“How did you know you’d find me at that party?” I ask as we load the last of my luggage into the back of the truck. He flew to Tampa and rented a car to come find me, he claims I was just a consolation prize, he was just back for the truck. That earned him a few punches and an eye roll. But then he made it up to me in a multi-orgasm way.

“Ugh...” he says, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! That woman cannot keep her mouth shut for shit.”

“In all fairness, Ivy only told me where you were. And it took over a week to get it out of her.”

I shake my head and laugh knowing damn well she would eventually give up my location. “Fine.” I throw the last bag into the truck and lean against the side with my arms crossed over my chest. “But that doesn’t tell me how you knew I would be at a hotel in Tampa and not here in Sarasota which had to be the address she gave you.”

He closes the back of the truck and turns to look at me with that panty dropping grin.

“Really?”

“What?” He shrugs, keeping that damn grin on his face that was seriously making me ready to pull my shorts off and have him take me in my parents’ driveway.

“You know what! You used that damn grin to get information out of someone!”

He throws his head back in laughter. God how I missed that laugh. The rare one that he only gives when he is truly happy. He saunters up to me and grabs my hips, pressing his lips into my ear and practically purrs, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I try to push him off me, but he works his teeth onto my earlobe and I melt into his touch. “See this works on anyone.”

I try to push him away again, but he wraps his arms around my waist pulling me into his hips, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “Sweet cheeks, the only one I ever use that tongue trick on is you. And it works every time.”

I grunt, knowing he’s right, but I won’t admit it.

“You can try to deny it all you want, but we both know it’s true.” He gives me a quick smack on the lips. “And you were right. That smile works like a charm. Especially for that neighbor of yours, Mrs. Wright.”

“That nosy bitch,” I laugh, looking across the street at her house. “I swear she is worse than the captain of the Sergeants!”

“Yeah, well at least her nosiness led me back to you.”

I snap my head back to him and the deep sincerity settling in his eyes. I lean up onto my toes and touch my lips to his. A soft kiss of kindness, longing, and deep love. My arms wrap around his neck as he pulls me even closer into him. This kiss isn’t about passion. It’s about commitment and understanding, honesty and compassion, trust and forgiveness. It’s about putting our past behind us and starting out on a new foot. The right foot that will lead us to the thing we both have always wanted more than anything else, a love to call our own.

A throat clears in the background and we break away from each other but only our lips separate. Our eyes search one another’s in an understanding of love. “I hate to break up the make-out session, but this is a retirement community and those old single women might be getting a bit jealous.”

We both start laughing at my dad as we step away from each other. “You two better get on the road before the rain starts,” he adds.

Easton walks over to him reaching his hand out. “Thank you so much, Frank, for everything. Thanks for makin’ sure she was okay through all the bullshit I put her through.”

My dad pulls him into a hug and whispers something in his ear. I can’t hear what he says but Easton nods his head and when he pulls away, his eyes look wet with moisture he won’t let fall.

I run to my dad and give him a big hug. “Thanks, Dad for taking care of me.”

He squeezes me tight. “Anytime honey. But I don’t think you’ll be needing me all that much now. You’ve got yourself a fine man who will take care of you and my grandbaby.” I look up at him and smile, a tear rolling down my cheek.

My mom walks out of the house, with a tin in her hand. She gives Easton a hug and hands the tin over. “Just a snack for the road.” I give my mom a big hug and she pushes me into the truck. “You two better leave or else I might make you both stay.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, sweetie. Now get going!”

I hold back a few more tears as I see my mom try to hold back her own. I whistle for Poe and jump into the cab of the truck as Easton turns over the engine and wave goodbye to my parents.

As we exit the country club, Easton breaks open the tin. “Oh my god, do not eat those. Didn’t you learn after the first time?”

He smirks at me as he empties the contents out the window. “I figured there were a few wild animals around here that were hungry.”

I smile at him and grab his hand. He brings my hand to his lips and asks, “You ready to go back to White Creek?”

“I’m ready to go home.”