Page 108 of Love Expert

“You don’t have to commit to forever… right now.” Billy tugs me infinitesimally closer. “But I’m asking you to choose us. For today. And tomorrow. And next month. And if we’re really lucky, you might choose us next year, too. Work wherever you wanna work, and be whoever you wanna be. Live in my house. Or yours. Or both. Or if you don’t want either, we can sell them both and buy something else. I’m just asking you to give me a chance to be who you deserve.” He pauses for a beat, swallowing and searching my face. “My pride hurts us, so I won’t do that anymore. My stubbornness damages us, so I won’t be stubborn anymore either. I’d like tosay all those dates you set me up with bruised us, but they really didn’t. You just gave me more allies to fight alongside.”

“To fight?” Tears swell and stick to my lashes. “Fight for what?”

“For you, silly.” He inches closer, his breath feathering over my lips. “You were never my love expert, Magnolia.Theywere. I have a giant text chain to prove it.”

“What the hell is in this group chat?” Furious, I pull back and swing fiery eyes to Brienne. “What?”

“Nuh-uh.” Billy drags me back and slams his lips to mine, stealing the breath straight from my lungs and holding me up when my knees would prefer to fail. His tongue comes forward, tracking across my bottom lip, then out to dance with mine until our kiss tastes of tears and heartache. But it tastes like hope, too. And homecoming. Love. promises. “Please make a family with me, Magnolia.” He gently nips at my skin. Biting. Soothing. “I wanna stop all the bullshit.” Tasting. Tempting. “I wanna be with you. And frankly, my son won’t accept any other answer.”

I choke out a whimpering laugh. “Oh God.”

“Kiss me back.” He reaches across and lifts my weight clean off the floor. Hitching me up until I rest momentarily on the counter, he scoops his arm under my legs and pulls me impossibly close. “Fall in love with me, too, Magnolia. I don’t wanna saygoodbyeanymore.”

“You’re so dumb if you think I haven’t loved you all along.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders and squeal with delight as he spins and holds me midair for all of Brienne’s customers to see. Tears make my vision blurry, and my heart pounds so fast I hear it in my ears. But none of that matters, because Billy slams his lips to mine and makes it so I need none of those senses anyway.

I just need this.

I just need him. And Jeremy. And to quiet the voice my mother planted in the back of my skull that reminds me constantly, cruelly, that nothing I do will ever be good enough.

“Finally.” He buries his face against the side of my neck. “Are you sure you’re not already pregnant? Because I’m on a roll. I could probably even deliver our baby.”

“No! I’m not pregnant. Jesus.” I smack his shoulder. Laughing. Crying. Yearning. Drawing a shaking breath, I look around the diner at my friends. My family, since I have none that share my blood. And though I know, logically, it’s impossible, my heart still sinks when the single pair of eyes I so badly want to look into aren’t here. “I wanna see Jeremy.”

Billy chuckles, biting my neck and following it with a kiss. “He’s atschool. But you can come with me if you want? We can pick him up together.”

I bring tearful eyes back to his. “Really?”

“What’s mine is yours, babe. And he’s already expecting you.” He slams a hungry kiss against my lips. “Threatened my life, actually. Said if I don’t fix this, he’s gonnafixme.”

ROUND THIRTY-EIGHT

Billy:

How did you and Maggie meet, anyway? She gave me your bio before our first date, but she didn’t say how she found you.

Brienne:

We met within professional circles. Very casual.

*

Billy:

She said a red tie would make my eyes pop. Should I wear a red shirt this afternoon just to see how she responds?

Brienne:

Totally worth a shot! She was wearing a red dress the other day, so I get the feeling she likes that color in general. You can’t go wrong.

*

Cassidy hasjoined the chat.

Brienne:

Hey! You’re here. How was your date?

Billy: