Page 139 of Wonderstruck

“Then in that case,” I murmured, “I have to ask you something important.”

Her brows lift, curious.

“Knock knock.”

Just like that, her eyes light up again. And as she melts into my arms, the house behind us feels less like my version of home.

I held her tighter than I ever had, asthough the morning breeze would've swept her away if I didn’t. And when her arms glided over my back, lacing around me and holding me tight, I wondered if she was doing the same.

Rory stayed quiet for a moment before Ifelt her shuffle, her head shifting so her cheek was right above my heart. “This was my favourite time of day when I lived here.”

My arms squuzed her, as I traced the tops of themountains guarding us. “Yeah?”

She nodded against me, her voice quieternow. “I’d wake up extra early and runoutside to the lake to skate. It was so quiet that I felt like everyone else had vanished, and I was all alone. It was probably the only time I remember wanting to be alone, actually.” She let out a small laugh, but it wasn’t happy. “But now I suppose I don’t have a choice but to be.”

Before I could say anything, she pulledaway and looked at me, her chin liftingslightly. “While he’s still here, don’t choose to be alone, Finn.”

Myarms fell to her waist as my headdipped, and I sighed again. “I’m not choosing—”

“I see all of his missed calls on yourphone. All the time,” she said, cutting meoff.

I shook my head. “Answering won’t makehim any less of an asshole.”

She shrugged. “I thought the same withyou, you know?”

I went quiet, her words sinking in.

“I thought that agreeing to tutor you wouldn’t make me forget how much youhurt me, but it did. Slowly. I remembered just why I felt so drawn to you last year, and one day, we were skating, it just happened. I forgot that I hated you.” Her hand lifted, brushing against my cheek. “And now I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Her touch broke something open in me,and before I could think, I kissed her. Itwasn’t rushed or desperate—it was quiet, like the morning, like us. Her lips felt like the clouds. Her breaths sounded like the chime of our garden gate. Her hair smelt like the bluebells on the kitchen table.

Everything about her was just anotherreason why I couldn’t imagine my life without her either.

When we pulled apart, I didn’t let go ofher. I held her close, breathing her in, feeling her warmth. She made everything still, everything okay, even when it wasn’t.

I looked at her, a smirk tugging at my lips.“You ever ridden a horse before?”

She laughed softly, shaking her head.

I took off my hat, brushing the brim beforeplacing it on her head. “Well then, let’s saddle you up, Bambi, before the rest of the world knows we’re up.”

A quick morning ride turned into afull-fledged tour of the ranch. I didn’t mind.In fact, I needed it more than I probably realised.

I glanced over at Rory. Her cheeks werepink from the cold, her hair a little wild from the ride, and my hat still sat crooked on her head like it belonged there. She caught me looking and smirked, giving the brim a dramatic tip.

“You think your grandpa’s gonna be madwe borrowed the horses without asking?” she asked.

“Nah,” I said, adjusting my gloves. “Worstcase, he makes us shovel the whole driveway as punishment.”

Rory raised a brow. “Isn’t that, like, a milelong?”

“Yup. But on the bright side, if we startnow, we might be done by next Christmas.”

She rolled her eyes but laughed anyway. We rode in silence for a while, the mainbarn coming into view.

“So,” she said, stretching her arms as shedismounted Skye, my arms sliding under hers to lower her down. “What's the plan now? Breakfast? Or do we brave town so I can say hi to everyone?”

Wandering back to Luna, I brushed a handover her coat, considering. “Depends. Are you emotionally prepared for Mrs. Tilly to smother you like a long-lost grandchild the second you step into the diner?”

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