“That’s understandable, your boy was at risk, but part of the reason you got him back is because of her.”
“I know. She’s been so amazing, honestly.”
“So, go and get her,” Mom chuckles. “Make her see how much you want her. Tell her that you love her.”
“How do you know how I feel too?”
“Son, I can just tell. Now, go and get your girl.”
I wave Mom off and pause for a couple of seconds before I head back into the other room to see Mia again. I must have left it too long because she looks like she’s making a move to leave.
“Where are you going?” I demand, a little bit too needily.
“I was going to go home. I thought you might want some time alone…”
I grab her hands and give her a pleading look. “I want to talk to you first, is that okay?”
“Oh… sure.” She takes her seat once more. “What’s going on?”
“First off, I want to thank you. You were my hero today.”
She blushes, reminding me just how adorable she is. “Oh, it was nothing.”
“No, it wasn’t. You completed the marathon today, congratulations for that, then you somehow managed to find me acting like a crazy person, and instead of running away, like you probably should have done, you saved me. You calmed me down and made me see rationally through the most horrible experience of my life.”
“I just wanted to help, I couldn’t leave you like that.”
“Well, since the last thing that happened between us was you finding out that I wasn’t honest with you about my life, then I wouldn’t have judged you if you did. You opened up to me, you showed me sides of yourself that I’m sure you don’t show everyone, and I kept you at arm’s length.”
“I understand why though…”
“I’m sure you do, but that doesn’t make it right. I should have been more open. I just… it’s stupid, but in the past, I have been rejected for being a single father. One woman even told me I had to send Alex to live with his mother so that she could move in, and I freaked out. Nothing was ever supposed to get serious again. But you… you got under my skin and that scared me. I didn’t know how to tell you anything.”
“It’s okay, it’s clear that you’ve had some bad times…”
“But that’s all behind me now, and tonight has made me realize that I want to put all that behind me now and move on. This is the first day of the rest of my life and I want to do it right.”
She giggles, almost to herself. “Funny, that’s what the marathon was for me. Finishing it was so important because it was me putting the past behind me and moving forwards.”
“So, this is the first day of the rest of both our lives then.” I step closer to her and intertwine my fingers with hers. “Maybe we should start it together. What do you say?”
She tilts her head up towards me and looks at me through those long, gorgeous eyelashes of hers. “What are you trying to say, Noah? I don’t want any more crossed wires. I need you to be very clear with me.”
I tilt down and press one gentle chaste kiss on her lips. “I’m saying that I want to be with you, Mia. Properly. Heart and soul. I want to give you everything. I…” No point in holding back now. “I love you.”
“You love me?” Her eyes fill with what I hope are happy tears. “Really?”
“I do. And I think I’ve known that for a while and that’s what scared me so much. That’s why I let you go and didn’t fight for you as hard as I should have done. Because the love I feel for you is so intense, it’s terrifying.”
She cups my cheeks and brings me back down for a deeper, more passionate kiss this time. Her tongue circles mine, thrilling me deeply. “You know I love you too, right?”
“I do now,” I declare with glee. “Thank goodness. That was almost really embarrassing then.”
She slaps me playfully, knowing that I’m messing around.
“So, what does that mean?” She chews her bottom lip coyly. “Am I your girlfriend?”
“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”