“We do,” I whispered. “We do.”
“Thank you for listening to me today. I hope I didn’t bore you too badly.”
The crowd that had grown from 10 individuals to 50 clapped as she walked through them. She hooked her watering gaze with mine as she ran through the crowd, and when she reached me, she jumped into my arms. She wrapped herself around my body while my arms held her close, and the entire time the crowd clapped for us.
For her.
For the story she was willing to tell them while exposing her soul.
“Your father would be so proud of you,” I said into her ear.
I felt her nuzzle against my lips, and they puckered to press the lightest kiss to the outside of her ear.
I released the hug before things got any more intimate. I could feel my body yielding to her the way it did Saturday night, and the flush trickling down her neck told me the same story. She felt what I was feeling from the moment she threw her arms around me, and as the clapping died down and everyone dispersed, all I could do was swim in her eyes.
Those eyes I had wanted to wake up to that morning.
“I’m proud of you,” I said. “And you have no reason to be sorry.”
“Hearing you scream like that, Christian…”
“It was a very long time ago. Obviously, I’m alright,” I said, smirking.
“Can we get out of here and go get breakfast now? I didn’t eat before I came into the office this morning,” she said.
“You don’t want to try for a second speech?” I asked.
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough for one day,” she said.
“Well, you did really well. And I meant what I said. Your father would be very proud of you.”
“Are you proud of me?” she asked.
And as I looked down into her eyes, I had to resist the urge to tuck a stray lock of hair back behind her ear.
“Extremely,” I said.
Chapter Twenty
Stella
After everything that transpired yesterday, I needed to go talk with Daisy. I needed to tell her everything that had happened since Greyson and I split, and I couldn’t think about how she might judge me. I could still feel Christian’s lips on my ear after that damn speech in the park moment, and I had to talk with her now.
The only issue was, this was her Saturday to work.
“Hey, Stella!” she said as she threw her arm around my neck. “You came to visit me at work, I see.”
“Figured you could use the company,” I
said.
“Oh, no. I know this trick. You’ve visited me at work three times, and all three of those times you needed some serious advice.”
“I did not,” I said.
“The first time you needed help choosing your life path since your father didn’t want you getting a business degree. The second time you needed help deciding whether or not to pursue Greyson, and the third time you were ranting about whether you should take the paramedic job or go straight into your Bachelor’s,” she said.
“Fine, alright. Whatever. But really, you look good,” I said.