I Want You Close, I Want You Closer

Chapter Ten

 You're finishing packing up in your bedroom when there's a knock on your door.

You immediately grab the bills from your bed, assuming it's the pizza guy.

You're pleasantly surprised to see that it's Shawn, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a grocery bag in the other.

The Mendes family leaving in about a week, and these past few days you had been working up the courage to speak to Shawn and apologize about the fight, but nothing happened. Since you tied up all of your loose ends with your family and your jobs last week, all that was left was to tell Shawn you'd made up your mind. You just didn't know how you were going to do it, since he wasn't at his home anymore.

Now that he's on your doorstep, it looks like you've got seconds to figure it out.

"Can I come in?" He asks quietly. You take in his appearance - disheveled curls, wrinkled shirt, grey sweats, heavy set bags under his eyes. He looks like he hasn't slept in days, like he's been driving himself crazy.

You step to the side, allowing him to come in where he takes a seat on the couch. You shut the door quietly behind him, watching as he places the flowers and grocery bag on your coffee table, then takes a look around the room.

"What's in the bag?" You ask, taking a seat next to him.

He hands you the flowers first, and you take them, taking an appreciative sniff before setting them aside. "I bought you dinner. Bought us dinner. So we could talk?"

You nod, and he looks around at your bare walls and shelves. "Where is everything?" He murmurs, turning to look at you.

You shrug. "Most of it's gone to Goodwill, or shelters. Whatever I'm not keeping I'm giving away."

He raises a brow, and for a split second you see hope flash in his eyes. "Why are you getting rid of your stuff? Are you moving?"

You shrug your shoulders. "I've got a house in Italy, so."

There's a quiet pause before he launches himself at you, arms wrapping around you and pulling you into a tight hug as he sobs in relief into your shoulders. You can't help the tears that leave you either, and you gather the fabric of his shirt in your fist, pulling him closer.

You've both been reasonably stupid about this, but it's over now.

"I'm sorry for being so dramatic." He whispers into your neck.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't want to be with you." You say.

"So you'll do it? You'll go with me to Italy?"

You laugh softly. "Of course I will. I said I'd go anywhere with you and I meant it."

-

Niall cried when Shawn told him they were leaving after speaking with Agent Connolly.

Niall cried even harder when Shawn handed over The Ring for Niall to own completely, along with enough funds to cover the expenses of the place as well as a little something extra for Niall to have for himself.

You can't lie - you cried a little too when you hugged Niall goodbye, but you knew it wasn't the end. Shawn was serious about making The Ring into a franchise - in London, Italy, Ireland, and of course, Cape May.

"We're not done with business yet." He told Niall, before giving him the keys, and putting Niall's name on the office door.

You signed over your portion of the boutique to Hailee and Jourdan, and they cried too. You couldn't be as honest with them as you were with Niall, but deep down you felt like they understood. They wished you the best, and you promised you'd see them again one day in Cape May.