Page 112 of Now and Then

“Come here,” I murmur, brushing my thumb across her jaw. “You look perfect.”

She blushes but leans in enough that I feel the soft surrender she’s giving me.

“You know,” she whispers, “someday I’d like to hear the story behind the clothes.”

“You can hear it right now.” I press a slow kiss to the apple of her cheek, and the way her breath stutters tells me she wasn’t expecting me to offer the story up so easily. Her eyes never leave mine.

“Sutton,” I say, my voice low, “I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember. But I never knew if we’d make it here. If you’d let us happen.”

Her lips part, but I place my finger over them.

“So,” I say, palming her cheek, “I figured maybe if I showed you what I wanted in little ways, you’d feel it. See it.” I swallow, thumb grazing the soft place near the corner of her mouth. “Want to know why my kitchen cabinets were sparse?”

“Why?”

“Because I was really hoping you’d fill them someday.”

Her breath catches, her lashes fluttering. “Hunter.”

“And the drawers I filled with clothes for you?” I smile. “You’d sleep over and end up wearing nothing but one of my old shirts. Not that I minded. You know I love you in my clothes. But I also wanted you to have things that were yours.”

Her fingers curl lightly into the front of my flannel, and she leans into me.

“I wanted you to feel like my house was our home. Because I prayed one day it would be.”

The vulnerability in her eyes flickers, like something she’s kept locked away for years is finally being opened. She exhales shakily. “You make it really hard to keep my walls up, you know.”

“That’s kind of my whole plan,” I whisper. “I don’t want you to keep me out.”

I kill the engine and hop out of the truck to meet her at the front. I wrap my hands around hers before she can wind herself back into the neat, put-together spool she always presents to others.

The second I raise my hand to knock on Greer’s door, it swings open. Luke stands there holding a strand of garland that looks like it fought back. “About time. We were placing bets.”

Sutton blinks. “On what?”

“On how late you two would be.” He smirks. “I won. Obviously.”

“Luke,” Greer hisses. “Don’t start.”

“Not starting anything,” he says, stepping aside to let us in. “I’m just stating facts. You both look very . . . cheerful?”

Sutton nearly chokes. “Cheerful?”

“Radiant,” Greer corrects, crossing her arms, eyes dancing with teasing. “It’s definitely radiance I’m seeing.”

“I’m going home,” Sutton mutters, turning toward the door.

I snag her hand before she can bolt. “No, you’re not.”

Grace pokes her head out from the kitchen, a spool of ribbon hanging around her neck like a scarf. “Oh good, the lovebirds have arrived.”

Sutton covers her face with both hands. “You guys are the worst.”

Adam appears right behind Grace. “We are, but that’s why you love us.”

As we step into the entryway, Vinnie walks by carrying an entire box of ornaments like it’s nothing. “Finally, the happy couple arrives.”

Sutton groans, but I tug her into my side.