The smile he gives me has my heart soaring. “Good. I had no intention of letting you go.”
He helps me down the ladder, and I run into my mom’s arms. She hugs me tight, my sister joining our shared embrace. They’re both laughing and crying. All three of us are talking so loudly and quickly that we can barely hear each other.
Hunter joins me on the ground. He hung back to give me time to talk to them. But the look he sends my way now is shy.
“Whoa,” Joy murmurs.
I take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. Meeting new people is different for him. He’s never been quite sure of his place in the world, but I know his place. It’s right next to me. “I have someone I want you to meet. This is my boyfriend, Hunter. Hunter, this is my mom and sister.”
They stare at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Soon-to-be-husband, actually,” he corrects and puts an arm around my shoulders.
“We kind of fell in love,” I explain.
Mom nods as if she’s completely unfazed. I recognize that look on her face. It’s the one she has when she’s just expecting me to go along with whatever you want. “That’s nice. Now, let’s get home.”
I glance at Joy who gives me an encouraging nod. She’s always been my biggest supporter, the one I can count on to back me no matter what.
“I’m going back to finish filming the movie, but I’m done after that. No more working for the company.”
“But you love it,” mom protests.
Guilt gnaws at me. I don’t feel guilty for walking away. I feel bad for putting all of this on my mom. I never told her I was unhappy. I just assumed she knew and didn’t care. It wasn’t fair to either of us. “I’m not happy.”
She eyes Hunter like he may have put me up to this. She’s always assessing, always studying people. It’s part of why she’s such a great businesswoman.
“I haven’t been for a few years,” I explain quietly, not wanting her to blame Hunter. “I should have said something. I just…I was afraid.”
Her eyes fill with tears and she looks away. “I thought your filming schedule was too hectic. I started spacing out your roles, but I should have just asked.”
“This isn’t your fault,” I insist and step forward, wrapping my arms around her again.
“I want you to be happy,” she whispers as she squeezes me tight.
“He makes me happy,” I reassure her as I step away and swipe at my eyes. I had no idea when I woke up this morning that the day was going to turn out this way. There’s so much joy and love in my heart.
“So, what’s next?” Mom asks.
“I marry your daughter, and we have a dozen kids together,” Hunter answers casually.
I smack at his chest as my cheeks heat, and he chuckles. “We’re taking it slow.”
“Come on, let me show you around, Mrs.?”
“Jolly. You can call me Ma Jolly. Most people do,” she answers with a soft, affectionate smile. I love that she’s accepting him so easily, for no other reason than that I chose him to be my own.
He gives her a shy smile. “Let me give you the grand tour, Ma Jolly.”
She takes his arm and starts into the cabin with him. I can already hear her telling him that the cabin would make a perfect location for the company’s upcoming movie.
I shake my head, caught between exasperation and delight. I turn to Joy who’s still standing in the snow. She barely said a word during our conversation. I just assumed she was letting me and mom talk. But the look on her face lets me know something is bothering her.
“How did you find me? There are so many backroads around these parts,” I ask, wanting to get her talking. If I can get her to start, she’ll tell me what’s bothering her.
“He has a brother,” she whispers excitedly, her eyes filled with delight looking where Hunter has disappeared into the cabin with mom.
“How do you know that?”
