Page 66 of Cabin Mate

She huffs out a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Now I can keep them. I was about to donate them all, thinking Todd sent them.”

My chest tightens, wondering what she means. Will she keep the spoons because she has feelings for me too? Or just because it wasn’t Todd who sent them?

“But the notes,” her expression grows serious. “Did you write those just to make me feel better? Or … were the words real?”

Her eyes flit away from me, uncertainty clouding them. The tension in my body eases a little. Surely she wouldn’t be asking me this if she didn’t have some romantic feelings for me.

I bring my hands up to her cheeks and hold her face in my palms, making sure she can’t look away from me. “Molly, I meant everything I wrote in those notes. Every single word.”

My chin does a strange wobbly motion, and before I realize what’s happening, moisture drips down my face.

I’m … crying.

The built-up feelings from the last six years finally coming out feels like a weight lifting off of me. It’s liberating.

“Oh, Brooks. I can’t believe it took me this long to see how you felt. You’ve always been my biggest cheerleader and the person I went to for everything.” Molly throws her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly.

Without delay, I hug her back. I can feel the rhythm of her breathing against my chest and it soothes something deep in my soul. Just the two of us, embracing and breathing in unison. The way we were always meant to be.

“These past few weeks, it’s like someone removed my blindfold. I started to see how good we could be together.” She pauses. “I have feelings for you too,” she whispers against me, her breath tickling my skin.

“It was the underwear that did it, wasn’t it?” I tease her, even though my heart is about to beat out of my chest and my stomach feels like I just rode the most intense roller coaster of my life. This woman I’ve wanted, but didn’t dare to dream of a life with, likes me … as more than just a friend.

Her laughter rumbles against my chest where her head is still resting against me. And for the first time, I allow myself to picture Molly in every aspect of my life: next to me at the weekly Windell family dinners, opening Christmas presents on Christmas morning, playing with my nieces and nephews, stealing secret kisses at the office.

Falling in love … falling into bed at night. I can picture it all so clearly.

And it feels good.

Chapter 29

Molly

The warmth of Brooks’s arms around me feels so nice after this long day, I don’t pull away. His hand gently rubs my back in a soothing gesture, and I allow myself to lean into him, to carry all of my weight, to support me.

“How many spoons have you sent me over the years?”

“Thirteen,” he answers quickly, not even having to think about it.

I hesitate for a moment before asking my next question, half terrified and half thrilled about what the answer could be. “Did you notice the initials on the one you gave me today?”

“Yes, I did … M.W.” He pulls back to look at me and his face is adorably flushed. “They’re really nice initials, don’t you think?” He smiles.

Now it’s my turn to blush.

“You look exhausted, Molly. Let’s get in bed?”

I nod and he walks over to my side of the bed and pulls down the covers. This gives me a good look at today’s underwear. They’re bubblegum pink and have squirrels on them holding acorns. The squirrels have little word bubbles so it looks like they’re saying I’m nuts about you.

“Since I have thirteen gifts to make up for, I’m getting you new underwear.”

He snickers and crawls over to his side of the bed. I slip into the blankets and we lay on our sides facing each other.

“Where do we go from here, Brooks?”

He smiles and reaches out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Well, I could possibly take you out on a real date … instead of a fake one?”

“I think I’d like that.” I smile. “Are you worried about the company, and us working together?”