Page 57 of Just for Tonight

"For how long?"

"Months. Up to a couple of years."

"And you would live here and not come back to Chicago?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn’t want to unless you did too."

She pulled back, looking uncertain. "Unless I did what?"

"Live here."

"I would love to, but I couldn't ask that of Ma—"

"I already asked it of him. You mean my uncle? If that's what you mean, I already asked him."

"What'd you ask him?"

"Uncle Max asked me if I wanted to stay and work here. He said he wanted to hire me, and I asked him if you could stay, too. He might have offered that before I even asked him. I forgot how it went. But he's fine with it. We talked about you. We would both pay rent, but it's minimal. And before you say it's too soon, we'd be living in different houses. I'd move into the guest house, and you can stay here."

He started to say more. He started to continue his sentence, but she didn't let him, she cut him off by rushing toward him. He caught her in his arms and then he stopped talking and stared down at her. She was smiling up at him, so he smiled back.

"Yes," she said. "Beau. Yes. Obviously." Her smile faded and she stared at him with a serious face. He could see tears well in her eyes as she experienced instant emotion. "Yes," she said seriously. "If you're staying here, and you're inviting me to stay with you, I'm sta—"

Beau had heard enough.

He kissed her.

He tasted her soft mouth.

She wanted to be where he was. She wanted to be with him. He was sure of it just by the way she stared at him—the way she held him and kissed him. She showed no signs of hesitation.

"Never leave me," she whispered when they pulled back.

"I won't," he promised.

And he meant it.

Epilogue

Holland

The following December

It was the first time I had been back to Chicago in months. I thought I was going to Arkansas for twelve weeks, and now it had been almost eight months. Beau and I had been in Chicago for a week, and we would spend another week here before heading south again.

Tonight, we were seeing a show at the Marble Inn. It wasn't Sam Wells, but it was a band similar to his and one Beau and I both really liked. They were playing at the moment, but I had to excuse myself to use the restroom. The music was loud as always, and I could hear the song easily, even in the ladies' room. I hummed along as I washed my hands.

"Holland McArthur?"

I turned to find Sophia staring at me from the door. "Hey, Soph," I said.

I hadn't talked to her in a long time—since before I left Chicago. There was so much she didn't know… like the fact that my last name wasn't McArthur anymore. I didn't mention that.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"I moved," she said, looking timid and shaking her head. "I had to get out of here. I went to Milwaukee. My dad's brother lives up there, so I'm staying with him and my aunt. I got a job—it's just retail, but it's not bad." She shrugged like it was no big deal. "My parents and I aren't on the best terms, but I'm back for Christmas, so we'll see how that goes."

"Are you staying through Christmas?" I asked, causing her to nod.

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