“When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.”—Arrigo Boito

The streetlight dangled precariously from a wire at the intersection of Main Street and Sycamore. I glanced out the window at the familiar landscape. Elmhurst never changed much. It was a source of frustration to me when I was younger but I appreciated it now. I was feeling nostalgic and every little detail, from the new coffee shop on the corner to the bright red awning over the hardware store seemed like a big deal. I tapped the glass and glanced at Leo, who looked equally curious about his surroundings.

“That used to be a pharmacy with an old-fashioned multipurpose vibe. They sold hot chocolate in the winter, ice cream in the summer, and candy year-round. The coffee shop looks popular,” I commented, craning my head to see if I recognized anyone milling around on the sidewalk.

“Did you want to stop?”

“No. Mom will be insulted if we don’t go directly to her house.” I shifted in the passenger seat to face him and took a moment to admire his sexy profile. Not everyone could look like a badass in a rented Chevy Tahoe, I mused with a grin.

“Hmm. What are you smiling at?” Leo knit his brow in a faux glower.

“You. Have I ever told you blue is your color? Always wear blue. And red. I like red on you too.”

“Thanks. I think. I’m not nervous, you know. I’ve met your mom before. She likes me,” he said matter-of-factly.

That was the understatement of the century. My mother adored Leo. So did Remy, Tony, and every other De Luca we’d met at my brother’s wedding last year. It was our first big “meet the family” occasion and it was a doozy. There had to be well over two hundred people at the service and even more at the reception. No doubt it was strange to go from a family unit of three people to almost ten times that, but Remy seemed to have adjusted well. I’d never seen him happier. He was exactly where he wanted to be with the man he loved. And so was I.

I’d moved into Leo’s place when my lease was up last September at his insistence. When I told him I thought I should consider getting a place closer to work in Brooklyn, he’d given me a sharp look. Then he cleaned out space in his closet with a grunt, glanced at his watch, and told me to be ready to grab my crap in five minutes. I laughed and threw my arms around him, tackling him onto the sofa before raining kisses all over him. Subtlety wasn’t Leo’s strong suit. He’d been on his own for a long time and wary of letting anyone too close. To be the one who saw the real man underneath the fancy suit and no-nonsense exterior wasn’t something I took lightly. And I knew Leo felt the same. We’d recognized something in each other that made us whole. A source of perspective, friendship, acceptance, and trust. We came from different places, but we were traveling in the same direction now.

“Oh! Turn right here.” I sat up straight and pointed at the row of derelict houses in the distance. “Park anywhere. This was what I wanted to show you.”

The second he stopped the SUV, I hopped out to gaze at the uninspiring dilapidated structures in awe. Peeling paint, sagging porches, and smashed or cracked windows…bring it on. Leo joined me and set his arm over my shoulders.

“What am I looking at?”

“A new project. If you want to do something special on your TV show, this is it. Fix these houses and build new affordable homes in that lot across the street. You’d help the people who live here and bring jobs to the community. Win-win. Show the New York City apartments in the sky.…That’s the dream. But this”—I inclined my head with a smile—“is hope. This is what you need. It’s what we all need.”

Leo squinted against the morning glare as he studied the homes, then he turned to face me with an unreadable expression. “Hopes and dreams. That’s pretty clever, baby. But there’s one minor problem.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know the town. I’d have to do extensive research. Who knows? If I like it, maybe I’ll buy a house so we can live here part-time. You could be close to your mom and…maybe we’d start a small real estate firm of our own. If you’re interested.”

I gaped at him then bit the inside of my cheek. “You’d move here? Just like that?”

“Of course.”

“But why?”

“ ’Cause you may talk a big game, but I know you miss home sometimes. Someday we’ll get married…and have kids,” he added with a lopsided smile. “And you’re going to want to show them life outside the big city too. Am I right?”

I couldn’t contain my grin as I nodded. “Yes. I want that.”

“Me too.” Leo cupped my chin and brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. “I told you, baby…I’ll go anywhere with you. Say the word and I’m there. I love you.”

I grinned then kissed him softly and placed my hand in his, marveling at my luck. A lot had changed in a year. I was stronger, more self-aware, and ready to build a life I could be proud of with the man I loved. And as long as he was by my side, I was confident we’d find our way. Together.