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I nod. “Even then. I don’t want to be with you because I think it would be cool to be married in five years, Macy. Or to grow old with someone in thirty. I want to be with you because I want to wake up every morning and chooseyouin every way that matters. I want to love you and laugh with you and hike and talk and fight and make up with you and maybe learn how to rock climb while I’m at it.”
“I know how,” she says, still in that soft voice, the one that makes me hope I’m getting through to her. “I could teach you.”
“I’d love that,” I say. “And I’ll treasure every minute of whatever time we get to call ours. Whether that’s a month, a year, or the rest of our lives. No regrets.”
Her lashes flutter, sending fresh tears down her cheeks. “That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“Meant every word,” I say, tightening my grip on her hand. “Besides, I’ve gotten very attached to Pippa Jane in a short amount of time. And I think she likes me, too. It would be a shame to end our budding friendship now.”
Her lips twitch. “She does like you more than any other guy she’s ever met.”
“She’s got good taste,” I tease.
“She does.” Macy steps closer, tipping her head back to keep her eyes locked on mine. “And she can probably tell her mom is crazy about you. Being with you makes me happy. Even in the middle of the storm.”
Bringing my lips closer to hers, I whisper, “I’d rather weather a storm with you than share a sunny day with anyone else.”
She sighs. “That was the perfect thing to say.”
“It was the true thing.”
“I know. Thank you.”
I draw back to study her face. “For what? For reassuring you when you needed it? Because if so, no thanks needed. I know you’d do the same for me.”
“I would,” she says. “I promise. Because I want that, too. What you want. I just want to make the most of every day that we get to spend together. And whether it’s sunny or not, I’m going to be grateful for every one of them.”
“Ditto.” I nod over my shoulder. “So…should we go eat some eggs, get Christian to drop me at my truck near the boat launch, and head back to my place to rest up and plan? I have a guest room with Pippa Jane’s name on it and a fenced in backyard that could have a mud pit in it by morning.”
She smiles. “She won’t need a mud pit to stay cool until summer, but she’s going to love that guest room. Especially if we can stop by the pet supply store and pick up some stuffed animal toys. She likes to tuck her toys into bed before she goes to sleep and almost all of them were in the van when it was swept away.”
“Done,” I say. “I’m going to spoil her rotten. She deserves it after what’s she been through, and so do you. I hope you’ll let me take you shopping later to replace your clothes and shoes and anything else you need.”
“I have my own money, Theo,” she says as we link hands, starting back toward the picnic tables. “I can replace my own things.”
“I know, but maybe I want to help. Maybe I think it’s time you had someone taking care of you for once, instead of always having to do everything by yourself.”
“I heard that, and I agree,” Christian says, lifting his cell into the air with a sympathetic expression. “They found your van downstream wrapped around part of a flooded overpass. I’m sorry. Someone just posted a pic on social media, said how sad it was such a sweet ride had to end that way.”
“Yeah, it is.” Macy pulls in a deep breath and exhales slowly. “But Bessy taught me so much, and I’ll use every bit of that knowledge to build an even better home on wheels.” She glances up at me with a soft smile. “This time with room for two.”
Starling lets out a happy squeal. “Oh yay! I was hoping you’d say that. You guys have the best energy together. I was just telling Christian that if you didn’t realize you were meant to be, we should find a way to get you locked up in a cabin together again for a few days until you come to your senses.”
Macy laughs. “No, thank you. I’m done with cabins. And vans, too. I say we go for a converted school bus this time around.”
“That sounds cool as hell,” I say, “but it might take a few months to pull that off. Can you handle sticking around this small town for that long?”
She nods. “Yeah, I can. As long as I’ve got you beside me.”
“Just try to shake me,” I say, pulling her in for a hug, while my family makes approving noises all around.
And then our name is called—McGuire party of seven—and we head inside to make more approving noises over our delicious breakfast, followed by yet more approving noises from Pippa later that day, after my successful run to the pet store for toys.
But the best approving noises are the ones that come from Macy when I’ve got her back in my bed for the night.
And hopefully, every night after.
* * *
