Page 63 of Flare Up
“That means a lot to me.”
“Hopefully what happened before was nothing but a bump in the road. Dad and I have been married a long time and you’ve seen it. While we’ve never separated like you two did, relationships are like driving the roads around here. Most of the times it’s smooth, with some twists and turns. But sometimes it’s bumpy and then, every once in a while, you hit a pothole that knocks the wheels out of alignment.”
He chuckled, even though he knew it was a pretty accurate description of his parents’ marriage. Luckily there hadn’t been too many potholes, but they happened. “Right now I’m trying to remember we’re cruising the back roads and not speeding on the highway, bypassing all the rest stops and scenery.”
“I think rushing things would be a mistake,” she agreed. “You don’t want to get back to the place you were because that didn’t work. Take your time, find your way to a new place, and when the past is in the rearview mirror, you’ll know it’s right.”
Since that echoed what he’d told Gavin, he nodded. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
“But this ex-boyfriend. He’s still a problem?”
“I don’t really know if he’s a problem so much as the possibility of him being a problem is a problem.” He laughed at himself. “Did that make sense?”
“How long are you going to let that possibility be a part of your relationship, though? Have you looked into him? I mean, what if you two are up here worrying about him, and he’s wherever he is, starting a new life for himself?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I know he’s in Virginia and has to meet with a parole officer or whatever. But it’s not really my place to dig deeper unless Wren wants to. He’s not somebody we really want to talk about, but we can’t not think about him, so... I don’t know.”
“Her past is a hard thing to move beyond, I’m sure. When there’s a concrete problem, you can fix it. But fear is...it’s personal and doesn’t always make sense to other people.” She shook her head. “It’s going to take time and trust and patience to get past that, I think. In time, her fear will fade.”
Talking to his parents always centered him, and he gave her a long hug. “Thank you for giving her another chance.”
“As long as you’re happy, honey.” She sounded a little sniffly, but then she backed up and smiled. “And she loved snowmobiling, which is good. You guys will be coming back a lot more often in the winter. You should try to get more time off around Christmas so we can all go out riding together.”
“Now who’s on the interstate?” he teased. But if he was being honest with himself, he was already looking forward to it.
Christmas was nine months away, so if he and Wren made this work, bringing her home would be a big deal. He’d brought a few girlfriends home with him in the past, but never for the holidays. Christmas was a very big deal to the Cutter family and he’d always known he wouldn’t bring a girlfriend home in December unless she was going to be a part of his family.
That old hurt made its way under his skin as they went back to the kitchen. Not even an old hurt, really, but one that was starting to heal if he didn’t pick at it.
Proposing to her at Christmas had been his plan from the time he decided she was the only one for him. Maybe on the front porch if it was warm enough. Or in front of the fireplace after his parents went to bed if it wasn’t.
Wren was rinsing her coffee mug in the sink when he walked into the kitchen and the smile she gave him lit up her face and obliterated the faint sense of sadness that had gripped him.
He had new dreams now, and he wasn’t going to let a broken dream from their past tarnish the future.
“Everything okay?” she asked, giving him a questioning look.
He walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him, setting the coffee mug upside down in the dish drainer, and he kissed the side of her neck.
“Everything is better than okay,” he said.
“I almost wish we didn’t have to leave yet. It’s so quiet and peaceful here, and who cares if the only delivery place has crappy pizza when your mom can cook like that?”
“It means a lot to me that you like it here.” He kissed her neck again, nipping with his teeth this time. “But it’s still cold to sneak out to the barn, if you know what I mean.”
By the time the bags were in the car and it was time to say goodbye, Grant had mixed feelings. On the one hand, being out of the city and showing Wren where he was from was as relaxing as he’d hoped. On the other, it was hell sleeping in separate rooms. Not that he really wanted to get busy under his mom’s roof, but he liked holding her. He liked the sound of her soft breathing and waking up next to her.
After hugging both of his parents, he asked them to tell his brother he’d visit him and the family next time he was up. He hadn’t wanted to overwhelm Wren the first time.
Then he watched each of them hug Wren. They’d developed an affection for her during their few meetings before, and there was no sign now of the distance they’d kept the day before.
“Text your sizes to Jill and she’ll keep an eye out for gear that’ll fit you,” his dad told Wren as they walked out to the Jeep. “You’ll need your own so we can ride together. And Grant, you help her find a good helmet that fits.”
“I will,” he said. “Keep that two-up in running shape for us, okay?”
“Absolutely. We’ll see you soon, and drive safe.”
Once they were on the road, he glanced over at Wren, who was thankfully sitting still in the passenger seat. No more nervous fidgeting. “Glad to be heading home?”
