Finally Finding Out (Completed) ✅

Twenty Nine

"I know that being here has kept our past on your mind, but you have to realize that I am NOT that boy any longer. I am a man who has thought about you and loved you for years. Now that I have you, I am not going to do anything to lose you. EVER”

Steph threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Jordan! I love you, too! I thought you were gonna say that you changed your mind and you didn't love me anymore, that I drove you absolutely crazy and you didn't want to see me again!"

He pulled back and took her face in his hands. "Sweetheart, if anything, I love you more." He tenderly kissed her.

When the carriage finished its tour and returned to where they had started, it was almost two o'clock. Neither Steph nor Jordan were hungry, so they continued shopping.

"I'm going in here." She pointed to a bookstore.
"Okay…I'll be there in a minute."

She found a whole section of first edition books and soon forgot about Jordan. When he returned twenty minutes later, she was seated on the floor, surrounded by stacks of books.

"Are you buying all of those?" He asked, laughing.

"No. I'M not rich," she pointed out. She narrowed her choices down to four books, then headed for the register.

He knew better then to outright offer to buy all the books on her piles. He remembered how she used to yell at him for trying to buy her. He was not that boy anymore.  He went over to a clerk who was standing nearby. "Did you happen to notice the books she particularly seemed interested in?" he asked him. The man stooped to inspect the books on the floor.

"Um, these, I think." He pulled out about ten books.

"Will this cover them?" He handed the man a large bill.

"Yes, sir!" The clerk said in amazement.

"Can you send them to this address?" Jordan scribbled down the address of the beach house.

"Certainly, sir!"

Jordan joined her at the register, and they walked out of the bookstore together. As they walked to the car, he handed her a small box. "I picked this out for you."

"Thanks, Jordan," she said, opening the box. She gasped and stopped walking. In the box was a small seashell pendant on a gold chain. The seashell was made entirely of diamonds. He stood patiently by the car as Steph slowly walked towards him. She opened her mouth, shut it, and then opened it again.

"Jor…I…"

"Remember the seashell you made into a pendant that summer? I still have it." He unlocked her door and held it open.

"Jordan…" she was still speechless.

"I have finally found out what it takes to keep you quiet!" Jordan teased as they drove back to the house.

"Oh, shut up! ‘She finally snapped. He laughed. "I can't take this, Jordan."

"Why not? It's not like I can't afford it. You gave me a seashell, so I'm giving you a seashell."

"It's not quite the same thing, and you know it!”

"Just take it, please? It will be a special reminder of our week here," he pleaded.

"Okay," she sighed, glad he had convinced her. It really was a beautiful necklace. She fastened it around her neck.

They pulled up in front of the house and lugged all their bags inside. Steph noticed a box on the front porch. "What's that?"