Page 63 of There I Find Hope

One side of his mouth turned up slowly.

“Tell me more.”

Just like that her anxiety was gone and she laughed. “That pretty much says it all, I think.”

“I guess it does. You wouldn’t be thinking about kissing me if you didn’t have some strong feelings for me.”

“That’s true. I...I missed you. Missed talking with you, being with you, laughing, especially laughing with you.”

There was still laughter in his eyes, but there was a different look, something a little deeper, maybe. Something that said her words were the right ones.

“I hoped, hoped you enjoyed being with me half as much as I loved being with you. I didn’t want to push. Maybe that was why I kept doing the letters, too. I wanted as much from you as I could get.”

That made her heart sigh. That he wanted to be with her so much.

“It was fun to write the letters. They were a big help to me right when I really needed it. The letters, and you.” She paused. “I’m ready for more.” She didn’t say that as confidently as she hoped to.

“Me too. I have been for a while. It would probably shock you if I told you how long I’ve wanted to ask if you’d be interested in something more than friends. Building something that would last a lifetime. I want that with you. The thought of not having you with me for the rest of my life isn’t one I want to entertain. I’ve been hoping for so much more.”

“I’m interested in more. But I wouldn’t mind if we start with kissing.”

“Here?” he asked on a laugh before he looked around the diner.

“Anywhere,” she said, being honest, her heart galloping.

His eyes glinted, but he put his arms around her and pulled her to him. “Maybe a hello kiss?” he murmured.

“Any kind,” she whispered back before their mouths met and she forgot about the diner and the people around them and just settled into Noah’s arms, which felt like the most perfect place she’d ever been. They felt like home and she never wanted to leave.

After they ate, they got Hope, whom Sunday had been teaching to lead, and they walked, hand in hand, along the beach enjoying the sunset and each other.

They didn’t know whether Lena would sell the bed and breakfast or how things with the hotel would turn out, but one thing they did know, whatever happened, they wanted to do it together. And that filled her with hope. Hope for a beautiful future, side by side, with someone who had loved her for a long time and who wanted to love her forever.

Maybe they didn’t do as much walking as they did holding hands and kissing, but Sunday told Noah later it was the most romantic day of her life.

Epilogue