“That was my grandpa’s workbench. I don’t use it much—for one thing, sawdust and computer equipment don’t mix—but I like having it there. It reminds me of him.”
Mark nodded. “Keeps him with you.”
“Exactly.” I took his hand and nodded at the framed pages arranged on the back wall. “Just like these.”
Mark’s mouth opened wordlessly as he stared at the story of a bear who befriended a star. He stretched out a hand to touch one of the frames.
“You kept these? All this time?” His blue gaze met mine and I nodded.
“The star tells the bear he’ll never be alone again.” I shrugged one shoulder. “And I wasn’t. Even when you were climbing pyramids, part of you was right here on this mountain with me, shining down on me. And part of me was with you.”
“I love you,” Mark blurted.
I felt a smile spread across my face. “Yeah?”
Mark’s face went bright red. “I… I mean…God. I don’t… I know it’s not… That we are just… And this is… And there’s so much, still… But it’s going to be permanent. You said so… And it’s true, so… Please make me stop talking.”
I grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him against me to kiss him soundly. “Ineverwant you to stop talking. I want you to keep telling me everything, always. My life has been too quiet these past few years, and I thought I got accustomed to the solitude. I figured it was safer that way. But all along, I think I was hoping we’d find our way back to each other because I love you too. I never stopped. And now that you’re with me, I will do whatever it takes to keep you happy, even if that means putting up with—”
A loud honking and the heavy roar of engines cut through the silent afternoon. Mark and I stared at each other for a second, then ran out to the driveway to find…
Sweet Jesus. A fuckingparadeof O’Learians in four-wheel-drive vehicles, led by Darius Turner in his giant forest ranger pickup truck, complete with a plow attachment. A guy I could only imagine was Turner’s boyfriend poked his head out the sunroof and waved both his arms.
“Marky Mark! We’ve come to rescue you, buddy! Take my hand!”
Mark and I looked at each other.
“You were saying?” he asked wryly.
“Howoftenwould you want to see them?” I demanded, pretending to consider.
Mark laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I mean, if it weren’t for Brian—and Liam, and Everett, and Hen Lattimer—I might have come up here expecting the worst. Or maybe I would have turned around and gone home once I saw how icy the driveway was, instead of sticking it out. Or maybe I would’ve convinced myself to chicken out, and not come at all, sooo…” He shrugged.
Well, then.
“Welcome, everyone! So nice to see you!” I called to the invaders. I let go of Mark and went around to Dare’s driver’s side. “Dare, it’s been a while. Thanks for the assist.”
Dare climbed down from the truck to shake my hand, and his eyes assessed me critically. “Happy to help. You’re looking good, man. Lighter than the last time I saw you.”
I nodded. “Same to you.”
“Yeah, well.” Dare looked behind him, at the man climbing out the passenger’s side of his truck and tromping through the snow to hug Mark like they’d been separated for eons. He grinned. “Happiness does that.”
It really did.
Dare clapped me on the shoulder. “Come meet Brian.”
“And then I was like, ‘But we can’t besure, Dare,’” Brian was telling Mark. “And Dare was like, ‘Mark could call for help!’ And I was like, ‘No! What if there’s no signal? What if he’s in a ditch?’ So Dare got a group of his guys together—Silas and Everett are back there, too, see?” He pointed. “And Hen tagged along for the ride, and Joe Cross brought his wrecker, and we came to save you!”
“You guys are amazing,” Mark said. “But, um…” He looked back at me and bit his lip. “I don’t actually need saving. At all.”
Brian looked from Mark to me and back again. He raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
“Yeah, I’m, ah… I’m staying.”
“In O’Leary? Or with Fran?”
“Both.”
