Page 481 of Small Town Firsts
Nora laughed. “Probably.”
My mom waved him over. Her eyes were still a little misty, but they were full of happiness as she urged him inside. The usual sounds of my brothers insulting one another added another layer of relief. I always knew they had my back but seeing it in action today meant a lot.
“So, that was a lot.” Nora settled her hands on my chest.
“I come with a lot of baggage. I don’t think Mindy will be back, but she might.”
She went on her toes and covered my mouth.
I sighed and pulled her closer, breaking the kiss to press my forehead to hers. “I know it’s fast, Nora. I do love you, though. I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. Even before you came back to Indigo Valley.”
“Really?”
“One of the reasons I let things fade with Booker. It was hard to see you two together.”
“Oh, Sully. I’m so sorry.”
“It worked out. Just took a little longer to make you see me.”
“I saw you. And I sometimes wonder if things would have been different if I didn’t marry Booker, but then maybe I never would have come back here. Maybe then I’d never have found you again.”
“You were worth the wait, Nora Baker.” I cupped her face and kissed her lightly.
I heard Danny’s laugh inside and everything settled exactly right inside of me.
“I think Danny might love you just as much as I do.”
“I love him too. I’m pretty stoked about the two-for-one deal.”
“If I didn’t love you before, that would have done it.”
She laughed and wrapped her arms around me. “Life won’t be boring with this family.”
“You’re damn right.”
She smiled at me, and I knew right then that I was going to marry this girl.
I just had to give her a little time to get used to the idea.
Very little time.
I couldn’t wait much longer to make her mine because she was the only one I ever wanted.
EPILOGUE
NORA
I ranup the walkway to the library. Danny had a science fair, and it was a little too small of a class for the cafeteria and too big of one with the projects to use his classroom.
The Indigo Valley Library hadn’t changed a bit from when I left. It had been a safe haven for me with two working parents. I could do my homework, then lose myself in the stacks with books and sometimes the librarian, Mrs. Flannery, would let me use one of the homework rooms to watch movies.
But now, it was a brightly colored expanse of science projects with glue, foam boards, and a whole lot of paint and glitter. I caught sight of Sully first. He was standing beside Danny with a big ol’ smile on his face. We’d been up late putting the finishes on the planets.
Currently, Danny was obsessed with all things space and planets. Last month, it had been the ocean.
I was fascinated with his little brain. I was pretty sure he was smarter than me and his dad put together.
“There you guys are!”
