When we got to the end of the walkway, just before the dock, we went to the bench there and sat down together without saying anything. At least we were in sync in one way.

“You look good,” I told her, unable to take the quiet another second.

She glanced down at herself. “This was the best non-winter shirt left at my apartment.” She shrugged. “Mickey never goes out of style, right?” She laughed, seeming nervous.

She grabbed the bottom hem of her shirt and held on to it, resting her hand on her thigh. I had to fight off the need to run my fingers over hers. It was killing me not to touch her, not to pull her close, but as badly as I wanted to make contact, I wasn’t sure I could handle a physical rebuff.

“Holden, I’m sorry about Friday night. I was a disaster.”

Her word choice made me smile a little. “I wouldn’t call it a disaster. You don’t need to apologize. I know what losing your job did to you. It would’ve been less damaging if the dictator had just cut out your heart.”

She was looking at me thoughtfully, nodding. “You know me well.”

“Better than anyone knows you. Except maybe Presley, but if you give me more time, I can beat her out.”

Her brows shot up and she took in a deep breath. “About that…”

My heart thundered hard as I locked my gaze on her, not breathing.

“You said you love me…”

“Yes, I did,” I said without hesitation. I didn’t know if she was counting that as a good thing or a bad thing, but it was a fact. “I do.”

Chloe blew out that breath she’d taken and turned sideways to face me on the bench. “I love you too, Holden.”

I cradled her beautiful face in my hand, looked into her brown eyes, and leaned in to kiss her at last. I kissed her until neither of us could breathe, and then I kissed her some more, and Chloe kissed me right back, wrapping her arms around my neck, climbing closer, until she straddled my lap.

“I need to say more,” she eventually said, resting her forehead against mine, our breaths a little choppy, mingling in the air between us. “I have a confession. I’ve loved you for a long time. Years. I don’t even know when exactly I fell, but fall I did, Holden. You’ve always been the only guy for me, but I never thought I’d be the girl for you.”

I was stunned silent momentarily by that reveal, then I said, “Sometimes I’m not the quickest guy in the room. It might’ve taken me a while, but now that I’ve figured out you’re the girl for me, you’re not getting rid of me in ten months.”