Nothing has ever quite felt so right as saying I love you to Rosey and hearing it back. It’s like when the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle fits into place and you can finally see what the picture is. Everything I’ve done in my life has led up to this moment. I feel so fucking lucky to have found her. I’ve made peace with so much in my past by being here. A big part of that has been seeing Star Falls through Rosey’s eyes. She’s shown me the town through fresh eyes and she’s helped me see how the town sees me.

Meeting Rosey and starting a life with her is only possible because I’ve managed to close a chapter on my past, which means I can finally open a new one.

“I didn’t know if you’d laugh at me,” she says, her breaths coming short and sharp as I pull her pajamas over her head. I can’t get her naked quick enough.

“I’d never laugh at you,” I say, tugging at her pants.

“But turning up in the middle of the night. You might have thought I was crazy.”

I pull my t-shirt over my head. “I was going crazy, thinking about you.”

She sighs, relief rolling off her, and presses her hands to my chest. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Naked, we stand facing each other and pause. This moment feels big. We’re stepping over a line and nothing is going to be the same ever again. But it also feels entirely right.

“I love you,” I say.

“I love you,” she replies. “And we’re going to figure it out so we can date. Maybe I can get a job at Twilight Lattes or⁠—”

She stops as I pull her toward me. “We’re going to be together,” I say. “Forever. And we’ll figure it all out. You don’t need to work if you don’t want⁠—”

“I want to work,” she says quickly. “I don’t want to be with you so I don’t have to work.” She looks horrified that I might think such a thing.

“I know,” I say. “I just want you to be happy. With me. I want to give you everything.”

Her eyebrows pull together like she hasn’t got a clue what I’m talking about. “I’m always happy with you.” She says it like no other possibility exists. Like, she could only ever be happy with me. Something within me that’s been churning for years finally settles. She creates a peace in me I never knew I was missing.

I smooth my hands down her back and cup her ass. “I want you,” I huff out.