He laughed. “We’ll give you your privacy to talk to Hallie, but we all want to see you too. And we want to see Hallie stop pining over a woman she’s already dating but worried about losing.”
Audrey wasn’t sure she was ever going to get over the fear of losing someone as spectacular as Hallie, but she also knew this trip would be helpful. It would cement things for the two of them. It was a declaration, a question. One she was more than ready to make, to ask.
She nodded, sucking in a breath. “Okay, well, I’m going to book the tickets now and I’ll text you the details. I can split the cost of your bill for tonight if you—”
“No, Prof. Just get your ass on the plane and come make out with my sister.”
“It sounds so weird when you say that.”
“Good. I’m weird. Get used to it. You’re stuck with me now.”
Audrey smiled. She was weird, he was weird, life was weird. And, yes, flying across the country to surprise Hallie was probably weird, but weird was good. She needed weird. She’d spent so long trying to be perfect and tidy and correct by someone else’s standards that she deserved a little weird. She deserved to jump into something that felt right, even if it was a little terrifying. But, maybe that was just living, and she’d waited long enough to do that.
???
The closer they got to the house, the more Audrey felt like she couldn’t breathe. She’d been close to breaking the whole day. Her hands were aching but she was still tapping her fingers where they were trapped between her knees as Wes approached his mother’s home.
He’d been a good choice. He didn’t need her to be coherent enough to hold a conversation. All he cared about was the fact that she was here. Wes did the chatting and Audrey concentrated on existing.
Her mind latched to the camera in her bag, tucked into Wes’ trunk. Sure, she’d been nervous—terrified, even—the whole plane ride and the whole drive back to Traverse City, but it wasn’t bad. Her body didn’t yet know how to differentiate between good and bad stress, so it was just going through its usual motions, but some deep part of Audrey knew the difference.
For the first time, flying back to Michiganhadfelt like flying home. Sure, she was on edge, but the edge wasn’t one that led to devastation. At least, she hoped it didn’t. Everyone else seemed to believe it led to the greatest thing existence had to offer, and Audrey was inclined to believe them. She hadn’t spent the flightspiraling into a deep hole of despair, knowing that torment was all that awaited her on the other side.
She couldn’t imagine ever coming back here to see her family again. She knew it wasn’t that easy. Part of her still desperately wanted their approval, but she knew it wasn’t coming—had known that for a long time. And, now, she was experiencing what traveling to somewhere she felt welcome and respected was like. It was hard to want the former when the latter was so wonderful.
“Okay,” Wes said as he pulled in. “Ready for this?”
Audrey made an incoherent sound. She absolutely was. Every part of her was crying out for Hallie, needing her presence, her laughter, her existence.
Part of her was still terrified, though. This was it. Life and love and figuring out how the hell to make it all work. Beautiful, terrifying, and still worth it.
She took a breath and nodded, clambering out of the car and pulling the camera from her bag the second she retrieved it from the trunk. She’d set it up but she hadn’t taken a photo yet. Every part of her knew what the first one needed to be and she was finally in a position to be able to take it.
She shot Wes a look. There was no need to be this scared. She knew it was going to go well. She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t. Still, exposing yourself, asking someone to risk everything with you, was always going to be terrifying.
Wes grinned, although he’d barely stopped since he’d pulled her into a huge hug at the airport. That had been nice, too—someone finally picking her up and seeming genuinely glad she was there, that she existed. Then, he’d gotten into regaling her about his date with Imani and that had gone remarkably well. He’d been a giant pot of love and optimism the entire ride back, and Audrey appreciated that.
He led her to the house, warm lights beckoning them in from the cold, and called out as soon as they stepped inside.
Audrey smiled, nervous and emotional when she found herself standing in the Fuller kitchen. Tracy looked proud and deeply, sincerely delighted to see her. Isaac and Luca rained hugs and whispered celebrations down on her. She hadn’t even seen Hallie yet and every part of this felt like finally coming home. It felt exactly like she’d always wanted walking into her family’s home to feel. She felt like herself, and like that was enough.
And, still, she ached for Hallie.
“Where’s Hallie at?” Wes asked on her behalf, and she shot him a grateful smile.
“The bathroom,” Isaac replied, a little too loud and a little too excited, but that, too, simply warmed Audrey’s heart.
She glanced across the room, out to the balcony over the snowy lake, and a satisfied smile settled on her face. Tracy caught her eye, seeming to know exactly what she was thinking.
Without needing to explain, she slipped out of the room. The second Hallie returned, she’d know something was up. The others were not acting subtly, but Audrey didn’t want them to. It was such a relief to be around people who had feelings and emotions and just… shared them.
It only took a moment until she saw four people turning, and then, there was Hallie. Breathtakingly beautiful. Her blue eyes were wide as they slipped past her family and out to Audrey.
Her hands flew to her face, and Audrey wasn’t sure she’d ever seen anyone look so completely ecstatic, especially not at her presence. But, if Hallie was feeling even half of what Audrey was at being back in the same place, that expression made perfect sense.
She walked out towards Audrey, not stopping until she was directly in front of her, snow already fluttering down andglittering in her dark hair. She was stunning. Audrey couldn’t believe how lucky she was.
“You’re here,” Hallie breathed, her voice thick with tears.
