“No. My feelings for Piper are real. And they're not going away.”
Mackenzie studies him, then looks back at me. “You're sure about this? About him?”
“I'm sure.”
She lets out a long breath. “This is insane.”
“I know,” I say.
“You two are insane.”
“Yeah,” he says.
“And I'm still processing all of this. I'm still hurt. And I'm not ready to just forgive everything.”
My heart sinks, but I nod. “I understand.”
“But, if this is real, if you two are actually in love, then I need to figure out how to deal with that.”
Hope flutters in my chest. “Really?”
“Don't make me regret it.” But there's the smallest hint of softness in her voice now.
“I won't. We won't.”
She turns to Callum. “You hurt her, I'll kill you.”
“Understood.”
They stare at each other for a long moment. Years of hurt and anger and misunderstanding between them.
Then Mackenzie says, “I'm sorry too.”
Callum blinks. “For what?”
“For cutting you out completely. For not even trying to hear your side. I was angry. I'm still angry. But maybe I could have handled it better.”
Callum crosses to her slowly, carefully. “Can I hug you?”
She hesitates, then nods.
He pulls her into his arms and she starts crying. I realize this is the first time they've hugged in two years.
I step back, giving them space. Wiping at my own tears.
When they finally pull apart, Mackenzie laughs. “This is the weirdest weekend of my life.”
“You and me both,” Callum says.
Then we hear it. The rumble of an engine outside.
We all turn to look out the window. Headlights are coming up the driveway. A big truck, official-looking, pushing through the remaining snow.
“Oh my God,” Mackenzie breathes.
The truck pulls up and a man gets out. Tall, broad-shouldered, wearing a park ranger uniform. Even from inside I can see he's ridiculously attractive.
Mackenzie's face lights up. “He came back for me!”
