“Bodhi.” I breathed out his name, a reminder that while falling so easily into his arms was what I wanted, it wasn’t what I needed, not right now. “I talked to my mother early this morning and she told me a lot of things that really resonate with me now. I have the power to decide what I want to do with my life. I can choose to do what I want. I’m not the kind of girl who thinks about right now. And if you want to run a successful business, you can’t think about what’s going on today, because in months or weeks or days, all of that can change.”

“So,” Bohdi began slowly. “Does that mean no on the dating?”

I chuckled, despite myself. “Bodhi, you are an amazing person,” I said. “You are sweet and considerate when, at first, all I thought you were was some rich kid running Daddy’s joke of a business and getting a fat paycheck. I shouldn’t have judged you. I also shouldn’t have looked at you as competition and been so abrupt with you when we first started talking. This business” - I gestured around me, at the inside of the bar - “could be here for the foreseeable future. When I closed everyone out, I could see how much you made, and your rent might be higher than mine, just because the building is bigger, but I have no doubt turning a profit is going to be easier than you realize.”

“Norah, I appreciate that. I do,” Bodhi said, “but I am serious about you and me. What does all of that have to do with us? Because I’m going to be honest, I’ve dated around. Maybe not the way Max dated before meeting Tori, but still. I know I’m getting older. Hell, even my sister is serious with someone.”

“And you decided to pick the first woman you were attracted to?” I raised my eyebrows.

He shook his head, a frustrated look on his face. “Don’t do that,” he said. “Just because I happened to notice you during the reception doesn’t mean I decided, she’s the first woman I’ve seen since deciding I want to settle down, too; I’m going to pick her. You can do a lot to me, Norah, but please don’t insult my intelligence. I already get that from my family.”

“How do you want me to feel, Bodhi?” I asked. “This came out of nowhere. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“Is that so wrong?” Bodhi asked. “Norah, I don’t think you realize how amazing you are. Any guy would be lucky to have you. You’re disciplined, determined, ambitious. You know what you want to do with your life. I can admit that I’m not exactly the type to plan for the future. That’s an area I need help in. It’s why I wouldn’t consider myself someone my dad could rely on. I’d disappoint him, he’d disappoint me, we’d end up in this vicious cycle. But with this bar, I can be myself. I can plan for things. I just need guidance.”

“So you want to be with me because I can teach you how to properly run your bar?” I quirked an eyebrow, my arms crossed over my chest.

Bodhi shook his head, black hair flying back and forth. “This is coming out wrong,” he insisted. “I noticed you not only because you were attractive, Norah, but because it was late and you were sweeping your café by yourself. It told me that you have your shit together, that you can take care of yourself. And here I am, with my brother and my father, and an astronomical budget, and I can’t even get my own shit together. I resisted it because I didn’t want to be like my father or my brother. But when Max met Tori, I realized you could have it all. You could fall in love and make money and be happy on your own terms. And the more I got to know you, the harder I started to fall for you. Because you’re an amazing woman. And I’m awed just to be near you.”

I felt my heart hammer in my chest. Bodhi was good with words. I wanted to run into his arms. I wanted to kiss his face. But I couldn’t yet. I needed him to understand.

“Bodhi, my dream is to be a lit professor,” I began.

“I know that,” he insisted. “And I know that that means school. You don’t have to help me with the bar, Norah. You already got me started on a lot. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be part of your life. If you would let me. I want to be the one you come home complaining to about one of your asshole students who’s a little shit to you.” He started walking towards me and my lips twitched up into a smile, despite my effort to remain serious. “I want to make you coffee in the morning after we come home from surfing on Sunday. I want to help you with your homework. I want you to be the one I fall asleep with.”

“Bodhi.” This time, I was relenting.

He grinned because he seemed to know it.

“Tell me you don’t want to be with me, and I promise, I will leave you alone.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. “Tell me you don’t want to be with me.”

I opened my mouth, prepared to do just that. “I can’t,” I murmured, shaking my head. “I can’t…”

He kissed me before I could finish my sentence. I closed my eyes and locked my wrists around his neck.

The kiss was deep and I felt myself get swept up in his sea salt scent, the way his hands cling to me like I belong with him.

“I promise you,” he breathed out when we had to break for air. “I won’t let you down.”

He looked at me with those big brown eyes, imploring me to believe in him. And it was only then that I realized he had been searching for approval from everyone. And now, he was searching for it from me.

“You don’t need my approval, Bodhi,” I murmured, ticking a strand of dark hair behind his ear. “But you have my faith. I believe in you.”

He grinned, a big, bright smile that lit up his face and pulled me into another passionate kiss.