"Okay, baby, I got to go. I'll call you later for my goodnight kiss." I held my phone to my ear, my other hand on the stirring wheel. I declined Julie's invitation to unwind at the bar. As I had yesterday. I preferred the hollow silence of the house. And Chinese food for dinner. It goes well with Sex and the City marathon.

It's that, or I'm crying myself to sleep with a bag of sour cream and onion chips or a tub of chocolate chip ice cream.

I glance over to the passenger seat. A brown filing box stared back at me where the rest of my stuff from my desk are carefully stored. Steadying my gaze back on the road, I almost stepped on the brake when I saw there was already a car parked in my driveway.

My heart leapt to my throat as my car screeched into a stop, two wheels on the curb. I grabbed the box and pushed the car door open. My stomach churned as I stepped onto the ground. My fingers latched nervously on the box as if my life depended on it.

Nathan was sitting on the front steps, lost in his thoughts. And utterly so gorgeous in his navy-blue button-down shirt. They matched his eyes.

My heels click on the paved ground.

His head snapped to my direction. He sprang off his seat, took a couple of indecisive steps toward me then stopped like he was changing his mind. His hands slid to the front pockets of his pants as if he doesn't know what to do with them.

I stood in front of him. Torn between giving him a platonic hug for old time's sake or rolling to my tiptoes and just kiss him because I've been missing him in a not-platonic kind of way.

Nathan smiles slightly. "Hi."

"Hi." My insides flip.

He stared.

I stared back.

"What are you doing here?" I finally ask.

His hands went over his hair and dropped to his side. "I was worried."

"Worried?"

Nathan sighed, his gaze darting to his feet then came back up to my face softer. "I was worried about you."

I gaped. "Oh."

"I couldn't sleep, Chassie." His palm swiped over his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly.

He shakes his head. "I couldn't sleep because I hate the thought of you all alone. You can't cook. You don't call the plumber to fix the sink. You can't even park your own car properly for Christ's sake." He chopped a stiff hand to the direction of my car that still has its wheels on the curb.

"I just got distracted, that's all. That's a one-time thing," I say. It's comical how I still find the slight reprimands sweet and endearing. And I just missed him so much that my eyes started to prickle, deliberately blurring my vision. I sniffled.

His jaw clenches. His hand reached for me, but he forced it back to his pocket. "Fuck. Sorry. Please, don't cry."

"I'm not about to cry," I say defensively.

"Okay." He nods, unsatisfied.

Silence fell.

"Chassie, I know I said I wouldn't be here anymore."

I licked my lips. "I know."

"I told you I'm letting you go. I don't know if I'm just a liar or a dummy or I'm too foolishly in love with you that I couldn't keep my own word," he jabbered.

A flash of surprise registered in my mind. I stiffened, losing my grip on my storage box. It fell with a thud between us. In a split-second, my stuff is all over the ground. My sticky notes, favorite fountain pens and the picture frames I kept on my desk.

"Crap," I muttered. I bend down, unfortunately, at the same moment as he was so we ended up bumping skulls.

I winced.

He swore.

We look at each other. My hand was on my forehead where the collision centered. His hand covered his own too. We didn't say anything to each other.

I leaned down. But he was lowering himself at the same time, so we had another head to head collision. We both groaned.

"I'll do it. Don't move, okay?" Nathan finally spoke. He scooped my stuff off the ground and stood up cradling the box himself. "You're stealing office supplies or something?"

I exhaled a small laugh. "No. I've cleared out my desk today."

Nathan shot me a puzzled look.

I tilted my head thoughtfully. Then the sweetest realization dawned on me. My Nathan didn't come because he knew I was quitting my job and moving back home. He came because he doesn't want me all by myself. And somehow that's sweeter than showing up because he knew I'm leaving all these behind for him.

I hear myself snivel.

Oh, God.

"Chassie." He sets the box on the ground and gently takes my wrist in his hand. "What's wrong?" He didn't do anything else. He just holds my wrist.

"I don't want you to go," I sniffed, hot tears on my cheeks.

He took a step closer, his fingers feathered against my tears. "I'm not going anywhere. I thought we've established that."

I leaned to his fingers. "You changed your mind?"

"I did. There's no way I'm letting you go." His eyes warmed.

"Does that mean I can change my mind too?"

Nathan nods.

"Is it too late to say that I badly wanted to tell you I changed my mind about the divorce? That I never wanted it after all?"

His lips gave way to a crooked smile. "Probably. But good to know."

"Are you mad that I came back?"

"I was. But I could come up with some arrangements to be with you."

I took a small step forward, stopping when we were toe to toe. "They never told you, did they?"

"They're horrified to mention your name around me. They think I'd hang myself if I ever hear your name."

I giggled despite my tears. "Nathan, I came back just to tie up some loose ends. I quit my job. And I'll be bidding this house goodbye soon."

He sucked in a startled breath. "You're coming back home for good?"

I nod.

A ghost of a smile touches his mouth. "For me?"

"For you," I murmured.

His baby blue eyes went glassy.

"And because I love you," I added.

Nathan stilled.

I loop my fingers over the back of his neck. "I love you. And I'm saying I love you not because that's what you would want to hear. I'm saying that I love you because I simply do," I swallowed, playing with the strands of his hair. "I want to be stuck with you."

His hands found my waist, smiling broadly. "I want to be with you more than anything. I love you very, very much."

Nathan lightly brushes his lips against the corner of my mouth. "You have so much to make up for. Good thing I cleared my schedule."

"Wait, you're staying?" I pulled back to look at him with wonder.

"You don't want me to?" He sounded genuinely offended.

I bit back a smile.

His lips puckered into a sulking purse. He tucked his arms over his chest. "It's fine. I won't mind sleeping outside, out in the cold night. Maybe, I'll sleep in my car just to keep warm."

"God, you're adorable." I giggled, pressing a kiss on his nose. "I'm just worried you're setting so many things aside for me."

His fingers moved to my chin and he tilted my face gently until I was looking straight into his eyes. "I'd lose all just to have you."

My eyes brimmed again, heart throbbing in my chest.

Nathan leaned in, his lips so close to mine, but not quite touching. "Chassie," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me you love me again?"

My fingers clasped the front of his shirt. "I love you. So much."

Nathan grinned. Remarkably adorable and dazzling it lit up his entire face. "I love you too." His smile faded as his mouth seeks mine.

He kisses me. So achingly sweet and wonderful. And definitely not a goodbye.

This time, I know the kiss wasn't the last. It was the first of every other kiss we get to have in the future. A future that we both get to share not as happily divorced couple. This time, we're sharing that future as two people so lucky to have love the second time around.

This time, we are a happily in love couple.