Chapter 16

OWEN

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

I drive to Camp David like a bat out of hell. The thing about Camp David is that it's not on any maps, but June is standing outside when I get there. Her tear-stained face is red and splotchy. As soon as I jump out of my truck, she's in my arms.

"What happened?" My first thought is that Delacroix hurt her in some way. Then I think I could kill the president, but there's no way I could get close enough to him to do so.

"I know who my mom is."

"What?" I ask, pulling her away from me so that I can look at her.

"Hailie. The president's secretary is my mother."

"That's a lot to take in."

"I… never thought… Everything feels so surreal right now. Everything except you. Take me home, please."

"Of course, baby. Let's go."

The drive home is quiet. Too quiet. Occasionally, I hear her sniffle, but otherwise, she says nothing. She holds my hand and squeezes it back after I squeeze her. I take her to my place.

"Take me to bed, Owen," she says, kissing me as soon as we are inside. I kiss her because I can tell she needs this. To be honest, so do I. I kiss her face before wiping the remains of her tears away.

"I love you, June. You know that don't you?"

"I know. I love you too."

"You don't have to say that, if you're not ready to."

"I'm ready. I've known for a while, but I didn't trust myself."

"You can trust this, trust us," I tell her.

"I know I can. You've shown me that, even in this short amount of time we've been together-together, but it's more than that. It's the coffee, it's waiting for me at the bus stop. It's showing up when I didn't even know I needed you. I love you; I have for a while."

"I love you too, baby." I lean down and kiss her. "So you'll marry me?"

"What?" she asks as I pull the ring out of my pocket. I've been carrying it around with me since I bought it, waiting for the right time. Now is the right time.

"Marry me. I'll make you so fucking happy for the rest of our lives." She pauses and then smiles at me.

"Yes. I'll marry you."

"Thank fuck," I say, kissing her again.

Our kiss turns feral, and I'm stripping her naked. She's already wet for me, so I waste no time in getting naked and slamming into her right on the floor in my living room.

This is how it will always be with us.

In love. Together forever.