Me
You do know once I’m back, you’ll have to return my cat?
Right???
Liam
We’ll see. We’ve bonded in the last month.
There truly wasn’ta feeling like being twenty-eight and sneaking into your grandfather’s home in the late morning. I was an adult, and I hadn’t done anything wrong, and yet…I didn’t want to have a run-in with Hal.
Not right away, at least. I needed to first find a way to wipe this stupid grin off my face that hadn’t left since last night. Honestly, it was hard not to smile when I was around Lily.
After staying up for pizza, we fell asleep in her bed, and I had the best night’s sleep I’d had in a long time. Possibly ever. This morning, we woke up, and I had my way with her again in the kitchen before breakfast.
It was like weight had been lifted off my shoulders now that I knew that our connection was real and that she felt it, too.
But…as quickly as one weight was removed, another was thrown down. I was falling in love with Lily Richards.
And I couldn’t do anything about it. I couldn’t stop it—not that I wanted to—but I also couldn’t do anything if I was lucky enough for her to feel the same way. I couldn’t stand in the way of her dreams with the café or with the building. I couldn’t ask her to move with me to Milwaukee.
I slid the key into the lock and turned the doorknob, trying to quietly push the front door open. The hinges squeaked and cut through the living room, and I swore under my breath.
I closed the door behind me and started to unzip my coat, again trying to be quiet.
When I looked up and saw the light on in the kitchen and heard Hal flipping through the newspaper, I quickly realized there was no point. Hal was home.
I hung my coat, toed off my shoes, and made my way into the other room. As predicted, Hal was sitting at the kitchen table, his glasses low on his nose as he read today’s edition of theGolden Falls Gazette.
“There you are,” he said with a knowing smile, taking off his glasses and folding the newspaper on the table. “Your sneaking in could use some work.”
I let out a laugh as he broke the tension. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home or not.”
“Had to make sure you’d get back okay.” Hal gestured to the seat across from him. “Well, grab a cup of coffee and take a seat.”
I did as Hal said and sat across from him. I expected Hal to say the first word, but he didn’t, just sipped on his coffee. His expression was warm, inviting.
“I like her,” I admitted eventually, sighing. “A lot.”
Hal nodded, like he already knew that, like he saw it coming from a mile away. “I know it’s early, but I think you two bring out the best in each other. Make each other realize that what seems out of reach really isn’t and help each other see the small everyday joys.”
That was exactly how Lily made me feel. I came to Golden Falls because I wanted to buy the building to prove myself to my father, to salvage my career. But being here made me realize that life was so much better when you had people in your corner who supported and uplifted you. I had that with my friendship with Liam, but I’d never felt that with my parents.
And in my month in Golden Falls, I’d felt that from Hal, from Lily, and from people I’d barely gotten to know. People who I wanted to get to know more.
Lily meant more to me than the building, than my career, frankly. With her, it felt like anything was possible. Even leaving Nelson Group and figuring out what to do until my non-compete was up and I could go back to doing the work I set out to do.
“She’s changed my perspective on a lot of things, and you have, too.” I lifted my eyes to look at him. “Things feel less scary knowing I have people on my side.”
Hal’s expression softened. “You’ve always had me on your side, Gabe, and you always will.”
“I know that. Now, at least. Maybe I didn’t before—not because you didn’t make it clear, but because…” I paused, my gaze flicking down to my clasped hands on the wooden table. “Because I wasn’t sure if you’d forgive me for not being here for you when Vera died.”
The silence hung in the air for a moment, and I felt another weight lift off my shoulders. I’d been holding those words in since I entered Golden Falls—and even before that, if I was being honest. It wasn’t easy to say them out loud, to be vulnerable with the guilt and regret, but it felt better.
“Oh, Gabe,” Hal said quietly. “There wasn’t anything to forgive.”
I looked up at him. Seeing the way his tears glazed over his eyes had me feeling equally as emotional.
