Page 155 of Here & There

“It’s what Deanie calls my brainstorming boards,” she says. She looks at me. “You made one for me.”

I nod, trying to remain chill, even though I feel like a kid showing off a project. “Yeah, we mapped out all the options. Plus space for your ideas.”

Shelby’s eyes dance over the board, examining it thoroughly, like she wants to memorize it. There are lists of options in different colors, everything from Nate and me moving toVancouver and giving up everything, to Shelby getting a float plane pass and commuting.

“It was Annie’s idea for you to do work-from-home stuff,” Nate says. “That’s what she does.”

Annie shrugs. “It’s pretty common in publishing. So is hybrid. You could get a boat to make travel faster.”

Shelby’s eyes light up. I picture her on a motorboat, zipping into the marina for a day in the city. Fuck, she’d look sexy driving one of those James Bond–looking wooden ones, her ponytail flapping in the wind.

“Maybe I could keep my apartment in the city with that one,” she says. “For all of us. You could talk to all the restaurant people,” she says to me.

“Or just eat,” I say, just as happy with that option.

“And Nate, we could visit the gaming companies. Or the game design schools in a few years!”

Nate’s eyes practically bug out of his head. Then he remembers himself. “Yeah. I guess that’d be cool.”

She runs her hands over the pictures Nate cut from magazines and newspapers. Planes and boats and the city and a small town. A happy family living in a camper. A couple getting married.

“That one was Nate,” I say quickly.

“You said it was okay!” Nate protests.

“You don’t have to decide anything today,” Deanie says, clearing her throat.

I flush. I don’t care what Deanie says. If Shelby wants it, I’m down. I know it in a way that makes it clear I’ve thought it all along. One day, I’m going to make Shelby my wife.

“Just know,” Deanie says, “that we’ll support anything you choose. A consultant role, an arms-length director, a satellite office, special projects only…I know it seems like there’s only one way to do things, but if anything, you’ve taught me hard thingsare totally doable. Sometimes it just takes doing them. Plus, you’re still our leader, Shelby.”

It takes her a long moment before she nods. “Okay,” she whispers.

I glance at the others. “Do you think we could have a minute alone?”

“Of course,” Annie says. “Come on, Nate. Deanie says there’s ice cream.”

I close the door behind them. “You okay?” I ask when we’re alone.

“Mac,” she says, “can we really make this work? Commuting is hell, everyone says it.”

I walk over to her, brushing a loose strand of hair off her face. “We won’t be doing it the way anyone else does. You’ll find the secret sauce, Shelby.”

She smiles, her expression so hopeful I want to remember it always. To somehow save it and show her any time we have doubts.

I run a thumb along Shelby’s jaw. “We can have it all, Shelby.”

When I kiss her, she tastes like that hope. She tastes like the promise of a life that will work out however we want it to. I send the thought over to her.We can have it all. And this time, I think we both believe it.

Epilogue

Shelby

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

“Goodness, this is really yours?” Mom asks as Mac helps her onto my bowrider.

“It’s really ours,” I say.

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