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"She loves you, you know. She's just too stubborn to admit it." Florence's cheek rests against my back. "Speaking of love…"

My heart skips. "Yes?"

"Move in with me?"

I turn to look at her, surprised. "What happened to needing your space?"

"I do need space sometimes," she admits. "But I've realized I need you more. We can figure out the details—maybe keep your place, too, for when either of us needs alone time. But…" She bites her lip. "I want to come home to you every night. I want to wake up with you every morning. I want to build a life with you, Josie."

The last rays of sunlight catch her hair, and I reach up to tuck a strand behind her ear. "You know what your Nonna said about love healing old wounds?"

She nods.

"Sometimes, to be stronger, we need to let go of the things we hold on tightest to. Like you letting your icy fortresses melt. Me letting go of my unrequited love for Mel." I lean my forehead against hers. "We both had to let those things go to find each other."

"Is that a yes?" she whispers.

"It's a yes." I kiss her softly. "But I'm keeping my place for now. You get grumpy when you work late, and sometimes I need somewhere to hide from Hurricane Florence."

She laughs, the sound echoing off the empty walls of the penthouse. "Fair enough. Though I seem to remember you enjoying Hurricane Florence quite a bit last night," she teases.

39

Josie

The sun sets over the lake as Florence and I arrive at Nectar. Instead of going through the main entrance, she leads me through the Book Nook and up to our private space. The place where everything started.

"You're being suspiciously romantic," I tease her as she pulls out my chair.

"Maybe I just want to celebrate you making the world a little better today." She signals Matthew, who appears with a bottle of wine I recognize from our first real date here.

"Or maybe I have ulterior motives."

"Do tell." I watch her settle into her chair, still struck by how beautiful she is.

She takes a sip of wine before meeting my eyes. "Do you remember what you said to me that first night? About reading me so easily?"

"I remember you being annoyed about it." The corner of my mouth curls up. "The great Florence Pietra, transparent to a stranger."

"Not annoyed." She shakes her head. "Terrified. No one had ever seen through my walls like that before. Not even Katie."

I reach across the table and take her hand. "Are you still scared of being seen?"

"I'm not." Her thumb traces patterns on my palm. "That's what I wanted to tell you. These past few months…"

"Florence—"

"Let me finish," she says softly, squeezing my hand. "I thought love was a weakness, that letting someone in meant giving up control. But you've shown me it can be a strength." She bites her lip. "The way you love is brave, Josie. Even when you were in love with Mel, you never let it make you bitter. You just kept your heart open, waiting for the right person to love you back."

My throat tightens. "I wasn't brave. I was hiding. Using my feelings for Mel as an excuse not to risk my heart again."

"Maybe." She smiles softly. "But when you found me, you were brave enough to try. Even knowing I might break your heart."

"You were worth the risk." I bring her hand to my lips. "You still are."

She stands up abruptly, tugging me to my feet. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"