Page 57 of The Risks of Reuniting

"Nah. Let's see what else we can find."

"Something about an alpaca blanket?" I respond, falling into step as she begins moving again. It feels natural to hold her hand while we stroll, and while it might be a small thing, it's the biggest thing to me. "And a T-shirt for your dad and Gavin?"

We continue along at a snail's pace, stopping in stalls that pull our interest. There are purses and coats, shirts and blankets, shoes and jewelry, and anything else you can think of. She finds a tee for her dad and Gavin, and her Grandpa Tim, but she's having a harder time settling in on a blanket for herself. They have them in every color and style imaginable, and she wants it to be perfect.

In the fourth blanket stall we try, I spy one that's white and pink and I do a second take. She's not a pink girl. She's more yellows and purples, but this is so soft and feminine and gorgeous that I can't help myself. I walk straight to it and put a hand on it, rubbing it between my fingers.

Chloe is still holding my other hand, and I've sort of dragged her behind me, unwilling to let go. She's reached for me every time we've left a stall, and I like it.

"Pink? I wouldn't have guessed this one would catch your eye," she says thoughtfully as she rubs a hand over it too.

I have to let go of her to pick it up and unfold as I look to her. "Is it weird?"

"What? That you like pink for me?"

I nod. "It's not your normal color wheel."

She smiles softly. "And Peru is not my normal comfort zone."

Before she can say more, I fling the blanket around to circle her shoulders, pinch it closed at the front and maybe purposely use that momentum to pull her in close. She reaches up and puts her hands over mine, probably assuming I'll let go and she'll hold the blanket in place, but I keep my hands in place.

Her eyes bounce between mine and then fall to take in my entire face and I watch the color rise in her cheeks. I love when her face colors and her freckles pop, and her reaction to my closeness makes me smile.

"We've been wrong all this time, corazón. Pink is your color." My voice is low-pitched and meant for just her, and the intimacy of it runs right up my spine and back down.

"Oh, yeah?" she manages, a little off balance.

I lightly pull again and our toes are touching, our fists pressed between our bodies. "You should always wear pink from now on."

She licks her lips and my heartrate picks up. "I'd have to throw out my entire wardrobe."

"That would be a tragedy, all that money wasted."

She manages a smile even as my breathing grows tight. "The horror."

My expression becomes serious as one of my hands finds its way to her waist. "I owe you an apology too."

She tilts her head to the side. "Oh?"

"I'm sorry I didn't communicate better when I was applying to pharmacy school. You shouldn't have been blindsided. It should have been something we figured out together."

Her face pales, her breath whooshes out and I step back to give her space. We're in dangerous waters now. She looks at her feet and takes the blanket off her shoulders, trying to act cool.

"It's not like we were engaged or anything. You were free to make your own choices independent of me," she states as she folds the blanket into a square.

I put a fingertip under her chin and tip it up to look at me seriously. "It was wrong of me."

I can see that she's affected by my words, but we can't fully address it right now in the middle of a vendor stall with sellers watching our every move. So, she gives a quick nod and holds out the blanket.

"I'll take this," she say. "Pink has now entered my life."

"Do you want to ask the price?" I ask, easily falling back into our comfortable shopping mode.

She shakes her head. "I don't think it matters."

I handle the transaction, and when she suggests we hunt down Rachelle and Cesar, I don't bat an eye. I'm not worried. She's still holding my hand, and I can work with that.

Chapter 21

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