Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
“I will.”
She pulls back, studying my face like she’s searching for something. Whatever she sees seems to satisfy her, and she gives me one last gentle squeeze before letting go.
Santi’s arm slips around my waist as we step off the porch, guiding me toward the car. The evening hums with the distant chirp of cicadas, the air still holding the last bit of warmth from the day.
As we reach the car, he turns to me, his eyes bright with something unspoken.
“That went well, no?”
“Your mother just gave me her seal of approval,” I exhale a soft laugh, shaking my head. “I think I might cry.”
He grins, leaning down to press a slow, lingering kiss to my temple before opening the passenger side door for me.
“Told you she’d love you.”
A deep sense of contentment settles over me as I climb into the car. Meeting Santi’s mother has been unexpected, but it’s a moment I will cherish forever.
As he slides into the driver’s seat, he reaches for my hand again, lacing his fingers through mine before starting the engine. His smile is wide, full of something that looks an awful lot like pride.
I glance down at our joined hands, at the way his thumb brushes slow, soothing circles against my skin, and suddenly, I can’t hold it in anymore.
“I love you.”
The words slip out effortlessly, falling into the space between us like they were always meant to be there.
Santi stills.
Slowly, his head turns toward me, his expression unreadable for a beat.
And then, just like that, his entire face transforms. His smile softens and his beautiful green eyes shine with something so raw that my heart tightens.
“Say it again,” he murmurs, voice rough around the edges.
I swallow past the emotion rising in my throat and squeeze his hand, my lips trembling slightly as they curve into a smile.
“I love you, Santi.”
A slow, breathtaking smile spreads across his face, and before I know it, he’s leaning across the console, cupping my face in both hands as he presses his lips to mine.
It’s not a rushed kiss, not desperate or hurried or impatient. Instead, it’s slow, almost reverent - like he’s memorising the words I’ve just said through touch alone.
When he finally pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips.
“I love you too. You know I love you more than anything in this world.”
My chest tightens, overflowing with something so big, so profound, that I think I might float away from it.
And as Santi pulls out onto the road, one hand still gripping mine, I know, without a doubt, that this - he - is home.
And I’m never looking back.
Chapter Forty-One: Epilogue
The last bell of the school year rings, echoing through the corridors like a final farewell.
A split second later, the halls erupt into chaos. Cries of excitement, the stomping of feet and the rustle of backpacks slung over shoulders fill the air, as doors fly open all through the long corridors.
The students spill from classrooms in waves, and I lean against my desk, watching as my students say their goodbyes.
A few of them stop by my desk, offering shy smiles and thank-yous, while others linger in the doorway, hesitating as if they aren’t quite ready to leave just yet.
“Profe - we’ll miss you!”
I press a hand to my chest, feigning exaggerated emotion. “You better! Now go make me proud.”
They laugh and wave as they disappear down the hall until they’re eventually swallowed by the crowd.
I take a slow breath, glancing around my now-empty classroom. The posters on the walls look a little more faded, the desks a little more scuffed from restless hands tapping and feet kicking beneath them.
It won’t be empty for long, though. In just a couple of weeks, my summer languages programme will start, bringing in a new set of eager students.
It’ll be a change of pace - smaller classes and a more relaxed atmosphere - but I’m excited all the same.
By the time I make it home, the exhaustion is beginning to settle in, but before I can even collapse onto the couch, my phone buzzes with a message from Santi.
Hope your last day went well, my love. How does dinner at my place sound? I’ve got something to talk to you about.
I bite my lip, a flicker of curiosity sparking at his message. Since the season ended a couple of weeks ago, I can’t help but notice how Santi has been a little... vague. I’ve picked up on the talk of some kind of transfer opportunity potentially coming his way - something big - but every time I’ve asked about it, he’s brushed it off like it’s nothing.
Hopefully, this suspiciously vague news will provide some clarity on what’s been going on behind the scenes.
Without hesitating for a moment longer, I grab my bag and head over to his place, my curiosity growing with each step.