♡ Eight Years Later ♡

"It's six-fifteen," Liah announced when she walked--or waddled--into my office. Her belly was so round, my nephew could arrive at any moment.

I double checked the time. It felt like I'd just sat down to draft up the plans for the first anniversary of owning the nail salon.

Read and Soak had been a dream of mine ever since I worked at a local nail salon for extra cash during college. Seeing so many people bring their e-readers to past the time sparked the idea.

It took years to save up the money, and if Liah hadn't backed me up, it probably wouldn't have happened. Now, a year in and we'd been featured on various online lists as a must visit spot in southern California.

For the anniversary, we were having our first author signing with Sasha Keaton. I loved her young adult books growing up, and she just released her first adult novel. I was still not over the fact that she agreed to come to the salon!

"You were supposed to remind me of the time fifteen minutes ago," I said, very little heat behind my words. Nothing could dampen my good mood.

"Well, if your nephew wasn't two stepping on my bladder, I wouldn't spend so much time in the bathroom."

I shut down my laptop and grabbed my phone from my desk. Walking over to Liah, I rubbed her belly. "I know it wasn't your fault, jelly bean. Your mommy is a hundred percent capable of texting from the toilet."

Liah followed as I left the office, walking through the salon. It was bright, with purple walls and white tables. There was a small waiting area up front with fluffy couches and bookshelves with every genre of book.

When we started, we had one couch we found on the side of the road and a shelf with books from my own collection that I didn't mind parting with.

While we still kept pre-loved novels, along with new ones, the furniture was all newly bought. I'd had the image of what I wanted the salon to look like for years. Liah handled the business part, and I managed the rest.

"I'm supposed to be on maternity leave," she said, as I rearranged some throw pillows on one of the couches. "I'm not even here right now."

I snorted because she was always there. My guess was to get away from Vik's mom, who had decided to move into their guest room to prepare for the baby. From what Liah had told me, the woman could be a little overbearing.

"You want me to drop you off at home?"

"Vik's here," she said as we stepped outside and I locked the salon's door. "He wants me to do another stream with him."

My eyes snapped to my best friend. "Are you playing the demo of his game?"

Vik had been working on his game for years, and it was almost ready. I was one of the testers and immediately fell in love with the world. That was when it was in the early stages a few years ago. I hadn't had time to play since then, but I was sure it only got better.

"You're drooling," Liah teased, heading towards Vik's car. "You're going to be late."

Checking my phone again, I groaned. Six-twenty-one. "Love you," I said, hopping into my car. I waved to her and Vik before pulling out of the parking lot.

● ● ●

Music blasted from my speakers and I sang along as I pulled into the drive way of the latest house Corey had been working on. It was the first project he had full control over. Despite working in construction practically his whole life, his grandpa didn't want to show favoritism. Corey had to earn the title of project manager and he took it seriously.

Which was why he was the only one there working on a Sunday. The Cordell & Cordell Landscaping truck was parked out front. The house was dark, aside from one room on the side, slits of light marking patches of grass. Corey must've been in there.

I let myself in, following the trail of light that spilled from the room he worked in.

Corey stood hunched over a desk, tugging at his lower lip as he stared down at what looked like blue prints.

"Dinner time."

He startled at my voice, knocking all his papers to the plush carpet on the floor. Hardwood floors looked nice in pictures, but there was nothing like the feeling of carpet between your toes.

"I thought I was supposed to be the clumsy one," I said, squatting down to help him pick up the paper.

He chuckled, stacking papers together before returning them to the desk. "You're rubbing off on me."

"I can get Liah to make us matching bubble wrap suits--" My words fell off as my eyes landed on what Corey had been working on.

Slowly, I stood, forgetting the mess on the carpet. A room with built-in bookshelves? I'd only ever seen them online, but standing before them in real life, pictures didn't do them justice.

"These are gorgeous." I reached out, running my fingers along the stark white shelves. "Whatever family gets to live in this house, I hate them."

The apartment we lived in barely had room for one shelf, let alone a wall full of them. Most of my books were still in my room at my mom's house. The tiny apartment wasn't all bad, especially since it was free with Corey working as the handyman for the complex. What we saved on rent, we put towards our individual passions.

