Page 98 of Wish Lists and Road Trips

“But Daddy was very clear I wouldn’t see that money without marrying Sean.”

My mother inspected her manicure like this was all very gauche, discussing finances. “He doesn’t actually have any say in it, legally. Besides, if he hadn’t made you go to school for something you didn’t want to, you’d have done it on your own by now. He was trying to help you, but he was wrong. We both were. Your father took the opportunities afforded to him and built the world he wanted. You deserve the same. Take it and run, darling.”

I wanted to believe this, I did, but my brain was giving me all sorts of warning signals born of years of these kinds of deals—Learn ballet and we’ll buy you a car. Major in what we say and we’ll pay for college. Marry Sean and we’ll love you.

“You give it to me now and there will be some string,” I said, gesturing to Sean who seemed oblivious to the fact that he was the string. “Something you’ll ask of me later.”

My mother’s face turned up into a warm smile. One I’d never witnessed before. “No strings, Bridget.” She stepped closer and took my hand. Had my mothereverheld my hand?

She waved dismissively at Sean. “This isn’t what I want for you. Frankly, I’m relieved to my core that you found a way out of it.” Then she turned to Nick, a hint of the mother I recognized peeking out in her shrewd inspection. “Whoever this man is, I hope he’s a lot better than Sean.”

Sean’s mother pressed a palm to her chest, but Marcia Donovan couldn’t have cared less. “Oh, Savannah, you know it’s true. Your son is a snake and I hope he gets a venereal disease.”

Holy, what?NowIwas pearl-clutching. This was absolutely wild.

Sean cleared his throat, Hulk-Smashing his way into our moment. I’d forgotten he was there. “Well, this just tops all of your schemes, Bridg. You’re going to take off to Philadelphia now? Is this still part of your big-girl independence bullshit?”

Nick’s jaw twitched. “Can I hit him?”

“No, I’ve got this. You can just shut up, Sean,” I said, tipping my chin. “So I’m impulsive. So I make heart decisions instead of head ones sometimes. I like that about me.” Ilikedseeing where the wind took me. I’d gladly spend my days dizzy from following the whims my heart led me on rather than locked into another thing I would grow to resent. Like him.

“My heart told me to run as far away from you as I could and I should have listened.” I turned to my father who was still standing there like a wide-eyed statue. “And you! I’m tired of being the good Donovan daughter.”

“Bridget—”

“No. I want more than what you want for me. I’m in charge of my life from now on. Accept it or not. I don’t care about your approval anymore.”

My father was silent for what may have been the first time in his life. Damn, that felt good. I took a deep breath, my hands shaking with adrenaline. I looked around the room at a hundred eyes trained on us and this ridiculous scene. But there was only one pair I cared about. I turned to Nick. “I’ll go with you,” I said. “I want to go.”

Nick’s breath rushed out, his hand coming up to fist his hair. “Really? You’ll come?”

I smiled. “What, like it’s a hardship to look at this face every day?” I reached up and cradled his cheeks, putting us back in that bubble that seemed to surround us whenever our eyes met. “Do you remember I told you that when I saw that old, run-down house, I knew it was going to change my life?”

Nick nodded.

I shrugged. “Well, it did. In this crazy, roundabout, fateful way it brought me you. I miss you, Nicky. I lost the house a week ago and I’m not sitting around crying about it. Okay, I did at first, but then I realized that my dreams aren’t tied to four walls. What that house meant to me was some solid ground to launch from. You’ve supported me more than anyone else in this room ever has. You’re my solid ground.”

“You’re my everything.”

I felt like I had champagne bubbling in my veins and I threw my arms around his neck and jumped. Nick caught me in a tight hug. My heels fell off and clattered to the marble floor.

I heard my mother whisper, “Oh, Bridget,” as she walked away.

“I forgot to tell you something,” I said.

Nick arched a brow, the smallest tremor of worry on his lips. “What?”

“I forgot to tell you that I’m in love with you too.”

His smile spread, but he pretended to think that over. “Did you?”

“Mm-hmm. And I am. I love you so much. Like,stare at you while you’re sleeping—text you a hundred times a day—miss you even when you’re right beside melove.” I bit my bottom lip. “It might get weird.”

Nick gave me his full picket-fence, truth-tooth grin. “I can’t wait for your weird.”

I woke up to the sun bearing down through the empty windowpanes of my new loft apartment. It bounced around the shiny surfaces, highlighting both its perfections and the multitude of things that still needed to be fixed.

Nick and I were working on the house bit by bit in between the weddings and photo-shoots I had bookings for and Nick’s new position at his company. I spent a lot of time objectifying Nick in his tool-belt, hollering for him to take his shirt off, but I was also getting major muscles from my part in the manual labor. Nick and I were a good team—him head and me heart. Together I thought we could do anything. Except maybe catch a boat on time.

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