As hard as she tried to say something, her tongue seemed fixed to the roof of her mouth, making it difficult for her to talk.
Paul’s face fell at her lack of response, and without a word, he turned to make his way back up the beach.
Her heart beat rapidly and a ringing sound in her ears as she panicked that she was about to blow another shot at happiness.
“Wait,” she managed to force through her lips. She couldn’t allow him to leave without her being able to voice how she really felt about him. How she’d always felt about him.
Paul stopped in his tracks and turned to face her once more, his eyes guarded.
Still, no words came from her lips, and when he made to turn and continue walking, she marched up to him and pulled his head down to hers. Their lips met in a slow, endearing kiss. At that moment, she was sure he could feel all of the love she had for him.
When they finally separated, her words rushed out unbridled. “I love you, Paul. I’ve never stopped loving you, and I don’t think I ever could, even if I wanted to.”
A broad smile made its way onto Paul’s face, and he drew her in for another sweet kiss.
“What took you so long?” he asked when they separated again.
Nikki gave him a sheepish smile.
“I’m sorry that it always takes a little more time for me to tell you how I truly feel,” she apologized. “I want you to know that this time I’m all in,” she promised.
Paul smiled lovingly down at her before fixing his lips against hers once more and lifting her into his arms.
Epilogue
“Nikki, we gotta go now. We’re already a half hour late,” Paul’s voice rang out with impatience. He glanced down at his watch, his brows furrowing before he looked up at her.
“Just…a few…more…There. I’m done,” she said triumphantly before carefully making her way down the ladder. Paul held it in place until she stepped off the last rung.
“Thank you for keeping me steady.” She smiled innocently up at his scowling face.
“You’re a riot, do you know that?” Paul chuckled, unable to remain mad when she was smiling at him like she was.
Nikki’s smile grew even wider, and she leaned forward and pecked his chin before stepping back. “That’s why you love me.” She smirked.
Paul groaned. “I don’t remember you being this mischievous.”
“That’s because there are a lot more layers to me than back when we were in high school,” she expressed. “What are you doing?” Nikki asked, pulling back in alarm when Paul lightly scraped his finger up her arm.
“Looking for your layers,” he replied in an isn’t it obvious voice. He burst into laughter when she huffed, and her arms banded across her chest.
“You, Paul Thompson, are not funny,” Nikki pouted with a roll of her eyes, then turned her back to him.
A kiss landed on her cheek that sent instant warmth to them. She turned around to face the man smiling affectionately back at her. “That’s why we’re perfect for each other,” he stated. Instantly, Nikki’s frown dissolved, and her lips turned up at the corners.
“Anyway, what do you think?” She jutted her chin upward at the banner she’d spent the past half hour hanging up.
Paul looked up at her handiwork and nodded in approval. “It looks great, but we really gotta go. I’m sure Trish is probably wondering where we are by now, and she might get suspicious and start having ideas.”
“You’re right. We need to go. Just let me get Amy and leave some instructions with Kaylyn, and then we can leave.”
“All right. I’ll put this away and meet you two by the car,” Paul responded, lifting the ladder and heading toward the front door.
Nikki turned in the opposite direction, making her way toward the back porch where she could already hear the chatter from the guests they’d invited over for Trish’s welcome home party. She was greeted by a flurry of activity the moment she threw the back door open and stepped onto the porch.
The sweet, smoky scent of barbecued ribs wafted to her nostrils, and her eyes instantly found Reed at the grill, turning slabs of meat as the rising smoke and heat fused with them to create an authentic, salivating aroma.
She definitely wanted a rack of those ribs when she got back from the hospital.
