Another pause, and then, “Yes, of course I do.”
My heart soared. “Good. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
I made it in seven. She was waiting for me, opening the door before I had a chance to knock. I might have been imagining it, but I could swear I saw hope burning in her eyes. I took it as an encouraging sign.
“What do you want to show me?”
“It’s a surprise.”
As I’d mentioned, I wasn’t the most romantic guy in the world, but it would have been impossible to grow up in my family and not have at least some sense of how to charm a woman. The secret to a woman’s heart, according to my father, was discovering what she wanted more than anything else and then giving it to her.
I’d been giving that a lot of thought. Over the past week, I’d replayed every moment I’d spent with Allison, considered every word, action, and reaction, so I thought I had a pretty good idea of what she wanted.
I drove to a scenic overlook a few miles out of town and parked. Not a lot of people knew about it, which was one of the reasons I’d chosen to come here.
“Still trust me?” I asked.
She nodded.
I got out of the car, walked around to her side, opened the door, and held out my hand, pleased when she took it without hesitation. I led her to a wooden bench someone had had the foresight to put there.
It was a beautiful night. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting for what I was about to do. Darkness had fallen in earnest. Above us, the sky was clear, and the stars glittered brightly. Below, the lights of Cecilton did the same.
“I come here to think sometimes,” I told her.
“I can see why,” she said softly. “It’s beautiful.”
We sat in comfortable silence for several long minutes, appreciating the view. In retrospect, I should have thought to bring a bottle of wine or something, but I was essentially winging it here.
“What if you didn’t go back to Boston?” I blurted out.
I heard her sudden intake of breath, but I kept my eyes forward. My heart pounded against the inner walls of my chest while I waited for her to say something.
To say anything.
After several interminable moments, she cleared her throat and whispered, “Why would I do that?”
All of the logical, practical reasons I’d prepared fled my mind, and I spoke from my heart, “Because ... I don’t want you to go.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I think you should stay here. With me.”
More silence.
Then, “I don’t want to go either.”
I turned to her. Now, she was the one looking off at the view.
“You don’t?”
“No. I like it here. I like being with you.”
I chuckled softly.
“You think that’s funny?” she asked, sounding offended.
“No. I’m just thinking about something my grandfather said.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, if I didn’t want you to leave, I should kiss you.”
“So, why don’t you?”
I took her in my arms and lowered my lips to hers. The moment our lips touched, I knew.
And so did she.
“Wow,” she whispered, bringing her fingers to her mouth when I finally released her. “You make a very convincing argument for staying, Counselor. How long have you been wanting to do that?”
“Honestly? Since I first saw you in the elevator that day.”
“Really?”
I nodded.
She grinned and leaned in for another kiss.
“Me too.”
Epilogue: Allison
“There’s still something I don’t understand,” Vinnie’s fiancée, Haven, said. “How did Caleb know where to find Miriam?”
“I was wondering that too,” Nick’s fiancée, Kat, said.
All eyes turned to me.
We sat at a large table in Mama C’s restaurant in a back room reserved for famiglia, as Paul called his family. I’d thought I’d be uncomfortable or at least nervous, but I wasn’t. From the moment I’d stepped in the door and Paul’s mother wrapped her arms around me, I’d felt as if I was finally where I belonged.
“Stella,” I said simply.
They gaped at me in disbelief.
“Stella? As in Paul’s assistant, Stella?” Gina asked.
“Former assistant,” I corrected. “And yes.”
Together, Paul and I proceeded to relay what we’d figured out.
Those chivers I’d been feeling? Those had come from Stella stalking me. Apparently, she didn’t like the time and attention he had been giving me and blamed me for Paul letting her go.
She used the extra keys she’d had made and snuck into the office at night, snooping around. She found the case file I’d made, and that was how she knew about Caleb. She’d thought that by contacting him, she’d get rid of me and clear the path for her to come back to Paul.
“That’s some Fatal Attraction shit right there,” Dom said, earning himself a smack in the back of the head. “Sorry, Ma.”
Gina pointed her fork at Paul. “I knew there was something wrong with her, but Mr. Innocent Until Proven Guilty here didn’t believe me.”
I felt more than saw Paul’s anguish and rose to his defense. Once we’d put the pieces together, he’d blamed himself for not seeing the warning signs and doing something earlier.
“Don’t blame Paul. Crazy is easier to see when you’re on the outside, looking in. Caleb fooled Miriam for years by making her believe that he was ‘misunderstood.’ And Paul believed Stella really wanted to make something better of herself.”
He squeezed my thigh beneath the table while Mama C herself shot me a look of approval.
“So, what happens now? Are you going to press charges?” That from Sofia.
“It’s something we’re not ruling out,” Paul said carefully. “Stella’s gone to stay with her mom in New Jersey. We’ve informed Stella’s attorney that we strongly recommend counseling and have agreed not to pursue further legal action at this time as long as Stella abides by the restraining order.”
“And Caleb?”
“There’s no doubt he’ll be convicted and serve some serious time.”
People started getting up shortly after that. I followed suit, picking up my plate and carrying it back to the kitchen. I loved how everyone pitched in without question.
What I loved even more? Seeing my
