Allie and Leo are waiting for me outside Priti’s office. Allie left on the day we had planned, but it’s written all over her face. She misses Topper as much as I miss Duke. I hug her, and she buries her face in my shoulder.
“How are you doing?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Other than Wyatt ruining any other man for me, I’m the okayest I’ve ever been.”
“Lunch?” Leo asks. “I have two shoulders, one for each of you to cry on.”
“Absolutely,” I say.
We are sat at our usual table at Joe Allen, and even though it’s the middle of the day, I order an ice-cold dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives.
“Do I dare ask howyouare?” Allie asks.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you?” Leo asks. “I mean, you look stunning, but …”
I rub my temples. “All right, no. I’m a mess. I mean, I’m so happy to be home, but I feel like I’m missing part of my soul. I even miss that damn dog and horse terribly. The worst part is, I thought I had this great speech planned for the pitch, and nowwhen I practice it, I want to throw it away. It’s not good enough.”
“I’m sure it’s going to be phenomenal,” Leo says.
“Your footage is the phenomenal part of this, Leo,” I say, pulling an olive off the toothpick. “The way you captured the summer … we should win with that alone.”
“Thank you, my darling. I know your words are only going to help it shine.”
“Have you … have you talked to Duke?” Allie asks.
I stiffen. “Uh, no … I can’t yet.”
“Why?” Allie asks.
“Because if I talk to him, he’s going to distract me with that deep voice and possibly convince me to come back and … and I can’t. At least, not until I finish my pitch. I need to focus on that, then … maybe.”
“What if he sends you an eggplant emoji?” Leo asks.
“Oh, well, that would definitely change everything,” I say.
Finally, our food arrives and for the first time ever we eat in silence for a few minutes. I push my salad around my plate, unable to take another bite. “Listen, I know you both must think I’m insane. Leaving Duke behind in Colorado … but tomorrow I have to stand up in front of Sullivan Rhodes and the other voters and convince them that Firebird Ranch deserves fifteen million dollars. I have to talk about Duke, about what he’s built, about how incredible he is … and what’s going to hit me is that … I know … I know how amazing that man is, and I gave him up anyway.”
“I’m going to die right here in my steak frites,” Allie says.
“Give me your fries before you do,” Leo says, reaching for Allie’s plate.
Allie giggles and slaps his hand away. “At least we have each other.”
“To us.” I smile and lift my martini. “For being brave enough to let this summer change us, stupid enough to fall for mountainmen, except for Leo, and smart enough to know that no matter what happens tomorrow, we’ve got each other.”
“I love it and I love both of you,” Allie says as we clink our glasses together.
“Who says I didn’t fall in love?” Leo protests. “Goose and I … we had our moments.”
We clink glasses and their laughter spills into mine, stitching me back together. Whatever waits tomorrow, today I’m whole because I have them.
faithfully
ROXANNE
Of courseI didn’t sleep. Well, maybe I got a few hours and then tossed, turned, and paced through until morning. I practiced my speech during my morning run, through breakfast, and during the cab ride toWorld ExplorerHQ for wardrobe, hair, and makeup. I barely hear what anyone is saying to me and am thankful that the man doing my makeup is not in the mood for small talk. Leo saunters in looking impossibly handsome in a midnight blue Tom Ford tuxedo with subtle satin lapels and his blond hair styled in that effortless way of his.
