Page 89 of View With Your Heart

“That’s . . . crazy,” she says, still staring at me.

“I want to do this. I want us to be together. All of us.” Her eyes show her hesitation. She doesn’t believe me.

“What about your company?”

“I’ll talk to Joe. We need to talk anyway. Bigflixs is interested in Brant’s story, and we’re getting close to finalizing Under the Same Sky.” I grow more excited with each thing I say. I can do this. I can make this work.

“Britton, don’t give up on me yet. Let me do this.” She’s still staring at me, blinking in shock as I squeeze her hands.

“I heard what you said in your kitchen. You told your family there wasn’t anything here for you.” She stands taller, trying to tug her hands from mine, but I step up to her, closing the distance between us.

“That was a gut reaction. Karyn just pushes my buttons. I didn’t mean it. Not like you think. You’re everything to me.”

Her wide blue eyes glance up at me, so uncertain at the rush of my words. I don’t blame her. Like everything else, things are happening so quickly, but I want this. I want to be here for her.

When she doesn’t respond, I lean down and kiss her, keeping it soft and tender. I’d love nothing more than to lay her back on this desk and have my way with her, but we need to slow down. We need to take our time from this point forward, and we need to do it together.

A throat clears behind us, and I pull back, holding Britton’s gaze for a second before glancing over my shoulder.

“Did you tell her she completes you like in Jerry McGuire?” Jenna asks, and Henry snorts beside her.

“You actually know the title of that one?”

“I pay attention,” Jenna snaps before turning away from the door, and Henry meets my eyes. He shakes his head.

“Don’t ask,” he mutters, turning back for the storefront, and I return to looking at Britton.

“I’ll see you tonight?”

“I’m undecided,” she says, fighting the small smile finally coming to her face.

“How can I make the decision for you?” I tease, but I don’t wait for an answer. I lean forward and kiss her again.

Take 27

Scene: Lakefront Dock

[Britton]

A few days after Gavin’s declaration to move here, I’m still hesitant to believe it, as if I need someone to pinch me to prove it’s all real. He’s been in my bed every night and spends evenings with Gee and me after work, falling into line with the shuffle of baseball games. Gee and I leave on Friday for Cooperstown, and we’ll be gone for almost a full week.

Gavin needs to return to California for his new company and to wrap up a few things, as he calls it, regarding the apartment he has there. These are the things weighing on me. I’m worried he’ll get to California and remember why he loves it there, preferring it to here, and he won’t return. The anxiety makes me edgy at moments, and it’s like he reads the signs, distracting me with sweet kisses or his tender touch.

Today is the last day he’ll be here, and he’s offered to spend the day with Gee at my place. He called it babysitting, but I told him fathers don’t babysit.

“It’s called fatherhood,” I teased. Still, I’ve had an unsettling feeling of more change coming. The weather is still holding out, but something’s lingering that I can’t put my finger on.

Once at work, I settle into my routine. Gavin has risen to sainthood among Henry and Jenna for putting Rebecca Sterling in her place and making her disappear.

“Like that house falling on the Wicked Witch of the West,” Jenna says.

“Please, God, tell me you know which movie that happened in,” Henry teases.

“Very funny,” Jenna remarks without answering, and Henry and I exchange a look. Surely, she knows the classic, right?

My phone eventually rings just after noon, and I answer when I see it’s Theo calling. His words come out in a rush, and I can hardly understand a thing he says.

“Slow down, Theo.” I exhale into the phone, stepping away from the counter. Jenna’s head pops up as she pours hot water over fresh tea leaves.