Page 44 of My Ex for Christmas
I turn to face her fully. “Is this a good something or a bad something?”
I prepare myself to hear that she’s going back to Brazil soon. That she’s finally putting an expiration date on this. On us. I’ve been telling myself this was coming, so I wouldn’t be surprised, but it still hits me like a sucker punch—the possibility that she’ll be leaving me again.
She chews on her lower lip before speaking. “I asked Thiago about the manager position today.”
Now that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. “What about it?” I ask.
Hadley’s cheeks pinken. “If I could have it.”
Her words stop me short. I pause before speaking. “You what?”
“I, um—” She smiles. “I asked for the job, and he said yes.”
“Fuck yes.”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I stand and lift her off the bench. She laughs, face pressed against my neck as I spin her around. The tip of her nose is cold to the touch, but I don’t care.
“Brooks!” There’s a grin in her voice. “Put me down!”
I shake my head, somewhat in disbelief. “Of course he said yes. He’d be a fool not to.”
I set her back on her feet, but I don’t let her go. If I had it my way, I never would. I’ve already spent too many years not being able to touch her.
She shrugs. “I didn’t want to let him down. But I’m learning that I can’t let myself down either.”
Cupping her cheek, I tip her chin up so I can meet her eyes. “You’re going to make a great manager, Hads. The best.”
The happiness shining in her eyes nearly brings me to my knees. It’s a stark contrast from hearing her talk about her assistant job. While I know she loved working for Thiago, she wanted more. Needed more. Now she’ll get to have that. Running a resort is no easy task, but I have every faith she’s up for the challenge.
“Brooks?”
“Yeah?”
Her expression turns shy. “Do you know what else this means?”
My heart pounds in my chest. “What?”
“I’m staying in Sugar Peak.”
Staying.
Hadley is staying. Everything I’ve been hoping for since I saw her again is clicking into place. Because she’sstaying.
I grin so wide, my cheeks hurt. “Yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah. Well, I’ll need to go back to Brazil at somepoint after the holidays to pack up my stuff and figure out what to do about my apartment, but after that?—”
Cupping Hadley’s cheeks, I drop my mouth to hers. Her rambling is adorable, but I can tell she’s heading into a nervous spiral. She doesn’t need to be nervous, though. With her, I’m all in.
She sinks into the kiss, hands splayed on my chest. I’m sure she can feel my heart thumping beneath her palm. She should—it belongs to her. It has for a long fucking time.
When we pull apart, I simply watch her for a moment. Admire the way she stands out against the snow behind her. She is vibrant. She is beautiful.
She is mine, and I am hers.
“Hadley.”
“Yes?” she whispers, looking up at me.
