Page 95 of Into the Mountains
While I’d never admit it out loud to Eli, he was right about one thing. I’ve been stuck for a long time and I shouldn’t let fear keep running away with my life. So, I’m taking a stand. Well, a sit from where I am now. A brand new, blank notebook open on my lap with a shiny new pen. Really I bought a few packs of pens and a couple different notebooks from the local stationary store, because I couldn’t decide what to get. But the owner, Patricia, helped me find something that felt right.
Fran talked about a spot over the camping trip that she and Henry used to visit in town. Something peaceful and quiet. Somewhere that sounded like I could think or brainstorm or whatever it is I’m here to do. I haven’t exactly figured that part out yet.
She gave me enough information to find it though and she was completely right about it. Which is something I have no problem telling her in person the next time I see her. Probably tomorrow. Who can live a day without her coffee? Psychopaths.
There isn’t too much tree cover to fully block out the fall breeze, the waterfall isn’t overwhelmingly loud and I can still hear the sounds of the woods, the leaves swaying in the wind, the animals moving about their home. The water is mostly clear and it’s inviting. Once winter passes into spring, I’ll be bringing my swimsuit on my visits. But for now, it’s just me and my newcompanions, my pen and notebook, ready for something to hit the page.
I’m finally ready too.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
ELIAS
I’ve fallen completely and deeply in love with Charlotte Monroe all over again. I knew from the second my lips met hers on the camping trip that I had no chance. The feelings from so long ago bubbled to the surface and there was no place for them to go other than boiling right over.
With the project coming to an end, it feels almost ominous for us. We’ve been working so closely over the last few weeks, it won’t be the same after we are finished with the shelter expansion. We do, however, have the road trip to our hometown to look forward to. By the looks of it, that could happen within the next week as long as Charlie seems ready for it. Sometimes she’s more hesitant, while other times she seems more than ready to go. Almost excited? But I think that is more excitement for seeing her old friends rather than visiting her old house.
I am curious to see mine, though. I haven’t told her, but when I sold it, I never even looked into who bought it. I did all the paperwork I could online, so I wouldn’t have to make another trip there. I wonder who lives there now. Do they take care of it? Do they have kids that play in the front yard that I used to? Is the half dented mailbox still there from when I hit it with a stray baseball that one time?
Maybe Charlie isn’t the only one with ghosts.
Arms wrap around my waist from behind, her lips pressing against the exposed skin of my back. I cover her hands with mine and close my eyes to her touch. I never get tired of her touching me. Her skin against mine lights something inside of me that only grows every time we are together. A fire she continues to stoke.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” she whispers.
“You.” Twisting in her arms, I wrap mine around her and pull her body to mine so we are pressed together with no room in between us.
She smiles and kisses her way across my bare chest. “Mmmm, that feels good.”
“Ready to go another round?”
“This was supposed to be a working date to finalize everything before our meeting with Jacob tomorrow.”
Her mouth reaches my nipple and she flicks her tongue over it briefly, surprising me. “We can finalize it in the morning before the meeting. Besides, we’ve gone over the plans plenty. He will love it.”
She’s so confident in what we’ve done together, both in her work and mine, and I can’t help but wish for some of her confidence to rub off on me. I’ve always been a little bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my work, making sure every single detail is exactly where it should be—measuring everything multiple times, going over the prints again and again to make sure they’re right and sometimes there’s still that small sense of doubt I got something wrong even though I’m sure I didn’t.
The sensation of her teeth gently scraping across my other nipple yanks me from my thoughts. “It was your idea to have a working date at night, at your house… in your bedroom.”
“Hey, the bedroom was your idea and now I’m convinced you just used that as an excuse to get into my pants.”
“And if I did?”
“Then I’d say you’re a very clever girl.”
“VeryJurassic Parkof you.”
“I knew you were going to say that and I fucking love you for it.”
We both stiffen. Neither of us have said the actual words before. We talked about falling for each other, but for whatever reason, we’ve never actually said those three words. In my case, four words.
After another beat of silence, I say, “If you’re waiting for me to take that back, I’m not going to.”
I watch her face to gauge her reaction. Her eyes are wide, but I can’t read the emotion behind them and my heart starts to beat a little faster for a different reason than a minute or so before.
“I—” she starts and then closes her mouth. “I fucking love you too.”
My heart swoops in my chest and it feels like it’s doing its own little victory lap around my other organs, high-fiving them on the way.
