My heart clenches, and I press my lips together to keep from interrupting.

“Then, you came along.” He grasps my chin, tilting it so that I’ll meet his smiling eyes. “And my whole perspective changed. What seemed like a stupid decision suddenly turned into the luckiest accident. And, honestly, if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change anything that happened. Because, in the end, it got me you.”

He says that like I’m some amazing treasure, and I’ve never felt more cherished.

“So, yeah, maybe going into law makes more sense. But it’s not what I want. You told me I needed to be honest, so I’m going to stop lying to myself. I’m going to stop trying to convince myself that the practical choice is the right one.”

“So, what does this mean?”

I love the eager smile on his face, like he can’t wait to face the world with this new outlook on life.

“When I go back to school full-time, I’m going to transfer from political science to the art program. Might take me a few more years to finish my degree, but it’ll be worth it.”

“And your parents? When are you going to tell them?”

His grin grows wider. “I already did. Went surprisingly well actually. I think seeing their only son in a hospital bed kinda softened them up. Probably could’ve asked for a yacht, too, now that I think about it.”

Ben pretends to look put out, and I bury my face in his shirt as relieved laughter spills out of me.

Until this moment, I didn’t realize how much his career choice had bothered me. Like a biting fly, it’d buzzed around me, causing small, sharp twinges of pain whenever I thought about Ben stifling his creativity to pursue a job just for the stability of it.

As he shrugged the burden of lying off his shoulders, he also freed me from my not-so-silent disapproval.

Now, we can start living.

“I can’t wait to see everything you create.”

Humor still flashes in his eyes.

“Well, I might need your help. You know, for inspiration.”

“Inspiration, huh?”

There’s a devious quality to his expression, and I know he’s going somewhere with this.

“Yeah. You’re my muse. You’ll have to be around me all the time, so I’ll always have those creative juices flowing.” He plucks at the shoulder of my sweater. “And maybe model for me. You know, when I have to draw nudes.”

“Ben!” I go to shove his chest but stop myself just in time. Can’t forget he’s still got a lot of healing to do. Instead, I wave my finger in his face. “This was your game from the start, wasn’t it? Just trying to get me to take my clothes off.”

He catches my finger and gently bites the tip in a very suggestive way, and then he waggles his eyebrows. “If memory serves, you’re the one who begged to take my shirt off before we even went on a date.”