Page 93 of Mountain Target

“So. Where are we going? There’s a new sushi place that everybody’s talking about.”

Beau nodded. Ren was a much more adventurous eater than him, so sushi was one of the safest choices she could have made. Besides, he was too nervous to eat much today. “Sushi sounds good.”

Beau let Ren order, waiting until the first rolls were in front of him before clearing his throat.

“So,” he began.

“I’m glad you suggested lunch. I want to pick your brain on something, Beau.”

“Okay,” he agreed. He could hold off on what he had to say for a few more minutes. “Tell me.”

“In school, we’re writing about what happened. During the earthquake, you know. Our teachers think it’ll be therapeutic,” she said.

Beau’s protective instincts were immediately raised.

“And are you feeling okay about this assignment, Ren?” he asked.

She waved his concern away. “Yes. Of course I am. I just wanted to ask you, why did you get me out of the water first? You love Aunt Val, and she loves you. So …”

Beau let out a relieved sigh. This was one question he knew how to answer.

“Yes. Valentina loves me,” Beau said, and damned if it didn’t feel right to say it out loud, even now, months after she’d first told him she loved him. “And I love her, too. Which is why I know that losing you would have killed her. Besides, it would have killed me, too, Ren.”

“Oh.”

Ren stirred some wasabi into her soy sauce, turning it murky.

“That’s nice. Think I should write about that?”

“I think you should write about anything you feel like writing about, Ren. Isn’t that the point of the exercise?”

The girl shrugged. “I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about it.” She stuck a salmon nigiri in her mouth, her cheeks puffing out comically. “Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Yes. Right.” Beau took a deep breath. “I wanted to ask you something. And if you’re not okay with it, if you think it’s too early, or you don’t feel comfortable in any way, then I need you to—“

Ren smiled. “You’re really predictable, you know? I knew that’s what this was about!”

“I haven’t said anything yet,” Beau said dryly.

“You want to marry Aunt Val. And you’re asking for my approval.”

Correction.

I need your approval.

“Would that … would that be okay with you? I won’t do it if you’re not okay with it.”

Ren sighed dreamily. “You wouldn’t, would you?”

And the way she spoke reminded Beau, once again, of how much the girl had seen. And maybe that’s how he knew it was going to work out. For the three of them.

“It’s okay, Beau,” she said, putting him out of his misery. “It’s more than alright. In fact, I’ll help you.”

Beau’s skin started itching at the thought.

“I was thinking of something simple,” Beau began cautiously.

“Simple sounds great,” Ren said. “Let me think for a second.”