Page 99 of On the Slopes of Tahoe
“Like the view?” I quip.
“Oh, very much. The backyard is nice too.”
I laugh, deep and unencumbered.
She’s really here.
“Get over here, will you?” I say, bringing the flickering flame of the lighter to the wood and kindling. It catches and I stand only to find Rory right behind me. Her arms slide around my middle and I twist to face her, a smile brighter than the fire spread across her face. “Sit with me.”
The flames dance across her expression when she settles next to me.
“Like the view?” she mimics my question with a smirk when she catches me ogling her.
“Very much.” I lean into her space and brush my lips across hers, pulling back before we can go too far and I lose this opportunity to talk to her. “I meant what I said on the bridge.”
She moves back an inch, taking in the seriousness of my tone, my expression. Her smile doesn’t falter when she says, “I meant what I said on the bridge too.” Leaning to the side, she slidesher legs into my lap so she’s facing me, giving me her undivided attention.
I clear my throat, emotion rising in me. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t. I also wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t see a future for us. Not just for you and me, but for Willow as well. She’s my number one priority. She has to be.”
“I understand that. I do.” She nods, eyes never leaving mine.
I pull her hand into mine between us, rubbing small circles on her palm. “A future with me means a future as Willow’s mom.” I swallow, the magnitude of what I’m saying heavy between us. “I want that for her. You know I do, but I have to knowyouwant that—that you wantheras much as you wantme. You’re twenty-seven, and though I’ve never felt like our age difference was an issue, I’d never want you to feel like you missed out on something or took on too much when you could’ve been wild and free.”
“Breck—” Rory attempts to interrupt.
I can’t stop though, needing these words out. “Wait. Please. If you need time to make sure this is what you want, that’s okay. I want you take it, because Willow and I are a package deal. I can’t see her in pain again. She’s already attached to you, and that scares me. She loves you, and I’m terrified to see her lose another person she loves. I won’t do that to her, so if a family—us—isn’t what you want—”
“Breck,” she cuts me off with a hand on my cheek, forcing me to look at her, to stop talking. “Do you think I came here without thinking about this? I’ve been looking at every angle for weeks now. Every variable. From the moment I realized nothing I had in Tahoe felt like it was worth anything when I didn’t get to share it with you, all I have done is think about this. Not just about you and me, but about Willow too.”
Her voice is soft but firm. She brings both her hands to squeeze mine on top of the blanket, holding me steady.
“I know you and Willow are a package deal. I know she’s your whole world. I know I have to be all in or all out. I’m telling you,” she says, releasing my hands and scooting closer, her own coming to frame my face, “I never would’ve gotten on that plane to come here if I wasn’t all in.”
My throat tightens and my eyes fill with tears. Dammit, she really has thought about this. I can’t speak so she does, wiping away a tear as it falls.
“I didn’t know how coming here would go. I wasn’t sure if I could trust what I believed to be true in my gut, in my heart. But I knew I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t come and at leasttryto get what I wanted. You taught me that, to go for what I want. With Willow Tree Elopements, and with so much more. I owe you so much.”
I press forward to draw my lips across hers. “You don’t. That was a team effort. You deserve every ounce of your success. You always had it in you, you just had to find it. And god am I glad you did because it brought you here, to me.”
The next kiss is more insistent, everything clicking into place as I absorb everything she’s said. “If you’ve thought of everything, what do we do now?” I ask with a smirk against her lips.
“I think that’s a question for you and Willow. She deserves a say. I don’t know what it would look like, but I can move here if that’s what’s best for her, for you both.”
“Rory…” I say, overwhelmed by what she’s saying.
“No, don’t. I know what you’re going to say, but that option needs to be on the table. Especially for Willow. Her whole life is here.”
“It is, but you’ve just gotten your business up and running. You have that new contract. You can’t walk away from that.”
“I can if it’s what needs to happen for us to be together. I told you, none of it feels worth it if I don’t get to share it with you. We can rebuild Willow Tree Elopements here, find new contracts.”
I shake my head. I don’t want her to do that. I’m pretty sure I already know what Willow will say, but Rory’s right.
“Fine, that option is on the table, but go with me on this. If Willow is on board, we’ll move to Tahoe. You have a business there, one we can work at together. There’ll be a lot of logistics to figure out whichever way this goes, but I don’t expect you to give up your dreams for me and Willow, for us to be a family. I won’t let that happen.”
I slide my thumb across her cheek and she leans her head into my hand. I pull her forward so she slides farther into my lap.
“I love you, Rory. We’re going to find a way to make this work.”
