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“Yeah, I like knowing I’ve got the space to grow here,” he revealed.
I couldn’t stop myself from returning my attention to the scenery before me, where I started to envision a life here with Forrest. Something simple and cozy with his family and friends and possibly some kids. It felt like a fantasy.
“Do you know how lucky you are to love where you live?”
I didn’t need to look to my side to feel him move closer and lean his forearms on the railing in front of us. “I do. It’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
That caught me off guard. “You wanted to talk to me about how lucky you are to love where you live?”
With my attention now back on Forrest, he shook his head. “No. I wanted to talk to you about some things you said to me yesterday, starting with your mention of a realtor.”
“What about Marci?” I countered.
His eyes roamed over my face. “Are you selling your home?”
“Yes.”
It was driving me crazy not to know where this conversation was headed, so when Forrest didn’t immediately respond, my nerves ratcheted up a few notches. Several beats of silence stretched between us. If I’d been a woman who bit her nails when she was nervous, I’d have none left.
“Did you not love where you were living?” Forrest’s voice was just as gentle as his touch had always been.
“Why do you think I was in Scarlet Valley at the ski resort?” I countered. “I was on a mission to find a new hometown. Birch Creek had already left a lot to be desired. It was the place I lived all my life, but it never felt like home. Not what I envisioned a home should be, anyway. Not like what you described when you told me about Steel Ridge being the place you’d live if you could live anywhere in the world.”
More silence filled the air around us. Suddenly, I wasn’t so eager to know what Forrest was thinking. It didn’t have anything to do with him. I simply hated that I wasn’t able to share a wonderful story about my hometown like he could.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just did. What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about when we spent those two weeks together,” he clarified. “Why didn’t you tell me then that you were looking for a new hometown?”
The sarcasm could be felt in the laughter that escaped as I directed my attention to the wooded land behind his home. “I told myself I needed to pull back. Being myself, being someone who isn’t afraid to go after things, led to a man being murdered. I met you when I’d tried to change who I was, and being open about things was something I couldn’t seem to do. It was scary.”
Forrest reached his hand out to cover mine. After giving me a squeeze, he asked, “So, who did I meet then?”
“That you think I stood a chance at keeping who I am locked away from you is a bit shocking,” I said. Twisting my neck, I looked back at him and added, “In the beginning, you got the version of me that was terrified she’d make a stupid mistake again. Not even two days into it, you got the version of me I’d tried to suppress. And by the end of it, you got the girl who was devastated about needing to leave you.”
His features softened, his eyes moving over every inch of my face.
I couldn’t handle it and sighed.
“Look, I know I didn’t tell you about how I was attempting to find a new place to live, but I wasn’t sure how I’d ever approach that subject. If I told you I was looking to move away from Birch Creek, you’d ask me why.” I shook my head in disgust. “I’d never lie to you, Forrest. And I was worried if you found out why I wanted to leave my hometown, you’d regret having met me.”
He offered a sympathetic look as his hand tightened around mine. “I wish you would have said something to me, because I would have loved to have the opportunity to prove that meeting you was the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
My lips parted briefly before I pressed them together and the tears rolled down my cheeks. With everything he’d told me while we were on the trip, and all that I’d seen from the few people I’d met in his life here, it was unexpected to hear him say that meeting me was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him.
God, I felt lucky.
But I was still curious. “How would it have changed anything if I told you? What would you have done to prove anything to me?”
Forrest shook his head slowly. “I wouldn’t have lived these last six weeks in agony without you. I would have brought you home with me, Daisy.”
He was in agony without me.
I understood the sentiment. “My body might be in pain, but I can’t tell you how good it feels to be here with you now. I’m sorry I hid the truth from you.”
Forrest stood up straight, turned his body toward mine, and tugged me close. With his arms wrapped protectively around me, I inhaled deeply and allowed the warmth to move through my body.
