Walking out of the airport, holding her heels in one hand and black clutch in the other, is June. She looks up and spots me frozen fifteen feet away from her and smiles tentatively. Her breath clouds in front of her face before she bends down to slip her heels back on. She stands up, and emeralds stare back at me.

I’m sorry, she mouths.

Chapter 31 June

Ryan is standing in front of me, and my heart twists. His face is hard, and it’s clear how he feels about me right now. I don’t blame him. Those dark brows are pulled together, and his shoulders are set for battle. He looks intimidating and angry and beautiful. My knees want to knock together, and maybe I would be running from him right now if it weren’t for the fact that he’s here—he came after me even though I told him not to.

I take the first step closer, but he doesn’t budge.

“I’m sorry,” I say again. “I shouldn’t have left.”

He jerks his chin toward the airport doors behind me. “Did you miss your flight?”

“Yes,” I say, and I see his jaw flinch. “But it was on purpose. I never even bought a ticket.” There’s a brief moment where I see his face soften, but he doesn’t say anything. I inch forward again. “I shouldn’t have left the restaurant. Noah came over and started talking to me about all you were giving up, and it scared me. I thought if I took myself out of the equation, you would go on with your dreams, and I wouldn’t get in the way.”

“So you had it all figured out without me, then?” His voice is so hard it’s practically thunder.

“I thought I did. But I was wrong, and it wasn’t until I was walking into the airport that I could see I was just self-sabotaging.” I take another step. “I saw you tonight, and you looked so cool and confident in that atmosphere that I couldn’t imagine you ever being truly happy with me in Charleston. I was afraid you’d resent me later. Or I wouldn’t be enough to keep you happy, and you’d leave me in the end. It seemed better to just cut you out now.”

“You were wrong.”

“Yes, I was. I know.”

“You have to quit running from me.”

I’m standing in front of him now. “I will.”

“Because I want a healthy relationship with you, June. I won’t keep chasing you every time you run or slam a door in my face. Eventually, you’re going to have to show me that you’re willing to fight for us too.”

Okay, now I take a step back, because I’m feeling slightly annoyed that he’s still not budging. “That’s what I’m doing right now, Ryan.” I say his name, punctuating every letter sound and dripping it in annoyance.

He takes a step toward me this time. “If you had looked closer, you would have seen that the Ryan from tonight is miserable. He’s lonely. He rarely smiles. He hates his job and has wanted out for a long time but never saw a way. You opened my eyes, June, and I see with perfect clarity that I want you. A life with you and all the craziness we are together.”

“You’ll be bored with me.”

He takes another step. “What makes you think I’m just going to sit around painting you all day? I wouldn’t quit my job and not have thoughts for the future. I have plans.”

His harsh tone is ripping my heart. I laid down my pride and admitted my wrongs. I think the least he could do is talk a little softer. “Well, you never shared those plans with me.”

“You’re right. I should have told you I bought the space across from your donut shop.” WHAT! “I contacted a realtor and looked at it the morning before we left Charleston. After I left Bask today, I knew for sure it’s what I want, so I called and put an offer on it. They accepted about an hour ago.”

“Okay…W-what are you going to do with it?” I’m in shock. I need one of those shiny blankets to wrap around my shoulders.

“Open my own place. You remember the little café I told you about in France? I plan to re-create it.”

I can’t breathe. He has plans. Across from my bakery. Plans, people! He has plans! “A café?”

“A small one. Only a few menu options. It’s the opposite of what I’ve been doing lately, and it’s exactly what I need.”

“Well, GREAT,” I say, but my voice sounds harsh now, too, because I’m feeding off his pent-up anger. I take another step away, but he keeps following me. We’re doing a tango outside the airport. “I think it will be a huge success,” I say in the way that people do when their anger is fizzling out, but they are already prepared for a fight, so they keep their tone angry. “You should have told me about this! Stop keeping me in the dark.”

“Okay, then don’t freak out and run away when I tell you what I’m up to.”

I throw my hands up. “I was running back to you!”

He shrugs. “You can’t do that every time you’re scared. You have to trust me, eventually.”

“I do trust you! That’s why I was on my way back to you!” I make a dramatic sweeping gesture with my hands from the airport doors to where I’m standing. People are beginning to stare, but who cares. “See?! This was me saying I trust you. I was coming back, and you were supposed to hug and kiss me! That’s what happens in the movies. You ruined it, Mr. Darcy, and now we’re breaking up again.”

For the first time, I see a smile crack on the corner of his face. But no. I’m back to hating that smug face. I hate that grin. I hate his dimple. I want to smear a big ol’ cream pie in it. “I think that’s the shortest relationship in history.” He looks down at his watch. “Five hours. Not even sure it counts.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter now, because we’re over.” I cross my arms defiantly. “I hope you’re happy. You’ve annoyed me, so we’re done. It was nice knowing you, Ryan. Good luck with your café.”

He’s got a tilted smile. “You love me.”

“I hate you. H.A.T.E.”

“Love.”

“Loathe.”

Suddenly, Ryan bends down and scoops me up and tosses me over his shoulder.

“This is the twenty-first century, Ryan! You’re not allowed to do this! Stop it, you caveman.” I squeal and kick my feet as he casually strides away from the airport. “ABDUCTION!” I yell while also trying to cover my butt. I’m certain I’m flashing the entire airport.

No one even pays any attention to my squeals. Ryan is nodding as we pass people, and the only ones who have stopped to note our display are awwwwing like kidnapping is the most adorable thing in the world.

“Put me down, you dummy!”

He pats my butt. “Not a chance, June Bug.”

“Ugh. Why are you so horrible?”

I give up and go limp-rag-doll the rest of the way to the truck. My only consolation is an up-close view of Ryan’s glorious butt.

We make it to his truck, and he sets me down beside it. I’m just getting ready to lay into him, but he’s faster and backs me up to the truck and silences me with his mouth. I mean to push him away, I really do. But one of his hands is pressing into my hip, and the other is lost somewhere in the back of my hair, and my body wins the argument against my mind.

I give in and slide my hands up the back of Ryan’s jacket and over his muscles. My eyelids roll closed as Ryan angles my face and takes full control of the kiss. His lips taste faintly of orange and bourbon, making me want more. More, more, more. He’s never won a fight like this before, but I hope it happens this way forever. Because here’s the secret: He thinks he’s winning, but in this kiss, I’m most definitely the victor.

Ryan breaks away, cupping my jaw, breath as ragged as mine. He smiles. “Love.”

I narrow one eye and try not to grin. “Like.”

He dips his head and nips at my lip. “Stubborn, stubborn woman.”

I run my finger over the top of his dress shirt collar, just barely brushing against his skin. “I told you how I felt about you all those years ago when I tipped my chin for you. It’s your turn.”

He pulls away now to look me in the eyes, dark pools hypnotizing me. Tenderly, he wraps his arms around me and settles me against him. “Okay, here it is, then, June Bug. I’m going to lay it all out so there’s no room for confusion. I love you. I always have. Pretty certain I always will.”