in love with someone else. That I love you.”
Noah’s arms tighten around me. “I wanted to be the first one to say that.”
“To say what?” I ask coyly.
“I love you, Tally Nelson,” Noah says the words, and it’s like I’m breathing air for the first time in my life. “That for years and years I’ve been running scared. Terrified that I’d never find a woman who I’d be able to love so completely as I did that first day I spent with you. But I found you, again and again. I just keep finding you. I love you, Tally.”
I’m crying again, this time because of his confession. “I love you too, Noah Jones.”
And then he kisses me.
His lips are soft and tender, his hands in my hair, pulling me up against him. It’s better than any kiss we’ve shared before, and I know this time it’s real. There’s no guy to make jealous in a café, no unspoken feelings in a small apartment over a book shop.
It’s just me and Noah, the way it was always meant to be.
EPILOGUE—ONE YEAR LATER—NOAH
“Hey, big brother!” Annie gives me a hug, and I grab her bag as we walk toward the airport doors. Mom is doing Thanksgiving with her new boyfriend’s family, so Annie decided she’d come visit me and Tally for the holiday. We’ll be eating with Tally’s family.
Somehow Tally failed to mention that nearly all of her extended family members live within an hour of Gran’s house. Which means everyone will be there today. Though I’ve met most of them already at various Sunday dinners, I’m still not used to being around everyone on holidays.
“Hey yourself.” I wrap my arm around Annie’s shoulders. Tally brings me so much peace and joy, but Annie has been my constant since the day she was born. I feel slightly less nervous now that she’s here with me.
She looks good, better than when I last saw her. There’s something different about her, but I can’t put a finger on it.
“Stop looking at me like that.” Annie looks up at me.
“Like what?” I ask innocently.
“Like I’m about to break into a million pieces.” Annie sighs. “I’m okay, Noah.”
I only half believe her. It’s been a year since everything with Mitch happened, but I still worry about her. She’s not quite the same as she was before. “Really?”
“Ish.” I give her a squeeze, then let her go so we can get in the car. She still hasn’t told me everything that happened to her, but I’m trying to be patient because I know she’ll talk when she’s ready.
“I’ll be okay soon,” she says optimistically, as if she can be fine just by thinking so.
“I hope so.” I’m still remembering that I have to bite my tongue. There are a million things I’d like to say, mostly to Mitch, but Annie’s asked me to let it go, so I’m trying to. Even though Sam and I have had plenty of conversations about the things we’d like to do to Mitch to make sure he stays out of Annie’s life for good.
I know I’ll feel better in a couple of months when Sam’s back in New York for good since Annie refuses to leave.
“I can’t wait to see Tally!” Annie says, changing the subject as we pull out of the parking garage.
“She would have come, but her grandma said she needed help with the food.” Tally was so disappointed that she didn’t get to come with me to the airport to pick up Annie.
“That’s fine,” Annie says, pulling out her phone. “I’m just excited to meet her in real life as my future sister-in-law, not just a random stranger at Grandma’s will reading!”
Tally and Annie have been texting like crazy since Tally and I got together. They FaceTime at least once a week. I have a big suspicion that Annie is happy to have another friend close to her age who isn’t part of Mitch’s friend circle.
“Oh! I almost forgot.” Annie reaches into her bag and pulls out a little black velvet box. “Grandma Marsha’s ring.”
“Are you sure about this?” I ask her. Grandma Marsha may have left us both The Book Shop, but she gave Annie her wedding ring.
“I’m sure,” Annie tells me, putting the box on the middle console. “I don’t think I’ll be ready for marriage for a long, long time. In fact, I might never get married. Tally and Marsha were really close. I think it’ll mean more to her than it will to me. And I’ve told you all of this about a thousand times since I offered the ring to you.”
My fingers catch in my hair, a habit Tally pointed out I do often, whether I’m nervous or happy or excited or stressed. I’m trying to stop though, because now I’m self-conscious about it. “Okay. If you’re absolutely sure.”
“I’m absolutely sure,” Annie says. “Now drive. I want to hug my future sister-in-law.”
