He tilted his head. “So, my dad, huh? How did that happen?"
“Tessa and I were talking, and everything just sort of… spilled out. How much I wanted to be here, how I couldn’t keep flying back and forth, how I’d been sitting on these old dreams for years and pretending they could happen.”
"Ok. What does that have to do with my dad?"
"I'm getting to that," I said, narrowing my eyes just enough to make him smirk
Colton puts his hands up. "Sorry, please continue."
"I was really just talking out loud. Fortunately, Tessa was listening. I was saying I had no idea where to start. How would I even think about rekindling those ideas? I don't know anyone here. She was the one who suggested your dad. She said he probably had a lot of connections and could at least point me in the right direction."
Colton sat back slightly, brows raised. “You really called him?”
I nodded. “I had to start somewhere. And honestly... it made me realize something. I’ve been playing it safe for a long time.The rescue—it means the world to me. But I think I’ve been using it as an excuse to stay small. To not ask for more.”
“You’d really leave it?” he asked quietly.
“I’d hand it off to the right people. Carefully. But yeah—I would.”
He leaned in. "But you love that place."
I met his eyes across the table. “I do love that place. "
I really do love the rescue. I am proud of what we have accomplished there. I love the people there. And a part of my heart is there. But a much bigger part of my heart is sitting across the table from me. With those seriously ridiculous blue eyes.
"But I love you, too.”
He reached for my hand again, threading his fingers through mine. “Now I wish there wasn’t a table between us.”
I laughed, but it caught in my throat.
His smile softened. "Well, it's time I confess."
I raised an eyebrow.
“I already talked to the dogs about this."
Ok, where is this going?
"So, I am sorry you aren't the first one to know."
He is gently rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. Spill already. My heart can't take this dramatic pause.
He looked right at me. "I have been in love with you since the gala. I think part of me was in love with you even before that."
He slid out of his side of the booth, came around, and dropped onto the bench beside me.
Then he leaned in and kissed me. My hand found his cheek, thumb brushing the stubble there.
Our lips were still touching. "So, what did the dogs think? Did they approve?" I could see his lips turn up a bit.
"Brutus was wagging his tail so hard, I thought he might take off like a helicopter," he said, his mouth still close to mine.
The server dropped off our food, breaking the moment.
Colton pointed at a photo above our booth. It was a picture of a beautiful park, right under the bridge, and said, “That’s stop number three,” like we were already on the Colton’s favorite spots tour.
I was still chewing when he kissed me—just a quick one, then stole a fry off my plate like it was the most natural thing in the world.
