Chapter 61: The "I Love You"

Her phone rang at 1:43 AM.Leighton fumbled for it in the dark. Eyes barely open. The screen too bright. Noah's name glowing."Hello?" Her voice was thick with sleep."I couldn't sleep. I needed to tell you something."She sat up. Heart suddenly pounding. "What's wrong? Are you okay?""Nothing's wrong." He sounded breathless. Urgent. "I just realized I've only said it few times. Not properly. Not when it counts.""Said what?" She rubbed her eyes. Tried to wake up faster.Silence. She could hear him breathing. Could picture him pacing some hotel room halfway across the world."Noah?""I love you, Leighton." The words rushed out. "I'm in love with you.She was fully awake now. Her chest tight. Tears already building."I need you to know," he continued. "Not just that I love you. But that you're it for me. There's no version of my future that doesn't have you in it. And being here, away from you, made me realize I can't keep assuming you know. I need to say it. Every day. Until you belie

Last Updated : 2026-01-14

Chapter 62: Coming Home

She saw him before he saw her. Noah walked through the airport terminal looking exhausted. Suit wrinkled. Tie loosened. Carry-on dragging behind him. He scanned the crowd. Eyes searching. Then he found her. Everything stopped. The noise. The movement. The world narrowed to just him walking toward her. Faster. Then running. He dropped his bag. Didn't care that it fell. Pulled her into his arms. Lifted her off the ground. "God, I missed you." His face buried in her neck. His grip almost painful. "I missed you more." She wrapped her legs around his waist. Held on tight. He kissed her. Hard. Desperate. Like he'd been drowning and she was air. His hands tangled in her hair. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. Neither caring about the people staring. When they broke apart, both breathless, he pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you." "I love you too." She kissed him again. Softer. "Let's go home." They made it to the parking garage. Barely. He pushed her against the car. Kissed

Last Updated : 2026-01-15

Chapter 63: Meeting Noah's Mom

Noah's hands gripped the steering wheel too tight. His knuckles white. They'd been driving for twenty minutes and he hadn't said a word."You okay?" Leighton asked."Fine.""You're not fine. You've been quiet since we left."He glanced at her. Back to the road. "My mom can be... a lot. I just want you to be prepared.""You've told me. Multiple times." She reached over. Covered his hand with hers. "It's not like this is the first I'm meeting her.""She's not always lucid. Some days are better than others." His jaw clenched. "And she asks inappropriate questions. About money. About Marcus. About my dad.""Then I'll redirect. Change the subject. It'll be fine.""You don't know that.""Neither do you." She squeezed his hand. "Stop catastrophizing. I'm meeting your mom. Not going to war."He pulled onto a tree-lined street. Modest houses. Well-kept lawns. He parked in front of a small ranch. Beige siding. Red door. Flowers in the window boxes."You bought her this house?""After I made my

Last Updated : 2026-01-16

Chapter 64: Leighton's Father

The call came during lunch. Unknown number. Leighton almost didn't answer."Hello?""Leighton? It's Dad."The fork slipped from her hand. Clattered against her plate. The world tilted."Leighton? You there?"She couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Eighteen years of silence and now this. His voice. Older. Rougher. But unmistakably him."I saw your promotion online. Meridian Architecture. That's impressive. I wanted to reach out. See if maybe we could talk."Her throat closed. "I have to go."She hung up. Stared at her phone. It rang again. Same number. She declined. It rang again.She turned it off. Set it on her desk. Pressed her palms against her eyes.By the time Noah found her, she was crying. Silent tears streaming down her face. He knelt beside her chair. Took her hands."What happened?""My father called." Her voice cracked. "After eighteen years. He just called."Noah's jaw clenched. "What did he want?""To talk. To reconnect." She laughed. Bitter. "Like he has any right."He pul

Last Updated : 2026-01-16

Chapter 65: Moving In Discussion

Noah stood at Leighton's kitchen window. Hands in his pockets. Staring at the brick wall across the alley. He'd been quiet since they got back from dinner."What's wrong?" she asked."This place." He turned. Gestured around her apartment. "It's too small. Too far from me.""It's not that far. Two hours.""Two hours too far." He crossed to where she sat on the couch. "I hate leaving you here. Hate driving away knowing you're alone in this shoebox.""It's not a shoebox.""It's six hundred square feet. That's literally a box." He sat beside her. Took her hand. "I want you with me. Every night. Not just weekends or when it's convenient."Her heart started pounding. "Noah.""Move in with me." The words rushed out. "I'm asking. Officially. Move into my house. Make it ours."She stared at him. Mouth open. Brain trying to catch up. "That's fast.""I know.""We've only been back together a few months.""I know that too." He squeezed her hand. "But I also know I love you. That I want this. Want

Last Updated : 2026-01-17

Chapter 66: The Move

The moving truck arrived at eight. Leighton stood in Noah's driveway clutching coffee. Watching three men unload boxes marked in her handwriting."This is really happening," she said.Noah wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Having second thoughts?""No. Just processing." She sipped her coffee. "My entire life fits in one truck.""Our life. Everything in that truck is ours now."Marcus pulled up. Chloe in the passenger seat. They climbed out carrying bags from the bakery."Sustenance," Chloe announced. "You can't move on an empty stomach."They spread croissants and muffins on the kitchen counter. Ate standing up. The movers worked around them. Boxes stacking up in the living room. Furniture wrapped in blankets."Where do you want the blue couch?" one mover asked.Leighton looked at Noah. "The den?""Perfect."Chloe grabbed a box marked Kitchen. "I'll start unpacking. You two supervise.""I can help.""You're emotionally compromised. Let me handle the dishes."Marcus carried boxes u