A thousand different scenarios about how Jamie would react to me showing up here went through my head during my nearly nine hour flight from Paris to New York City. Most of those scenarios all had her being royally pissed off at me and accusing me of invading her space.

But none of those scenarios included her running into my arms. Running to me. Not a single goddamn one. When I walked into Harper and Jackson's condo and saw literally everyone standing there, I felt a brief moment of panic that something was wrong.

But then my eyes found Jamie's. Christ, her eyes. There was so much in those ocean blues. Surprise and shock at my arrival, yes, but there was more too. So much more. Tightening my arms around her, I buried my face in her red curls, breathing her in just because I could.

"I missed you, beautiful," I murmured. "Shit. I missed you so much."

That seemed to snap her back to reality when suddenly she pulled away from me and took a few steps back. "Ollie, what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here?"

Silence hung between us for a few seconds. At first there was a longing in her eyes. Like she was hoping and praying I would come for her. That quickly changed to fear.

"This won't work," she said flatly. "We won't work."

"Why?" I asked as I held her gaze. "Because you overheard my boss offering me an amazing job? Is that why you think we won't work? Because let me tell you right now, this wouldn't be the first time I chose you over a work proposition."

That made her frown. "What do you mean?"

If I had any shot of winning her back and convincing her that she and I were meant for each other, I needed to be honest and lay everything out for her. Every little bit of truth.

"The day before Harper's wedding, I called my boss and told him I didn't want the job in Paris. I wanted you. The only reason I changed my mind and called him back was because I knew that you weren't ready for anything serious. And if you don't believe me ask Nate. He was there."

Everyone looked at Nate and he started awkwardly shifting back and forth on his feet as he stammered. "Well, I didn't...you know. I was just in the hallway. Not like...Karma and Jamie were in the restroom!" His eyes went to his girlfriend and his expression turned pleading. "Please don't look at me like that, gorgeous."

Karma slapped him on the arm. "That was the big secret? Nathan, I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Once again shock and surprise colored Jamie's beautiful face when she turned back to look at me. "Even if that's true, this job offer is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Ollie. If you give it up to be with me..." Tears welled up in her eyes and she shook her head. "You'll end up resenting me for it. I can't let you do that."

I knew she meant every word she said. She honestly believed I would end up resenting her if I gave up painting. But I also knew her. She was hiding behind the job offer. It was a way to break things off to protect herself.

"It's my choice if I take the job or not, Lovette. So what else ya got?" I was challenging her now. Ready to have a debate with her right here and now in front of everyone just to prove that there was nothing standing in the way of us being together.

I could see the wheels turning in that stubborn head of hers as she crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips into a grim line.

"We live on different continents!" She finally said. "How the hell could we make it work? There's long distance, then there's long distance. We wouldn't survive being separated by a whole ocean, Ollie."

I knew that was going to come up. That's the main reason I needed a to sort everything out before I flew out here to find her. Thank God I remembered where Jackson and Harper's condo was from the few times Jamie brought me here before the wedding.

Taking a step towards her, I couldn't help but chuckle a little. Once more, she shook her head with a frown. "What is so funny?"

I cupped her face in my hands, causing her to tilt her head back and meet my eyes. "You are so stubborn, Guinevere." My eyes roamed around her face. "So beautiful and sweet. But holy shit are you stubborn." Not caring that everyone was watching, I bent my head down and gave her a deep, passionate kiss before looking in her eyes and whispering, "When are you going to accept that you are worth more than any job offer I could get? You are my once in a lifetime, beautiful. It's you."

Tears started streaming down her face. I wiped them away before finally telling her what I should have told her a long time ago. "I love you, Jamie. I am so fucking in love with you. Ever since you rambled in that goddamn coffee shop like a crazy woman." She laughed through her tears at the memory. My own expression became serious when I said once more..."I love you, baby."

More tears flowed down her face now. But judging by that giant smile on her face, they were happy tears. But she still remained silent.

"You gotta say something," I joked. "The silence is killing me."

Then she said one word. Just one fucking word. "Ditto."

Hearing her say the same word I used that drunken night she confessed her feelings was even better than hearing the other. I crushed my lips against hers, kissing her with every bit of love and passion I felt for her.

Applause and whistles sounded from behind her. All of her friends clapping and coming to form one giant group hug. We pulled apart then, and when the girls all surrounded Jamie, the guys stood shoulder to shoulder in front of me.

Jackson was the first to speak. "I hope I don't need to repeat that little conversation we had over beers, mate."

"Not at all," I replied with a smile. "I would never hurt her. Besides, I definitely don't want my ass beat by the four of you."

They all laughed, each of them giving me a hug and clapping me on the back one at a time. It felt good to be included in their group. Even better that I was finally going to be with the only girl I would ever love.

"Hey, man," Nate whispered from beside me when the other guys walked over to Jamie. "Why'd you put me on blast like like? What happened to the bro code?"

That made me laugh. I always liked Nate. "Sorry, Nate. But you're the one who told me that lying to you girl was not the way to go. If I wanna with her, then I got to tell her the truth."

"Yeah, but now I'm the one that's going to be dusting my knees off so they're ready to go when I'm going to be walking on them later tonight trying to get my own girl to forgive me."

As if she heard us, Karma glanced over at us. She offered me a smile. But when her eyes landed on her boyfriend, the smile disappeared and the expression on her face said that Nate had some explaining to do tonight.

"Shit. I'm in deep trouble," he muttered.

"Looks like you better get dusting then, my brother."

I watched in fascinating amusement as Nate went over to his girl, making placating gestures with his hands while Karma responded with a 'talk to the hand'.

"Hey, you " Jamie came up to me and slid her hands around my waist before standing on her tip toes to give me a soft kiss. "I still can't believe you're here. Thank you came all this way...for me."

Reaching out, I brushed some of those red curls out of her face. "I would do anything for you."

"Right back at you," she murmured before brushing her lips against mine again. Unfortunately, this kiss was cut off by a certain petite psychic.

Lanie came barreling toward us with a fierce expression on her face as she pointed a finger at me. "I swear, Ollie, if you so much as hurt her or make her shed a tear I will come after you."

"Never," I vowed with a grin. "I love her way too much to ever hurt her."

Lanie's eyes narrowed. "Good. Because if I have to come after you..." She made her fingers look like scissors before doing a cutting motion.

"Got it," I said to her. "Loud and clear."

After Lanie left us alone to rejoin her fiance and son, Jamie smiled up at me. And in that moment, it was the happiest I'd ever seen her.

"So, Atticus, you got a hotel room or something?"

My mouth twisted up in a wry grin. "I do."

"I'm assuming it has a bed?"

"It does," I replied, answering her the same way I did outside that coffee shop.

Pressing her lips against mine she breathed, "Take me there."

***

I absolutely loved writing this chapter! These two are making me cry! So on I will have the last chapter and epilogue up in a few days along with the summary for the next book Forever Mine!

Xoxo

🖤