Inod.
“Ilove that you always speak your mind.Ilove that you stand up for yourself and others.Ilove that you would take in a stray cat on his terms.Ilove that you bring out the best in me.Thatyou make me laugh.Thatyour eyes twinkle when we banter.
“Ilove that you easily adapt to anything thrown at you.Thatyou’re accepting of my ‘spreadsheet jockey’ life.Thatyou can beat me at mini golf.Thatyou’re always up for an adventure.
“Ilove thatIcan share anything with you.AndIlove thatIcan hand you my heart and know you’ll always keep it safe.Ilove you,MackenzieMacNeil.”
Everyonein the chairs watching us lets out a collectiveAww, andIam a mix of laughing and wiping at tears that are threatening to spill over and smiling and feeling so very seen.Likethere’s nothing that matters more toJacethanIdo.IknowIwill always matter to him.
Idon’t peel my eyes away fromJace, butIturn my head slightly toward the others and ask, “Whatletter are we on?”
Everyoneshouts the letter “M,” but none of them do at the same time, making a collective sound that’s a bit like a flock of confused sheep.ThenHammycalls out, “Keepgoing— you’ve got to get back to the letterT!”
Icompose myself and say, “My, that is quite the list.”
“Never-ending, actually.Wantme to keep going?”
“Obviously.ButIhave my own list about you.”
“Pleaseshare.”
“Quitethe suave charmer, you are.You’realso quite the protector.Ilove that you’re protective of everyone from me, to your family, to someone on the street, to a stranger halfway across the world.You’realways aware of whatIneed and always look out for me.Ilove that you would bring me lunch from my favorite place, buy me honey, and write me thoughtful cards.
“Andyou’re quite dashing in a tuxedo.”
Hechuckles, andIcontinue. “Ilove that life is an adventure with you.Thatyou joke with me.Makeup fake histories with me.Comfortme.Makebadly painted pottery with me.Supportme in the things that are important to me.Sacrificeone of your favorite shirts to take care of my nose.
“Ilove that you opened your world to me and welcomed me in.Ilove that you truly see me.Iam very much in love with you, too,JaceLancaster.”
“Reunitingis a beautiful thing, isn’t it?”Jacesteps even closer to me and reaches a hand out to ever so lightly skim his knuckles along my jaw from my ear to my chin, sending a happy cascade of tingles throughout my body. “Youare one remarkable, radiant, refreshing woman,Mackenzie.AndIjust want you to know thatIam all in.”
He’sall in.Ifeel myself getting emotional again andIfan my eyes with my hand, trying to keep them from being teary. “S…S…”Whycan’tIthink of a response? “Speechless!Swoony!”
Fromthe crowd,Liviyells out, “Serendipity!”
Charlie, whoInotice has been taking pictures, shouts “Sosweet!”
Ilaugh through the emotion and fix my eyes onJace. “Thankyou.”
Heglances at my lips, then back to my eyes, and breathes, “TheletterTwas mine.”
Ichuckle, and then close the gap between us and plant my lips on his.Hewraps an arm around me and pulls me close.Hiskiss is breathtakingly perfect.Thereis nothing as incredible as a confident, protective man showing his depth of commitment through a kiss, andIrespond by melting into him, relishing every second of it.
CHAPTER43
THE COUPLE THAT SPIES TOGETHER
JACE
“Ithas been so great to meet you both,”Mackenziesays as she shakes the hand of the logistics coordinator,Grayson, and his doctor wife,Kennedy.
GraysonandKennedyreturn the sentiment, and asIshakeGrayson’shand,Isay, “Andjust remember, ifChasedown in the warehouse gives you any guff about how organizing goods takes precedence over being able to move goods quickly, just remind him of theGreatPalletCollapseof twenty twenty-two.”
Theman laughs andIlaugh along with him.Mackenzieplaces her hand onKennedy’sarm and says, “AndIwish you all the best with your ‘ButWebMDsays…’ patient,” and the four of us laugh some more.
ThenMackenzieandIwalk away from the couple to socialize with others at this company party— preferably a person standing in a spot that will allow me to keep an eye on the company’s finance manager, who is currently chatting with someone near the front center of the room.
“We’revery good at this,”Mackenziesays in a soft voice, grinning at me.
