But Delia's worth it.
I call my brother Ben and beg him to cover the Pool Posse for a week while I make arrangements. I promise my four college-student employees extra hours. I pack my bags. I buy a plane ticket. I drive the 90 minutes to Charlotte.
I'm ready to change my life for her. She's who I want forever.
As I'm walking into the terminal to check in, I see her. At first I think I'm hallucinating because I'm so desperate to get to her...and then I see her recognize me. She drops her suitcase and her big purse and runs flat-out toward me, calling my name.
"How did you know I was coming?" she shouts with clear joy on her face, jumping into my arms and clinging on to my body with her legs.
"I didn't," I confess, still puzzled.
She kisses me. I kiss her back, my own suitcase forgotten until she slides down to her feet, hugging me, and I practically trip over it.
"What is this?" she asks. "Whose luggage have you got, and why didn't you wait on--me--" Her gorgeous face creases into an expression of confusion. She lifts the luggage tag and reads my name out loud. "Your suitcase?" she says, looking up at me with those brown eyes I'd love to spend my life gazing into. “Where are you going?”
"I was coming to you," I admit. "I was kind of a jerk, expecting you to make all the adjustments to my lifestyle. I wanted to come see you and try to work things out so we could be together. Find a job, stuff like that."
Her jaw drops. "You were coming to me," she repeats.
I nod. I smile at her and caress her cheek. "I love you, Delia. You're worth the sacrifice."
Her eyes fill with tears. "So are you, Beck. I love you, too."
"Marry me?" I asked, my voice shaky. "Just so you know, I didn't plan anything, this is totally impromptu, but we can work everything out. As long as I know we're going to be together forever, we can work everything out. And I'm sorry it's not romantic, I know you need to believe--"
"You're all the romance I need," Delia says fervently, and kisses me with fire and sweetness. "A thousand times yes, Beck. Our forever starts now."