“And,” he prompted.
“And no more running.”
His lips split into a smile, and the corners of his eyes softened.
Lifting my arm, he kissed the Flint tattoo on my side. “I love you too.”
I closed my eyes as he repeatedly whispered it against my skin.
I was so genuinely happy for the first time in my entire life that I couldn’t even pretend to stop the awkward bubble of laugher that escaped.
He looked up at me with a questioning expression that I only answered with a shrug as I continued to laugh.
He loves me.
Shaking his head, he said, “Fine. You can have the book, but only if you don’t give me shit about reading it.”
“You can take your deal and shove it. That’s my book, I don’t need you to give it to me.” I backed away and crossed my arms over my chest.
He barked out a laugh, retrieving his crutches off the floor. “Get dressed, baby. It’s date night.”
“It’s my book,” I repeated because, well, he needed to understand.
“Absolutely,” he confirmed, walking to the bathroom. “For as long as I let you borrow it.”
I could hear his laughter continue as he shut the door.
I wasn’t mad. I couldn’t have cared less that he was delusional enough to think it was still his.
I was staying.
Forever.
With Flint.
IT WAS TRULY INCREDIBLE THE way one weekend changed the trajectory of my entire life.
Ash and I had skipped our date in exchange for takeout food and the weed garden. It was far better than whatever cheesy and clichéd date I could have taken her on. It was us. And with her promise to stay, there was officially an us again.
Ash spent the entire night tucked into my side, never letting me stray out of her reach—even while we were eating.
It was incredible. For the first time in my entire life, I wasn’t nervously waiting for the sky to crash down on me. The world could have slipped into another Dark Age and I would have been fine. I had a home, a job, money in the bank, and a woman who didn’t need any of it.
She just wanted me.
My life had officially begun.
And it was gloriously uneventful.
Ash and I quickly fell into an easy routine. I drove her to work at the salon in the mornings then picked her up at lunch only to drop her off at the college, where she had enrolled in a high school refresher course. She didn’t need it. She was insanely smart. However, she was nervous about failing the high school equivalency exam she needed to take in order to start college courses.
I was proud of her for going back to school. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to major in, but she was so excited about attending actual classes that it didn’t matter. The only problem was she needed an ID before she could enroll and Ash had nothing. We spent weeks tracking down her birth certificate and then her social security card before she finally went to the DMV to get a driver’s license—something else she was excited about. Her newsie list was dwindling as she crossed things off left and right.
“Oh my God,” Ash gasped as I walked into the DMV. “You came. In a suit!” She left Quarry and Mia sitting in the folding chairs and rushed over to me.
“I had a big meeting with a potential client at noon, but I came straight here afterward. My woman’s getting her driver’s license today. This is a big deal.” I leaned down to take her lips.
Her eyes flashed surprise as she dodged my mouth. “Oh shit. Let’s go.” Grabbing my arm, she pulled me toward the door.
“Where are we going? Did I miss your test already?” I asked, doing my best to keep up with her as she dragged me toward the door.
“No. But you need to see a doctor. I think you had a stroke.”
I threw the brakes on, stopping just before we exited the building.
“Don’t stop! I can’t have you dying on me! Who will nag me about leaving my shoes in the middle of the floor if you croak?” She bit her lip, but the smile escaped around it.
“I’m missing the joke, funny girl. I’m gonna need you to explain.”
“You said something was a big deal. Clearly, you have some neurological issues going on.”
“It is a big deal.”
“No. It’s just a driver’s license. I’ve been driving for years.” She shrugged before adding, “By the way, you look hot in a suit.”
I shook my head at her randomness. “You’re insane,” I told her, wrapping her in my arms and kissing the top of her head.
“I think you’re insane. You relearning to walk again after spending years in a wheelchair was nothing. But me getting a little plastic card that allows me to legally do something I’ve been doing for years is a big deal?” She folded her arms around my hips, hugging me tight, before sliding her hand down into the back of my slacks.
“Would you stop?” I laughed, swatting away her hands.
“What?” she whined innocently. “It’s the suit. I can’t help myself.”