“I guess I got that backwards, though, because I haven’t told you how I feel about you.”

“I think maybe I get the general idea.” His voice had turned husky.

“But I still want to tell you because I’ve thought really hard about this.” Although how she was supposed to eke the words out with him standing so close, she couldn’t possibly know. “How I feel about you is that you’re just way too busy. And you don’t know a thing about websites. And you could really use my help to get your rental business off the ground. And I could use the job if I’m not going back to Mezzani’s. But mostly, I could really use being around you every day because I think you’re my favorite person I’ve ever met.”

She barely got out her final words before he swept her away in a kiss she’d been imagining since the moment she’d given her heart the freedom to follow its path and carry her here. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back—never more certain, never more sure she was right where she’d always wanted to be.

Even if she hadn’t known . . . hadn’t been brave enough to dream.

She was brave now.

“Just so you know, I do still have to go back to Chicago.”

He shook his head and kissed her again. “You can’t. I won’t let you. And I don’t think Maggie will, either.”

Oh, yes, Maggie. “I still have to tell her . . .”

“She knows. She was more aware than you realized when you were there earlier today. She said it doesn’t change how she feels about you.”

She stilled in his arms. “She’s not too upset?”

“I’m sure when everything settles down a little and she’s out of the hospital and life gets back to normal, some disappointment might set in. Not so much about you not being Cynthia, but just all the still-unanswered questions. But if I know Maggie, she’s going to keep looking for answers. And I’m going to do a better job now supporting her in it.”

“You are a ridiculously good man, Neil MacKean.”

“See, you say stuff like that and then you wonder why I don’t want you to leave.”

She laughed and kissed his cheek. “I have to. I’ve got to take care of my apartment, and my boss at Mezzani’s has been so good to me over the years that I should really give him two weeks’ notice.”

“Nope, too long.”

“Neil.”

“Syd.” He touched his forehead to hers. “As long as you come back . . .”

“Of course. There’s Melba to consider. And, after all, you haven’t told me how you feel about me.”

His arms tightened around her. “I was thinking I might spend the rest of my life telling you that.”

Oh, how her heart sang at that. No, it thumped. So loudly he could probably hear it through her shirt. So loud his sisters could probably hear it from outside the bathroom door, where they surely stood now.