Page 104 of Wood Riddance
Adele and I continued on, hand in hand, while Susan and her team buzzed around us, going on and on about their travel article. Hopefulness blossomed inside me right along with a sense of panic. Could I have a fully operational business a year from now? And could I handle the exposure that an opportunity like this would bring?
I looked over at the woman next to me, the person who told me every day that I could do this. And for the first time, I believed it.
Chapter34
Adele
“You told Susan Stephens we were engaged,” I complained. I was annoyed with him, but this surreal day had taken the wind out of my sails. He was lucky I didn’t have the energy to go a few rounds.
“We will be by the time preproduction starts,” he said, reclining in a chair outside the Airstream. “Plus, she offered to let us use the chapel on her compound.”
“Not quite. She was half in love with you.” I shook my head and pasted on a grin. “I had no idea you were catnip for billionaires. If you need to pursue that, you have my permission. She may get handsy at your photo shoot.”
He glared at me, but he didn’t respond to my petty comments.
In my opinion, they were justified. Susan Stephens was enamored with Finn. All the way down the mountain, she found reasons to touch him, and she asked him an endless number of questions. Not that I could blame her for shooting her shot. He was hot. And I supposed being a lady billionaire could get lonely.
Though I teased him, I didn’t really mind. There was no way in hell I’d let him miss this opportunity. It was his dream to fly tourists around the wilderness of Maine, and now, thanks to a chance encounter on a hiking trail, it was happening.
So badly, I wanted to be by his side, helping him and supporting him every step of the way.
The temperature had dropped when the sun set, so we’d pulled out the s’mores supplies and started a fire in the pit near the Airstream. I was snuggled up in one of Finn’s shirts, too comfortable and drowsy to muster up any real anger. Every day, a real future with him seemed more possible. And today, that possibility had jumped to probability. At least for me.
Being with him felt so natural and so right. In the past few days, we had held hands in restaurants, kissed on trails, and snuggled as we watched the sun rise.
Every aspect was organic and simple and so much easier than I had ever imagined.
But could I let it all go? The decades of dislike and competition and the loss of my father?
My brain said no. I could never give myself to Finn completely, regardless of whether I wanted to.
Not to mention the matter of my family.
My heart, on the other hand, was singing a very different tune. What was the point of all the ugliness if we couldn’t move forward and embrace love and happiness?
And my vagina? That slut was not getting an invite to this debate, because we all knew where her loyalties lay.
I loved my dad, and I’d miss him every for the rest of my life. But he was an open, honest man who believed deeply in second chances. He was known around town for his generosity and kindness.
He would have loved Finn. He would have admired his military service and his honor and his kindness. And he would have adored his sense of humor.
Most importantly, if he were here today, he would want me to be loved and cherished.
Which was exactly how Finn made me feel. What we had was very quickly beginning to resemble what my mom and dad had showed me every day of my life. That love was showing up for one another.
Beside me, Finn was reclined in his Adirondack chair. His hair was up, and his blue eyes shone in the firelight.
“Finn,” I said softly. “I think I’m ready. To do this.”
He grasped the armrest of my chair and slid it until it was directly next to his. “You’re ready to marry me? Excellent. Maybe Susan has a justice of the peace on speed dial. We should ask her to officiate. She’s got many talents.”
I punched him playfully. “No. Not marriage.”
“Not yet.” He raised one brow and smirked.
With a roll of my eyes, I dropped my elbow to the armrest and cradled my chin in my hand. “No. But I want this. You and me. Exclusive.”
Suddenly scowling, he sat up. “We’ve been exclusive. I’m not like the other guys you’ve dated, She-Ra. When I commit, I’m all in.”
