Her face crumples and tears start forming. “I understand. What you said earlier was just pillow talk. And it’s okay. I get it. But you should know...” She bites her lower lip. “I hate goodbyes.”
Jesus Christ.
She thinks I’m ending this.
I frame her face with both hands, forcing her to look at me. “It’s not goodbye.I told you, we do everything together now. It wasn’t pillow talk. But listen. I wasn’t sure when to tell you this, but the timing has to be now. I can’t delay any longer.”
She’s crying openly and I want to murder whoever taught her she wasn’t worth fighting for.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said. About everything.” I take a breath. This is harder than any board presentation I’ve ever given. “I’m going to fund an environmental restorationresearch initiative. Major universities. Five-year grants. Real money behind real change.”
Her eyes go wide.
“I need a director,” I continue. “Someone brilliant who won’t let me cut corners. Who’ll call me out when I’m wrong. Who understands the science and the stakes.” I pause. “Someone who already told me my life’s work is destroying the planet and wasn’t afraid to make me face what that means.”
“Gregory...” Her voice breaks.
“Move to Manhattan. Or I’ll move to Boulder. Or we’ll figure out something in between. But Sorrel, I want you in my life. Every day. Building something that matters together.” My hands are shaking. When was the last time my hands shook? “The job is yours if you want it. But more than that, I want us. I want a future we build together. Interested?”
She’s staring at me like I’ve just offered her the moon.
Maybe I have.
She launches herself at me so hard I stagger back a step. Her arms lock around my neck and she’s kissing me like we’re not standing in front of Marcel and a rescue crew. Like the helicopter’s not waiting. Like nothing else in the world matters except this.
I kiss her back with everything I have. My hands slide into her hair and I hold her against me and I don’t give a single fuck who’s watching.
When we finally break apart, we’re both gasping.
“Yes,” she says. “To all of it, yes.”
Relief crashes through me so hard my knees nearly buckle. “Yeah?”
“Is this what you’ve been trying to tell me all day?” she presses. “You kept looking at me like you wanted to say something.”
“That’s basically it,” I lie.
I also wanted to tell youI love you.
Still do.
Another time, I guess.
When I build up the courage.
“Okay. Okay. This is amazing. Thank you for the opportunity. But... I’m finishing my dissertation, first.” She’s grinning through tears. “And I’m keeping my apartment for now. And you’re learning to cook properly without supervision.”
I’m laughing. “Deal. Anything else?”
She grins mischievously. “Well if you’re offering... some new snow boots would be nice.”
My expression softens and I pull her close again. “I’ll buy you anything you want for the rest of your life if you let me.”
Her eyes search mine. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Good.”
We board the helicopter and I keep her hand locked in mine. Marcel sits across from us, clearly processing the transformation. The crew straps in and the machine lifts off.
