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Leo took the shy smile she gave him as a positive sign, and his heartbeat quickened. “Hi. How are you?”
“I’m okay. I miss you.”
His heart flipped with hope. “I miss you too. It’s been a long couple of days.”
“Yeah. I know you said this is your last day, but can we talk after I’m done with work?”
“Of course.” He had been avoiding leaving anyway, and he figured packing up to go, if that was what he had to do, could wait another day. “Can I take you out somewhere?” He smiled to let Gracie know he was trying to joke with his next words. “Or are you going to break my heart a little more?”
Gracie smiled back. “I’m not going to break your heart, but we do have some serious things to talk about.”
“Gracie?” Leo glanced left and then right, wanting to let out a whoop of joy. “Does this mean I can kiss you?”
She giggled as she nodded.
Leo grabbed her face to kiss her. He pulled back and laughed softly. “Whatever it is you need, you’ve got it, because you’ve just made me the happiest man alive.”
“Good.” Gracie’s smile was like the sun coming up to warm Leo, and he smiled back so hard his cheeks hurt. She tilted her head toward the door. “I have to get back, but I’m done at five.”
“Can’t wait.”
Leo only had an hour to kill, but it felt like forever until Gracie returned to the locker room.
Her lock rattled on the metal hook as she dialed the combination, and she said, “Can we go to your house?”
“Yeah, of course,” Leo said. “I can even make you dinner if you want.”
“I’d love that,” she said as she pulled on her coat, and they made small talk as they walked to their cars. Gracie followed Leo to his cabin.
When they were inside, he got Gracie a glass of wine and opened himself a beer before they moved to sit on the couch. His insides were jittery with nerves as he waited for her to be comfortable enough to talk.
After a sip of wine, she said, “Tell me more about the pain of changing.”
He frowned. “Is that really what you want me to lead with?”
She chuckled. “I like to know what I’m in for.”
“You want to change?”
“I do, Leo.” She set her wine glass down on the coffee table with a thump. “I’m choosing happiness. I want a life with you, and I’m prepared to leave Sugar Mountain to have it. I want to live in your big clan and swim in cold rivers as a bear. I want to catch and eat salmon. I can do that, right?”
He grinned at her. “You can, and you’re going to love how they taste.”
“Cool. Can I come back to visit here?”
“Not right away, but eventually, yes,” he said, “you can come back to visit.”
“Good.” The couch creaked as she moved closer to him and placed a hand on his chest. “Because I plan to have babies to show off one day.”
“Babies?” Leo stared at her mouth, wanting to taste her sweet lips.
“Uh-huh, and you know what that means.” She gave him a sly smile.
“I need to learn to change a diaper?”
“Leo!” She slapped his arm.
He pulled her into his arms. “Got plans tonight?”
