part time when he’s not doing his modeling thing.
Eli takes my hand and walks with me upstairs. “When did you realize you loved me?”
“I feel like I’ve always loved you.”
“You did not love me when we were kids.”
“I always had a soft spot for you. You had a sense of fun and mischief I always liked.”
We reach his room, but he stops me, his hands on my hips. “What about as adults?”
My mind flashes back to all the things Eli has shown me—the small gestures, the tenderness, the gruff care. “I’d say it was when you kidnapped me. I thought, here’s a guy who cares so much about me, he takes me away from it all just to get to know me better.”
“Hmm…one could argue that wasn’t exactly romantic. And I handcuffed you.”
“Because you understood I needed a push. Taking sex off the table was a genius move. No guy has ever done that before. Though it was pretty much a done deal once we kissed.”
He kisses me, smiling against my lips. “I’ve adored you my entire life, but the moment it tripped into real love was when I saw you look longingly at General Joan’s great-granddaughter’s baby picture. I saw the love you were capable of and knew I had to have it for myself. My heart fell that day and will keep falling, every day for the rest of my life.”
“Oh, Eli.” I throw my arms around him and kiss him passionately.
We stumble through the doorway together.
I hear the door slam behind me, and then there’s nothing but fiery heat and real, true love.
Epilogue
Eli
It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and I’m playing guitar at The Horseman Inn. I invited Jenna to Thanksgiving with my family, which was at Sydney and Wyatt’s house this year. That was the only place big enough for our growing family. Wyatt and Sydney invited his mom and three sisters, plus me and my three brothers. It was a little crazy with all the people and dogs. I told Wyatt we should start a puppy bowl and let the dogs play their own version of football with dog toys. He wouldn’t go for it because he felt his little shih tzu, Snowball, would be at a disadvantage. Probably right. Especially compared to the competition. Wyatt and Sydney have a pit bull mix, Jenna and I have two pit bulls, my brother Adam has an English bulldog, and Caleb just adopted a Siberian husky that came into the shelter. All much bigger and stronger than little Snowball.
Jenna and I stopped in at her dad’s condo, where her mom is now living, for Thanksgiving dessert. Yup, after all that drama, Jenna’s parents are back together again, not married, but they seem happy. Jenna’s sister, Eve, was there too, who’s trying to make peace with her family. I guess some couples can’t help being drawn to each other over and over, even if they don’t know how to make the marriage part work. I say whatever works for them. Just don’t put Jenna in the middle of it.
I’m playing Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” at Jenna’s request. It’s our song. She’s sitting at the table closest to me, looking like my biggest fan. I swear she looks more beautiful every day. Her blond hair just brushes the shoulders of her long-sleeved beige sweater dress that clings to her sexy body, ending mid-thigh. Of course, it’s not just her hair, clothes, or body that makes her glow with natural beauty. It’s because she’s in love. She’s smiling at me, her green eyes sparkling, a rosy pink to her cheeks.
I smile back and hold her gaze. I love you, I mouth.
“Love you too,” she whispers.
She invited family and friends here tonight, too, including her parents and sister. Actually, this is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The back dining room is standing room only with all of our family and friends.
I finish the song to enthusiastic applause.
Jenna stands and throws something into my open guitar case. I pick it up. Strange. It’s a picture from Sydney’s birthday party when I was seven and Jenna was nine. The girls are gathered close, smiling. I’m behind Jenna, making bunny ears.
I laugh. “This is awesome.”
Sydney pipes up. “I found it in an old photo album.” The two of them are closer than ever. I just keep hearing “sisters” over and over. My sister is giddy over Jenna being part of the family. Well, not officially,