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I can’t help but smile at that. “She’s my biggest fan and loudest cheerleader. Has been since we were young.”

“Bet you’re that for her too.”

“Oh yeah. It’s always been B and Iz take on the world–well, Timber Falls, anyway.”

“It’s cool you have someone like that. I’ve got my brothers and my family. But…”

“But it’s always good to have someone that’s not obligated to love and support you at your back too. I hear you.”

His eyes widen and he stares at me, his gaze filled with what I can only describe as awe. “How is it that you always just get me?”

I shrug, my fingers playing with the napkin on the table in front of me. “I can’t explain it. That night at the diner, I think I sensed we were kindred spirits. I instantly felt comfortable with you.”

“I felt that way too,” he says. “As soon as I looked you in the eyes, I just… knew .”

“You don’t think…” I shake my head, slamming my mouth shut.

He reaches over and covers my hand with his and just feeling his touch has all of the tension I’m holding disappear like it was never there.

“I don’t think what, beautiful,” he says quietly, dipping his head. It’s like we’re the only people in the room. “You’ve got to know by now that there’s nothin’ you can’t say to me.”

“You don’t think this is all a little crazy?

How we met all those months ago with no way of gettin’ in touch with one another, and here we are today, sittin’ in a diner in my hometown where you just happen to live now too?

You’ve already met my best friend and my mom, and I’ve met your brothers.

It’s like we’ve gone about this whole first date thing a little backward.

” I drop my voice to a whisper. “I mean, we’ve already shared a bed . ”

He laughs and sits back, removing his hand as he does so. I feel the loss like a warm fluffy blanket that has been stolen away. If we hadn’t just found each other again, I’d be tempted to chase his arm just to keep the contact.

“You know what I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about since Sunday?”

“What’s that?”

“Although we’ve gone about this the wrong way round, maybe it was meant to happen like this,” he says, sounding so sure about it that I can’t help but believe him.

“I’m usually not one to believe in coincidences either, but since moving here I’m startin’ to think that this was all part of the plan. ”

Something he said sticks in my mind. “You think we were meant to be in each other’s lives?” I ask, intrigued. There’s a reason I call him Curious. Because he always makes me want to know more.

He holds out his hand again and without even thinking, I slide my fingers between his, relishing that it is–as it has been all along–a perfect fit.

“When I’m near you, I feel calm. It’s like nothin’ can get close to me if I’m with you.

I’ve never felt that before.” He pauses.

“I felt it the night we met. I could tell that there was somethin’ special about you.

Knowin’ that, feelin’ that, there’s no way I could think that us meetin’ and then seein’ each other again, is anythin’ other than meant to be. ”

The absolute belief in his gaze takes my breath away. Not because I don’t believe him, it’s because I do . The big question now is… where do we go from here?

“I know that’s probably a lot, and I didn’t mean to lay all of that on the table today,” he says, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.

“Guess that’s probably first date material, huh?” I muse, loving the slow growing smile that covers his lips.

He bounces a shoulder and rubs his thumb over my knuckles, making goosebumps cover my skin. “The way I see it, we’ve already proven that we’re doin’ this our own way and in our own time. Why not just run with it? It reminds me of somethin’ my Mom used to say when we were kids.”

“What’s that?” I say, cocking my head.

“There are many roads to Rome. All that matters is that you enjoy the ride.”

A slow, certain smile curves my mouth. “I like that.”

“I like you . Knew it that night. Been kickin’ myself for not gettin’ your number ever since.”

“I’ve been doin’ the same for not gettin’ yours,” I confess.

He looks over my shoulder before his eyes snap back to mine.

“Then let’s not waste any more time questionin’ the hows and whys.

Let’s focus on the here and now. You and me.

I want to get to know you, beautiful. I want to spend time with you.

That’s what matters to me. Not us doin’ things in some socially acceptable order that it feels like we’ve skipped past already. ”

“Me too,” I reply honestly, earning me a smile I feel right in the middle of my chest.

“So what time should I call tonight?” he asks.

“Eight?”

“Eight it is.” Then with a wink, he drops our hands beneath the table, as if it’s our little secret just in time for Will and Birdie to rejoin us.

“Everythin’ OK?” my nosy, lovable best friend asks, brow arched.

“Yep,” I say, returning her look. “We’ve been talkin’ about your weddin’.”

Her head jerks. “You have?”

“We have?” Case says at the same time, making me groan and Will burst out laughing.

Birdie narrows her eyes. “I still owe you a grillin’, remember?”

“Yes, B. But how ‘bout we table that and focus on what we’re really here for?”

She studies me for a spell before she relents and lets out a sigh. “OK then.”

Case gives my hand a gentle squeeze and I don’t need to look at him to know that he has my back, just as I have his.

The next thing we know, Birdie pulls out a giant scrapbook from her bag and places it on the table in front of us. “Wedding time!”

“Just how long have you been plannin’ this, Birdie?” Case muses.

“I’ve always known that I’d only ever marry the love of my life once, and when I did, that it would be the weddin’ of my dreams.”

“To the man of your dreams,” I add.

Birdie nods. “Exactly! This is a once and done deal, so I want to make sure it’s goin’ to be the most memorable day ever.”

“I will be, honey,” Will says, gazing lovingly into his fiancée’s eyes. “We’ll make sure of it.”