"Do we get a discount since you built it?" I asked, turning back to him. But he wasn't at eye line. He was down on one knee.

My mind fired off a dozen different explanations. His shoe was untied. He was still picking up papers. But the small box in his hand made it perfectly clear what he was doing. And he was doing it. Right here. Right now.

Tears stung my eyes, springing up out of nowhere. "Corey..."

"I've been in love with you since the day I walked into Mrs. O'Toole's fifth grade class," he said, his words full of emotion. "You were wearing a pink dress and had butterflies in your hair. When I sat next to you, you smiled at me. That was all it took. One smile and I was yours."

I hid my quivering lips behind my hands, trying to hold everything in and let him finish.

"Harlow--"

"Yes!" I dropped to my knees so I could be on his level, throwing my arms around his neck. Tears like streams down my cheeks. "Yes, yes, yes!"

He laughed, his body shuddering against me. Not even bothered by my interruption. "I'm surprised you let me get that far."

I pulled away far enough to meet his eyes. They were wet like mine. "I tried. I really tried."

We both laughed, faces streaked with tears as we kneeled together on the softest carpet I'd ever felt.

Corey pulled the ring from the box, slipping it on my finger. He held my hand against his chest, his heart beating just as hard for me as mine was for him.

"I am so madly in love with you, Corey Michaels."

His smile could've brought me to my knees if I wasn't there already.

"And I'm in with love you, Harlow Spencer."

When he kissed me, it was like all our previous kisses banded together, exploding one by one in my chest. All our moments, big and small, flooded my mind. There would be so many more for us, and I was ready for it.

There was a loud noise from somewhere in the house. For a moment I thought it was the fireworks I'd been imagining in my head, but Corey heard the noise too.

"Is someone in here?" I whispered as Corey stood, pulling me up with him.

He didn't answer, holding my hand in his as he lead me out of the room. We'd barely stepped into the foyer when the lights came on, along with a chorus of congratulations.

Friends and family crowded the entrance hold glasses of wine and balloons. Except Vik, whose popped balloon must've been the source of the noise.

I looked at Corey, expecting him to share in my surprise. Instead, he had an easy grin on his face.

"You knew?" I said, slapping his shoulder. He simply chuckled.

"How far did you get?" Grayson asked.

Back in high school, I thought Corey and Gray's friendship would never be the same after everything. That wasn't the case at all. The bromance was in full bloom. While I didn't feel guilty for coming between them, now I had to deal with occasionally being pushed aside for their bro time. I'm pretty sure it was mostly because they were sick of me kicking their asses in Mario Kart.

"I didn't even get to ask The Question," Corey answered, draping his arm over my shoulders.

Every one laughed. My mom and Corey's mom fawned over my engagement ring. Hudson and CJ patted Corey on the back, the way men did. Liah, with her sneaky self, claimed she meant they were putting up streamers, not streaming.

I hadn't noticed the decorations before. My gaze caught the engagement party banner right above the door. I wondered if it'd been up there this whole time or if they decorated while being absolutely quiet. Then I saw the other banner.

I grabbed Corey's arm, pulling his attention to it. "What is that?"

That irresistible smile of his was back. "Exactly what it says."

I looked back at the banner. HAPPY HOUSE WARMING. My jaw hit the floor. It had to be a joke. This house couldn't be our house. Could it? Corey wouldn't lie to me, though. That meant...

"So, the--" I pointed back to the library, unable to get my words out.

"Floor to ceiling shelves."

I scared everyone with the scream I let out as I threw my arms around Corey's neck, kissing him because I couldn't think of the words to thank him.

For the library, for the surprise party, for always being there, even when I didn't notice. For ignoring the consequences and kissing me in my driveway all those years ago. For realizing we could be more.

"Get a room," Liah shouted, reminding me that Corey and I weren't alone. "Seriously, my baby needs a playmate."

I rolled my eyes at her, my smile still intact. I didn't think it'd be going anywhere soon.

//
Hello humans!

That's it. The final chapter!
I know I said this at the end of the previous chapter, but
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for reading this story!!

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