When he heard her approach, Charlie looked up and rose to his feet. “Good afternoon, Anna,” he said.
But Anna didn’t feel like playing games or beating around any bushes. “What’s the problem?”
“The problem is this.” Charlie pointed to the trunk of the tree, right where the initials were carved, and Anna saw that someone had carved more initials into the tree.
The sight of that vandalism horrified her. She couldn’t believe anyone from the crew would do such a thing. She clenched her teeth. “Who did this?” She was ready to hunt them down and punch them herself.
Then, Charlie answered, “I did.”
“What?” At first, she thought she must have heard him wrong.
But he repeated himself. “I did this. I wanted you to see it so you know I’m serious.” He took a deep breath and took one of her hands in his. “I’ve been stupid. I thought I was protecting myself and you. I didn’t realize I was sending a message, and the message was wrong. From the beginning, all I’ve done is tell you you’re not welcome. I treated you like an invader, like someone who doesn’t belong here. So… I just wanted you to know, in some way that works better than words. I’ve never been great at words. But my mother knew how to communicate with gestures.” He shifted to reveal the trunk and gestured to the unfamiliar set of initials. “This is for you.”
When Anna knelt down to see them more clearly, she noticed they were her own. He had carved her initials into his mother’s tree, right below his mother’s initials. And below that was an empty heart.
“This is where the baby’s initials will go, when we know them.” He squatted beside Anna and traced the heart he had carved earlier that day. “I wanted you to know that you aren’t a stranger. You aren’t unwelcome. You’re family. Denson Oakscan be your home, if you want it to be. And this land can be your home, if you want it to be.”
Anna was in total shock about what she was hearing. All she could think was that Charlie was doing what he thought was right. He was taking responsibility, even after she’d told him it wasn’t something she expected of him. But the last thing she wanted was charity. The last thing she needed was someone who would resent her for ruining his life years down the road.
“You don’t have to do this,” she said to him. “I told you?—”
“I know,” he said. Then he held out a hand and helped her to her feet. “I know I don’t have to do this. But… I want to. Not for your sake. Do you understand? For mine.”
She stood there in stunned silence, unsure how to respond to this offer, unsure what it really meant.
“I realized,” he said, not breaking eye contact even a little, “I don’t just want to be a father, or even a good father. I want to be a good husband.”
Her breath hitched at that.
He misinterpreted her reaction and changed course. “Or partner. I don’t expect marriage. I just wanted you to know that I’d like you to stick around, if you’re up for it.” He turned to the tree and smiled. “My mother used to call this our family tree. I know what she meant. Anyway, I thought I’d add you to it, just so you know I’m serious. No matter what, you’re family now. Your baby…” He gestured to Anna’s stomach. “Our baby is family. This is proof. It’s also proof that… I love you. I’ve fallen in love with you, and I decided not to fight it anymore. If my heart gets broken, so be it. I’ll take that risk if it means you mightstay. Live with me. Let’s do all this together. I mean, let’s do everything together. Everything, from now on.”
It only took a few days for Anna to move out of her apartment and onto the ranch. Most of her belongings were still in boxes anyway. And for the first time in her life, she was looking forward to fully unpacking.
That night, she and Charlie were going out to the Jolly Ram. They were going together intentionally, as a couple, for the first time. They strolled up to the bar, Anna occupying the barstool next to Charlie’s.
John walked up with a drink already in hand, which he handed to Anna. “Mocktail on the house,” he said. “Welcome home, Miss Lafferty.”
“Oh, please, call me Anna,” she said, sipping the drink he had made her. “And thank you so much. This is delicious.”
While she was talking to John at the bar, Charlie had spun around on his stool and struck up a conversation with the bookshop owner, Shelly, who had started coming to the Jolly Ram on the nights when there was live music. The band was always the same, of course, but they switched up their playlist, and they were always a lot of fun for the people in town.
It occurred to Anna that she wasn’t the only one bonding to the town and its people in a new way. Charlie was behaving like he belonged here, like he had some pride in the place, and like he was part of his community. How had she gotten so lucky? She had no idea, but she wasn’t about to question it toomuch. Somehow, she had gotten everything she never even knew she wanted. As far as she was concerned, she was the luckiest woman alive.
EPILOGUE
EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER: ANNA
Anna stepped off the airplane into the air-conditioned Houston airport with one great big sigh of relief. In the old days, she would have been disappointed to finally be going home, but now, not only was it her sanctuary, it was also the place where her family was. Even though she’d only been gone for a few days, she missed them as much as she would have if it had been months.
As soon as she turned her phone off airplane mode, a text came in. It was from Charlie.Already got a cab for you,he said.See you soon.
She never got tired of how thoughtful he was. She really did win the boyfriend lottery in that respect. He was the most supportive man, a lovely father, and her closest friend. He hadn’t even hesitated when she told him she needed to be in Canada for a few days to scout for locations in Toronto. She rarely left the continent these days, and she had an understanding with her boss that she would not be available to stay on set for the duration of the shoot—at least, not until her daughter was much older.
Thanks to Charlie, Anna hadn’t needed to give up her career at all. It had only slowed down a little, which wasn’t even a compromise as far as she was concerned. She was happy to slow down for a while. It gave her more time to spend with her brand-new family.
She made her way to the curbside area where rows of cars waited to pick up travelers, and she expected to have to search for whichever taxi Charlie had gotten for her. Instead, she found him standing outside, waiting for her with their baby in his arms.
“Ah, you’re the best!” she cried as soon as she saw him. “How did you know I needed to see my little bug right away?”
