The Boston Harbor was buzzing with life.

Water splashed over the rocks, ships, and yachts glowing up in neon lights, patrons whooping in delight at the nearing end of the year. Crowds of people lined the length of the harbor behind the railing, huddled for warmth, drinks, and cameras in hand to catch the upcoming moment. Those who seemed to escape their glamorous parties wore sparkly dresses and tailored suits as others curled up in their wool scarves and heavy coats. There was an excited roar in the air, spreading from each smile and each nod of their beers.

Solace hugged her thin coat that was more for fashion than it was for warmth around her body. She may have stepped closer to Sage, ignoring his satisfied smirk.

They had made it to the harbor a minute before midnight, scrambling to the front to gain a good view. In this case, it was Sage pushing people, overlooking the disgusted sniffles and irked glares. Solace was far too aware of the lingering aroma of garbage around them. She just hoped the smell of alcohol and cigarettes would suppress it.

A large countdown clock on a ship was set on a projector, the large hand ticking for its final minutes.

"Got any resolutions?" Solace wondered, excited for what the year had in store for her.

Sage rested his elbows on the railing and leaned forward. "To not accidentally join a highly illegal crime syndicate without reading the fine print," he mused. He paused, tapping his fingers on the metal. "And eating more vegetables."

"Ah, that sounds about right. My resolution is not getting tortured," Solace remarked lightly, the memory of a drill nearly piercing her skin becoming almost laughable at this point. "And taking the stairs over the escalator."

Sage chuckled. "Easy enough."

The past year ticked away into its last minute like autumn giving away to winter. A question was stuck in Solace's throat, attempting to gather and scour the courage to say it.

"You know, I've never had a New Year's kiss before," said Solace casually, firmly keeping her gaze on the clock.

Sage glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "Neither have I," he said in the same tone.

Solace hummed, fighting the battle of a smile on her lips. She let it win. She was close enough for their shoulders to touch and their hands to graze one another.

Sage turned to her. "We should change that," he remarked.

"We should."

The closing five seconds of the year rushed over the harbor. Everyone chanted, each number increasing with intensity like a crescendo.

"Four!"

Sage cupped her face.

"Three!"

Solace wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Two!"

Their breaths mingled, nothing but longing and homely warmth glinting in their eyes.

"One!"

Sage halted a heartbeat away, whispering, "Happy New Year, SoSo." The last vowel of her nickname was swallowed away by a kiss.

Joyous screams erupted in the harbor, colourful and glowing fireworks jetting into the air, starting off Solace's year with the lips of the boy she loved on hers and deafening explosions that reminded her she was alive. She felt him stiffen from the vehement noise, the sounds closely resembling his nightmares, so Solace pressed herself against him tighter, held him steadily, and kissed him deeply to tell him that she was there. That she would always be there with him.

Cold lips and crisp skin were melted away from the embrace, the two rivals turned lovers melting in each other, instead. Sage had left an imprint on her long ago, always the first person she would look for when she entered a room. The bits of his unruly hair and stupid smile. She would look for him. His obnoxious laugh and teasing words found their way into her mind and never left. Sage, in essence, had settled down, and created a home in her brain and no matter what she did, she could not find it in her to kick him out.

Sage was breathless when he pulled away. He only dared to withdraw an inch. There was something that mirrored determination in his eyes and set features.

"I think I've loved you my entire life," whispered Sage, nothing but certainty in his words.

Her smile could battle the fireworks. "We met when we were fourteen," Solace pointed out, unable to help herself.

He rolled his eyes, his scowl lacking power. "Shut up, Laurent, I'm trying to be romantic," Sage fired back.

"Telling the girl you love to shut up isn't exactly romantic."

Sage sighed, shutting his eyes momentarily as if thinking what in the world was wrong with her. "I think I've loved you as long as I've known you," he faltered. "Better?"

Solace tilted her head, considering. "That is factually correct. You may proceed."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. "Sometimes I look at you, and I wonder how I fell in love with you," he mused.

She snorted. "Nice, Reyes."

Sage captured her lips, catching her off guard. It was short but long enough to translate what his words could not. "All through high school, I swore I despised you. You were all I ever thought about. You keep me up at night and drive me up the wall. On a better thought, you make me want to smash my head against a wall," he listed off.

"I would never stop you," she assured, smirking.

He ran his thumb against her bottom lip, just like the night they drew one another. "And yet, all I think about is kissing you," said Sage hushedly.

She exhaled shakily at his featherlight touch. How did she go so long without his kisses? "If we're being honest, I've thought about kissing you, too," Solace confessed. "And homicide."

Sage laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and beginning their walk down the harbor through the dissipating crowd. "I'm going to overlook the last part." He smirked. "There were times where I thought you wanted to kiss me, but I wasn't sure if I was confusing it with your desire to hit me."

Solace chuckled, one arm around him, stumbling over her heels into his side. "Name one time where you thought I wanted to kiss you," she challenged.

"When I showed up at your work."

"Murder," she said immediately.

He feigned an overly dramatic gasp. "But I brought you take out."

"And proceeded to flirt with the receptionist and talk about my predisposition to beans, which is untrue, by the way."

"The time we were making gingerbread cookies?" he suggested.

"I was imagining your guts splayed on the kitchen floor," she remarked offhandedly.

"Damn," muttered Sage. He thought deeply and then, snapped his fingers. "The night at the greenhouse," he said confidently.

Solace scoffed. "I was literally sitting on you. Obviously, I wanted to kiss you."

"We should continue where we left off," proposed Sage. He glanced down, curious. "And why didn't you? You ran away."

"I was scared," she muttered embarrassingly. Solace could not stop the next words tumbling out of her mouth as if they were sick and tired of being forced back in. "I love you as much as I love being alone. That has never happened before. You're unpredictable. There's no structure with you." She interlaced her hand with his that hung over her shoulder and smiled up at him. "And I'm okay with that now. I need someone to keep me on my toes and fight with me. I'm too comfortable in my comfort zone. You're always pushing for me to be better."

Sage halted them in their steps. "Say it again."

Brows furrowed in confusion, she asked, "Say what again?"

"Say you love me."

Solace smiled softly, snaking her hands up his chest to hold his face in hers. She grazed her finger across the scar she gave him years ago. "I love you," she announced, "you insufferable idiot."

"Sweeter words have never been said," retorted Sage wryly.

She threw her head back and laughed, placing her hands on his chest, and shoving him. She never was one for affection. Solace sauntered down the cobblestone path, smirking at the curses being thrown her way.

Glancing over her shoulder, she waved at him and shouted, "Come on, let's get out of here!"

***

Author's Note:

Okay, we just got the epilogue left!! I am so excited to complete another book! How was this second-to-last chapter?

I'll see you all Sunday :)

Until next time - m.k.t