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He nodded. “I’m going to need to read between the lines, mama. Give me a minute.”
“You want me to hum the Jeopardy theme song while you figure this out?” I offered.
He laughed and shook his head. “I think I got it, mama.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the living room. He sat down in the recliner and tugged me into his lap.
“You know, sometimes I feel like I should really try to just rein it in, you know? Like I need to hire someone to follow me a round and be like, hey, shut your mouth,” I babbled. “Like right now,” I pointed out. “Rein it in, Gertie,” I scolded myself out loud.
“Greta.”
“But then I should be able to do that myself, right? Like, what kind of adult am I if I can’t shut my mouth?” I wagged my finger at Bear. “When I was in school, all of my teachers always said I was so smart, but I never knew when to just shut up. Rein it in.” I traced a finger over my collarbone. “I should get a tattoo that says that. Rein it in.”
“Mama.”
“I was talking to Luna and Birdie, and Birdie told me that her parents got married after only two weeks. Can you believe that? They’re still together, too. Who would ha–”
Bear clamped his hand over my mouth and put his arm around me. “Rein it in, mama. I got some things to say now.”
Oh.
“Can I talk now?”
I nodded and mumbled against his hand.
“I’m not moving my hand until I get out what I want to say.”
I shrugged. That was probably for the best. I had word vomit today, and someone needed to stop me.
“My home will always be my mom’s house in Colorado. I’ll never give that place up.”
My heart fell.
“I’m leaving town in two weeks because I need money. I’m here in Rockton as a favor to Ransom. I’ve got a pretty good nest egg that could cover me for the past few weeks, but I don’t want to blow all my savings.”
My heart cracked.
“I haven’t had to answer to anyone the past ten years of my life, mama. I go where I want, and that is it.”
My heart shattered.
“My mom is the only woman I have ever loved, and she’s gone.”
My heart fell to the floor in a thousand pieces.
“The day she died, I always thought my heart would die right along with her.” A sad smile crossed his lips. “You could have knocked me over with a slight breeze when I realized that not only was my heart still with me when my mom died, but it was also beating for you.” He dropped his hand from my mouth. “The day my mom died, was the same day I realized I love you, Greta.”
I closed my eyes and felt my heart leap back into my chest.
“I loved you when you dropped everything to be there for me. You didn’t hesitate or try to stop me from leaving. You packed a bag and got in my truck.”
I opened my eyes, and a tear streamed down my cheek.
“You’re crazy, funny, and have the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met. There is a light that shines from deep within you, and I never want to lose that. I love you, Greta, and now that I said all of that, you need to say something.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
Bear loved me, and I had nothing to say.
Well, there was one thing I could say.
“I love you, too, Bear,” I whispered.
He crushed me to his chest, and I buried my face against it.
“I love you,” I whispered. Now that I had finally said it, and I knew he felt the same way as me, I didn’t want to stop saying it.
“One more thing I need to clarify.” He pulled back and cupped my chin with his hand. “Colorado will always be my home, but so will Rockton and you. You’re my new home, that I love as much as the one back in Colorado.”
“I love your old home,” I smiled. “Your cabin in beautiful, and it’s a part of you. It’s a part of your mom, and even though I never got to meet her, I would never expect you to give it up.” I shrugged. “Hell, I want to make Colorado one of my homes, too, if you’ll let me.”
“Heart of gold,” he whispered. He pressed a kiss to my lips and a sigh slipped from my mouth into his.
“Luna was right,” I muttered. “And Birdie, too. It doesn’t matter that you and I haven’t known each other for years. You can love someone no matter the time.”
“Damn straight, mama.” He lips brushed against mine once more. “It’s you and me from here on out. Even after I find Dr. Douche and everything goes back to normal, I’m not going to leave you.” He chuckled. “Well, at least not forever. I am going to have to keep working.”
I rested my hand on Bear’s chest. “But you’ll always have me to come home to.”
“And you’ll always have me to rein you in when you need it.”
“My filter,” I laughed. “Only took me twenty-four years to find you.”
“And I’m never going anywhere, mama.”
