I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 68

Sarah said goodbye to Gavin, took a few steps, and then glanced back at the young man. He had already briskly stepped into the elevator.

"Are you feeling better?"

The moment Gavin walked through the door, Sophie immediately asked about his allergic reaction.

Gavin pulled down his collar to let her inspect his skin.

"Cleared up overnight. My immune system is top tier, right?"

Sophie gave him a sideways glance and laughed. "It really is. When my roommate had a reaction, she was covered in hives for days."

"I just ran into your mom downstairs. Did she chew you out last night?"

"No, I'm an adult." Sophie nudged him toward the sink to wash his hands and set the breakfast on the table.

"It felt like we were back in high school, complete with a strict curfew."

Looking back on the previous night, Gavin found the whole situation both terribly awkward and incredibly funny.

"A high school romance, huh? Sounds like your teenage years were pretty eventful." Sophie crossed her arms, shooting him a teasing look.

"That was a lifetime ago, and we only ever held hands. Don't tell me you're jealous."

Gavin chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist to playfully coax her. "The past doesn't count."

Sophie's heart skipped a beat. The words hovering on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back down. Her apartment wasn't the right place for this conversation.

Spring had officially arrived, and the chill was slowly fading from the air. Today, the sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue, and the sunlight felt wonderfully warm against their skin.

Sophie had ditched her heavy winter coat for a chic, dusty-blue cashmere jacket, and the two of them headed to Southmere Lake.

In the distance, the willow trees were just beginning to sprout pale green buds, and the ducks and swans glided lazily across the shimmering water.

"Gavin."

Sophie called his name very softly. "There's something I need to tell you."

Seeing Sophie's expression turn deadly serious, Gavin stayed perfectly quiet, giving her his full attention and silently encouraging her to continue.

"I used to..."

Now that the moment had arrived, the words felt like jagged glass in her throat. She gathered every ounce of courage she had before finally forcing them out.

"I had an accidental pregnancy once..."

Sophie couldn't bring herself to look at him. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on the swans drifting effortlessly across the lake.

Gavin gently turned her around and pulled her tightly into his arms.

"That's in the past. Stop torturing yourself over it. None of that matters. The only thing that matters is that you're here with me now. We have the rest of our lives, and so many beautiful days ahead of us."

They headed back to her apartment for dinner. Catching the unmistakable joy radiating from Sophie's face, Sarah immediately knew that the issue she had been so anxious about was completely resolved.

And the more she looked at Gavin, the more she liked him.

She wasn't demanding. All she ever wanted was a son-in-law who loved her daughter unconditionally, someone who wouldn't abandon her at the first sign of inconvenience.

On the final day of his holiday break, Gavin had an afternoon flight to catch. He spent the morning at a real estate agency near Sophie's building, dead set on renting an apartment in her complex.

"Your research facility is on the Eastside. If you live here, your commute is going to be brutal." Sophie pointed out.

"I just want to be close to you. At the very least, closer than Jason." Gavin teased, whispering the last part in her ear.

"There is literally nothing going on between us!" Sophie feigned outrage, though her voice carried an undeniable edge of playful flirtation.

Gavin laughed. "I'm just messing with you. I already checked the routes—there's a direct bus line, so the commute really isn't that bad. Or I could just buy a car."

On the walk back, Gavin started letting his imagination run wild again. "The perfect scenario would be renting the unit directly next door to you, or right upstairs. That way, I could just climb down the balcony straight into your room."

"Are you out of your mind? Climbing balconies... what do you think this is, Romeo and Juliet?" Sophie lightly elbowed him in the ribs.

"With how strict your mom is, I might just have to marry you sooner rather than later."

Gavin's teasing grin faded. He turned to look at her, his expression suddenly serious. "Will you come home with me for the spring holidays to meet my parents?"

Looking into his eyes and seeing her own reflection in them, Sophie gave a gentle nod.