Page 103 of Finding My Charming

He said feel, not felt. My heart picked up at the possible meaning.

“I never should have left, but I needed to come to terms with that fact that everything I’d ever thought or planned had shattered. I’m nineteen! I still have three years left of school, and you’re barely eighteen. I was terrified that I’d found my future already. I wasn’t prepared for that.”

“What?” I breathed the word before realizing I was saying it aloud.

His hands slid down to my waist, and he turned me to face him. “I realized that night how much I love you. I know it’s only been a few weeks, and this whole thing is slightly insane, but I want to spend my life with you. Elle, you make everything around you brighter. The people around you light up when you’re there. I’ve watched the change in a room when you enter. You have such a big heart, and you love so wholly. You’re smarter than I’ll ever be and I know you’re going to do amazing things. Those are only a few reasons why I love you though. You’re daring. You’re willing to do hard things and get out of your comfort zone. You’re loyal, and you love your family. You’re everything I want and so much of what I don’t deserve.”

He bent forward until his eyes were level with mine. “I know I did something unforgivable, and if you want me to leave and never come back, just say the word, but if you don’t get rid of me now, I swear to you that you will never, ever get rid of me again. I want you and your future to be mine.”

My shattered pieces seemed to click back into place with each word. He was able to heal my heart and spirit. He was it, my love and my soul mate.

“I love you, too. If you ever leave me again, I’ll sic my grandma on you.”

He laughed and touched his forehead to mine. “No need. You’re stuck with me forever.”

My lips met his, and a sweet kiss turned into an earth-shattering, world-altering one. Time seemed to stand still, and for just a few minutes, I felt like we were the only ones in the world.

When we finally broke apart, he looked over my shoulder and laughed. “Your ice cream might be ruined.”

“Worth it.”

He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. “That’s a pretty big statement. I’m not sure I can live up to replacing your favorite ice cream.”

“Only sometimes.” I winked at him with a grin.

“It’s so strange.”

I followed his gaze and realized he was looking at my necklace.

My necklace, which had been red ten minutes ago when I last checked, was crystal clear. I gasped and held the charm out in shock.

“When I first saw you, it was clear, but I noticed at the party, it turned red.”

I suddenly lost the ability to speak, or think, or breathe.

“Elle? Are you okay?”

I looked up and met his gaze. “My necklace turned red at the party? You saw it transform?”

He looked confused by my question but nodded. “It was kind of odd, but I thought it was one of those things that changed based on your mood.”

My brain raced through a million thoughts and memories. He had seen it happen. I burst out laughing and hugged him. All he would have had to do this whole time was ask about the charm, and I would have known he was my soul mate.

He returned the hug, but I could feel his apprehension. “Did I miss something?”

I stepped back and fought the desire to punch him. “You are such a boy. You could have asked me about my necklace weeks ago!”

He seemed even more confused.

“When it changed from clear to red, it meant that I’d met my soul mate, but I didn’t notice when it changed at the party.”

“So, we could have been together weeks ago without the drama and your bad dates?”

I nodded and let out an exaggerated sigh. “Yes.”

“But then we wouldn’t have had this story to tell the kids.”

He burst out into uncontrollable contagious laughter, and I couldn’t help but join in as he pulled me in for another hug.