Page 203 of Five Mountain Daddies

We pass through the trees and underbrush and step up to the bank of a stream. It’s the same little body of water we used to play in as kids. We came here so many times, back in the day. Cora steps up next to me and I lean againsther.

“Smaller now,” Isay.

“I know.” She sighs. “We spent a lot of time downhere.”

“Atticus loved it. He used to catch frogs and throw them into the water again.” I laugh to myself. “Remember the time he fellin?”

“Yeah, because you pushedhim.”

I grin at her. “It was up there further, toward a deeperpart.”

“We thought there were alligators in thewater.”

“That’s right. I forgot aboutthat.”

“There were rumors that the alligators came up and ate cats and dogs in thenight.”

I laugh again and she’s grinning too. “I don’t know why we ever believedthat.”

“We werekids.”

“Yeah, wewere.”

We stand there, side by side, looking at the water. I half-turn toward her, but there’s this look on her face that stopsme.

“Cora,” Isay.

“It’s okay,” she interrupts me. “I know you have to leave. I get it. What we had… it’s fine, okay? You did enough. You didn’t have to dothis.”

“Do what?” I asksoftly.

“Bring me here. Remind me what I’ll bemissing.”

“Cora,” I sayagain.

“Just go, okay? Just leave me. You don’t owe meanything.”

I take a step back. I could turn around right now, walk away quickly, get in my car, and never look back. I could do that and it would be okay. I’d hurt for a while, so would she, but we’d heal. She’s right, I don’t owe her anything. I already gave her a lot, much more than Iexpected.

But that’s the thing about love. You give more than you ever dreamed of giving, and then you give more, because you want to give. You want to give so badly you’re willing to give it all, absolutely everything about you, in order to make that other personhappy.

It hits me all at once, standing there. The problem with the little story I’ve been telling myself is, I don’t think I’ll get over her. I don’t think I’ll heal. And I don’t wantto.

I turn toward her completely. She looks up at me. “No,” Isay.

“No, what?” Sheblinks.

“No, I don’t owe you shit.” I step closer to her. She doesn’t back away. “And what I do, I do because I want to. Do youunderstand?”

“Wyatt,” she says, and I can hear the pain in her voice, but she has to let mefinish.

“I do what I want to do, because it makes me feel good. You make me feel good, better than anyone ever has. Maybe this is stupid…” I don’t finish my sentence. I grab her hips and pull her against me, kissing her deep andhard.

She kisses me back after a second, and I know I crossed a line. But it’s the sort of line I never want to go backover.

When our kiss slowly breaks off, I smile at her. “I love you, Cora. I’m not goinganywhere.”

“You can’t,” she sayssoftly.

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