Page 95 of The Crush

“What does she say?”

“‘Can you say more about that?’” He mimicked his therapist’s voice, then made a face. He wasn’t making fun of her, not at all, and Brenda knew that. She kept saying she hoped to get a chance to thank Theresa Billingsley for her role in making Galen the man he was today.

“Okay, well, can you say more about the thought of marriage?”

“To you?” He cupped her face in his hands. Her sea-green eyes engulfed him in their light and love. “Ecstatic. Drunk with joy. But for me, it doesn’t matter. In my heart, I am married to you already. I love you.”

What a luxury to know he could spill all the love in his heart to her. In the early days of his crush, that was all he’d wanted. Just to tell her how he felt. These days, he knew he had all the wealth he could ever wish for—love in abundance, endless wells of it. What could be better?

“I feel the same way,” she whispered. “I love you so much. Maybe we should hike up to LadyBird Rock and make it official in front of the forest and the wilderness.”

“We can do that.” Moved beyond words, he pulled her into his arms. For a moment, he imagined the valley below, the snow-covered forests, the sharply cut granite cliffs. As if they were there right now, just the two of them and the wild beauty of the Sawtooth Range.

A noise from inside the office caught his attention. It came from the back, the unheated storage area where Galen had left his present for CeCe.

He put a finger to his lips and stepped quietly toward the corner. Brenda followed right behind and peered past him. He caught her sharp intake of breath, then felt her tug his jacket to pull him away. He stepped backward, still reeling from what he’d just witnessed.

Billy and Jenna. Kissing. Jenna’s small form pressed against Billy’s chest, lost in his arms. Holy mother of God.

The two of them hurried back down the alleyway toward the main street. “Did we really just see that?” He still couldn’t believe it.

“That’s Jenna, right? His ex-wife?”

“Yes. This can’t be good. Damn. This is a problem.” He knew it hadn’t been easy for Billy and Jenna to find a good co-parenting rhythm. But they’d both worked hard at it and now they got along great.

Maybe a little too great?

“Galen.” Brenda touched his jaw, running her hand across his beard. “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

“I do worry. Kisses change things.”

“Yes, they do.” She lifted on tiptoe and fastened her lips to his. Warm and loving, her kiss worked like dopamine on his brain. He relaxed and surrendered himself to the comfort and arousal of her taste. “Better now?” she whispered when they’d reluctantly ended the kiss.

“Better. It’s their business. But if something goes wrong…”

“If something goes wrong, you’ll be there for him and for your nephews just like you always are. Right?”

“Right.”

Life was just like the wilderness, after all. You planned as best you could, then adapted to the wild and unexpected. And sometimes those unexpected things were the very best.

“Shall we go watch a couple of seventy-year-olds take a chance on love?” Brenda murmured.

“Let’s do it.” He took her hand and they hurried through the snow along with the other guests making their way toward the club.

“What about your wedding gift? What is it, anyway?”

“Oh, just a cooler full of walleye I caught ice-fishing the other day. They’re on ice. They’ll keep.”

He didn’t entirely understand why she burst out laughing and didn’t stop until they reached the Blue Drake. Were fish a strange kind of wedding present? Oh well. Who cared?

As far as he was concerned, the best present—the only one he’d ever need—was the joy and freedom he heard in Brenda’s laughter. For that, he’d take on the world, both the civilized and the not-at-all.

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