one leg.
“Because I want you to see yourself like I do. I know things with us are rocky, but I heard about our moms’ plan. And I know you’re lost right now. That you don’t know what you want to do. But this is the woman who has kept a bagel shop open for the last decade. The woman who took the brunt of the storm for her family. This woman is a boss. And I’m not sure you see her when you look in the mirror.”
I shake my head, and tears flow down my cheeks as they have been for the last two weeks.
“Out there, you asked how I was able to see that building for the photograph it could become. Don’t you see? The camera never lies. The woman staring back at us right now is the same woman I see every day when I look at you. I want you to believe in yourself and see what I do.” He steps back as though he’s scared to get too close.
“Thank you.” Those two words don’t come close to what I’m feeling.
This is exactly what I needed. To be reminded of the trust I have in him. Of the girl who fell in love with him a little bit every day. Our moms were right—I can’t throw that girl away because of a misunderstanding. For the first time, I think I finally understand what Seth sees when he looks at me.
“I’ll leave you alone,” Seth says after I stand there admiring the room for a moment.
I spin around. “No. Why?”
“I figured you’d want some time without me.” He shoves his hands in his pockets.
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” I say.
His eyes widen, and a startled expression falls over his face. “I am?”
“I’m not lost.” I walk toward him. “I was.” I stop when I come face to face with him. My hand glides down his tie. “You found me. You found her.” I point at the photograph while my tears cascade down my face.
“I never wanted to make you cry.” His hand cradles my face and his thumb swipes at a tear.
“Say the words,” I practically beg.
“I love you, Evan Erickson.”
I nod. “I know you do. And I love you, Seth Andrews.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
I nod, and he pulls me flush against his body, his hug so tight I can barely breathe but I’m not about to complain. He draws back and his lips capture mine in a kiss that’s sweeter than any other we’ve shared.
“Look, all that planning on your behalf paid off. You finally caught me.” He winks.
My stomach flip-flops like a giant fish is struggling to breathe in there. “Hey, Mack Daddy, let’s not start by rewriting the past. You caught me.”
“That’s not the story we’re telling our grandchildren. Just imagine their faces when I tell them their grandma wanted me so badly, she baited me into a fake engagement and used her magical powers to make me fall in love with her.”
I roll my eyes and shake my head, not annoyed at all because this is Seth, the man I love. He takes me in his arms once more and I sigh at the feeling of finally being here again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell them Grandpa was trying to get caught by Grandma because he’s loved her for as long as he can remember,” Seth says.
“Uh-oh, you’re growing sentimental on me.”
“I guess love has that effect on people.” He presses a kiss to my forehead.
We exit the private room hand in hand, and Seth hollers to Blanca, “Redo on the Newlywed Game because things just got real.”
I gasp when he dips me and kisses me as everyone claps.
Who would’ve guessed an Andrews and an Erickson could fall so madly in love? Maybe our stars really were aligned this entire time.
Epilogue
Two Months Later…
Seth
“I have to go to work,” Evan whines, stretching her body like a cat beside me.
“I’ll go make us some coffee, then I’ll walk you to work.” I flip off the covers and put on a pair of boxers.
“Really? Walk me to work?” She laughs, climbing out of the bed. She stands naked in the room, grabs her robe, and walks toward the bedroom door.
She works at Sweet Infusion with Rian. Well, she rents a space from Rian to make her cream cheese concoctions. Evan’s started her own little company called Spreads, and so far, she loves it. I think she enjoys the business aspect of it more than actually