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“Thanks.”I took it from her and we clinked the glass together, and I also tapped bottles with Molly and Connor.“Can’t believe I’m going soon.”
My gaze flitted to Rick, and I saw him plating up some food for his parents, leading them to some seats, a softness sketched on his face as he said something to his mother.
No doubt about it, he’d taken up residence in my heart, with his kindness, wicked sense of humour, the love of crafting we shared, and his loyalty to his family.
I’d waited a lifetime to meet him, and I refused to let geography stand in the way.Plenty of people made long distance work.
So could we, I hoped, with every fiber of my being.
To make the most of my time with the other people here that I loved, I shelved those thoughts to chat with my aunt, and then Lara and her parents.Danced with Jess to three songs, convinced Jenny to join us for two, before she pleaded an early night because of Toby.The toddler was already dozing as she hugged me and carried him up to bed.
We turned the music down after that, but it continued at a pleasant low buzz as we ate a second round of burgers and then Aunt Laurie served a batch of perfect cookies shaped and iced to look like airplanes.
Rick disappeared for a second and when he came back, he handed me a cookie with a piece of paper wrapped around it.
I took it with a raised eyebrow, leaned into him as I unwrapped it.It was the booking confirmation for a night’s stay in averyfancy hotel in Louisville, on Friday night.
“So I get you all to myself for the maximum amount of time,” he murmured into my hair.
I love you,I thought.I love you, I love you.
It was only a matter of time until the words came out of their own accord.
ChapterThirty
On Thursday, Jess jokingly granted me a lie-in to thank me for everything I’d done, but I wasn’t working anyway.
I spent it saying my goodbyes.I stopped by the Han’s delivery place to have congee for breakfast, and promised Lara I’d try to stay in touch more regularly.We agreed that time zones sucked.
I enjoyed a long coffee break with Aunt Laurie.The doctor had seen her arm, and it was healing as expected.“Jess will never let me go near another step ladder ever again,” she teased.
We talked and hugged and talked and hugged.I wished her luck, telling Jess she wanted to step back a little from working so much inCake Away.
She didn’t ask what my plans with Rick were, and I don’t know if I could have told her.I just held so, so much hope for us close to my heart.
I promised to nag my mother and father to visit more regularly, and then, on my mum’s behalf, I nagged my aunt about visiting England.
I spent an equally long time with Jenny and Toby.
“You’d better stay in touch,” Jenny threatened, looking as intimidating as possible, while wearing a floral skater dress and flip-flops, with her hair in a top knot.“I’ll hunt you down if you don’t.”
I hugged her very, very tightly and promised to stay in touch.We swapped every sort of contact detail it was possible to swap.
I hugged Toby, and he pulled my hair.It hurt, but it was also the most attention he had ever given me, so the smile didn’t leave my face.
“Rick is totally gone for you,” Jenny added when I hugged her for the last time.“Completely and utterly.I haven’t seen him so dreamy for years.I mean, there have been other girls, but not like this.I hope you feel the same way about him.”
Everything went still inside me, hearing those beautiful words.“I really do.My life had been turned on its side when I came here, Jen.I didn’t expect to have it righted so thoroughly by someone so amazing.”I squeezed her arm.“Several someones.Youare a big part of why I loved this visit so much.”
“Stop!”she groaned.“I’m so hormonal.I can’t cry!”
She cried anyway.
I cried a little, too.
That evening, Jess and I hustled Connor out of the house.He muttered something about going to Molly’s with Levi and Eddie as Jess shut the door on him.We took a trip down memory lane, painting our toenails, watching absolutely abysmal reality TV, and eating pizza.Jess took out the old photo albums, and we looked at ourselves, so confident in our teenage style choices, me covered in blue snakeskin print, Jess’ hair in huge curls, streaks of it dyed a garish emerald green.We laughed ourselves silly over several bottles of wine and fell asleep curled up together on her sofa.
I couldn’t have asked for a better final night in Redwing Falls.
