“Yeah,” he said, his voice gruff. “Even one night knowing I’d lost you was too long. So now that you know that, I have to ask. Do you want the role? Do you want to continue on as you have been? Because you can do it and I won’t go anywhere. I won’t lose faith or trust in you.” They’d both grown up a lot since their first attempt at a relationship.

He held his breath, waiting for her answer. Because though he’d do it, her production company idea appealed to him so much more. But this decision had to be hers.

She shook her head. “I made my choice before I came here. Even if we didn’t end up together, I’m going ahead with my plan. It’s definitely what I want to do.”

He grinned, so fucking relieved. Well, partially relieved. “Can you work from here? Do you want to? Or is your heart set on going home?”

She shook her head. “California was never home. I bought a house but I wasn’t there enough to make it mine.” She placed her hands on either side of his face. “You’re my home, Xander, as long as you’ll have me.”

“Just try and get rid of me. And I promise you, I’ll never leave you again.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers again, delving into her mouth but keeping her head still and being as gentle as possible because of her concussion. She bit down on his bottom lip and he groaned. He lifted his head and grinned. “You’re not going to get me to do anything more. You need to rest.”

“I really do. I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m not used to being alone.”

He rolled over and pulled her into him, wrapping his body around hers. “Then it’s a good thing you’ll never have to be alone again.”

They lay cuddled together, everything finally right in his world. And he planned to spend the rest of his days making certain everything was perfect in hers, as well.

***

One Month Later…

Xander invited his family over for a barbeque. Knowing his plan, he gritted his teeth and called Sasha’s mother, offering to pay for a round-trip flight to New York and a hotel in East Hampton. She was still kicking up a fight over her daughter’s choices, but Xander laid out the facts: Come and be a part of their family or remain home and start out Sasha’s life with Xander on the outside looking in. Needless to say, she was staying in a hotel under the guise of wanting to visit her daughter. Xander had asked Chloe and Beck to pick Annika up on their way over.