Page 135 of Faking it For Summer

I nod and squeeze his hand. “Yeah. When we get married, I think I’d like to be the one to plan everything.”

His grandma nods and smiles—a secret little smile. A smile that makes me think that she knows far more about our relationship. Maybe even more than we do.

“I have to make a call,” she says as she leaves the room. “You’ll see yourselves out?”

“Okay, Grandma.” Luke turns to me. “You ready to go? I know it’s been a long day.”

“Okay.” It’s been so much more than just a long day.”

“Let’s go to Hidden Cove. Let’s see if we can find that final clue,” he says, a glint in his eyes that tells me he wants to do more than search for a clue.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Mom, Dad, let’s talk tomorrow.” He heads over to them and gives them both a hug. “I promise I will do whatever I can to fix everything.”

“Thank you, son,” his dad says stiffly, while his mom holds his arm. I can tell from their expressions that they are thankful, but I still think it’s far too little after the way they treated him, but I know better than to say anything. I may have a big mouth, but even I know when to keep it shut.

We walk out of the house and to his car, and I look at him with love and awe. Luke was even more of a good guy than I’d given him credit for.

“You know what? I was wrong about something, Luke.”

“You were wrong about something? No way. What?”

“I thought that your job mattered more than me, but I was wrong. Your job matters to you because you’re good at it, and you’re intelligent, and you like problem-solving. But I see now that it’s just something completely separate from our relationship.”

“So, you think we could actually make this work?”

His eyes look hopeful, and I feel my heart overflowing with love for him.

“I think that I choose you, and I choose our love, and I choose this relationship—no matter where it leads us.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

There’s hope in his eyes, and I nod.

“I’m saying, let’s make this real, Luke. Let’s not just have it be a fake summer romance. Let’s have it be a real summer romance.”

“No,” he says. “This isn’t just another summer romance, Mia. This is a love story—a story for life. This is a story about soulmates.”

“Am I your soulmate, Luke?”

“You’re that and so much more, my darling.”

And with that, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me softly.

Time really does seem to stand still. I feel like our spirits are fusing together, becoming one. Like our love is encapsulating us, covering us, protecting us.

“I love you, Mia. I love you for this summer and a million more.”

“I love you too, Luke. You are my everything.”

chapter twenty-seven

Luke

This is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life—happier than when I was valedictorian of my high school class, happier than when I got into Harvard, happier than when I got my job at the hedge fund. Happier than any other moment combined. Mia is mine, and she loves me, and she is finally ready to give me a chance.

She finally understands that while I love my job and my work and achieving everything to the best of my ability, it doesn’t mean more than she does. I will ensure that she realizes that she means everything to me.