Not so much. I needed to at least get through the month, really let him settle into his life here, to let that subject be breached.
Plus, it gave my mom plenty of time to cool off before trying to verbally slice and dice my poor, hopefully, future boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
Damn, did I like the sound of that.
Never in my life did I ever think I’d find someone I’d want to give that title to. Then again, I never thought I’d find my literal soulmate casually managing a million dollar business in the middle of the fucking mountains only an hour away from me either.
What was that saying?
That all red strings of fate eventually met when you least expected?
“Actually, I’m pretty tired today. Rain check?”
She sighed again, though it was much softer than the one before it. “All right. Fine. I can take a hint.”
I grinned. “Love you, ma. Make sure to call me tomorrow, okay? I’ll tell you all about my weird drugged-up dreams.”
Her laugh released the tension that had been building up in my shoulders over the past ten minutes. “Hope it’s not another zombie one.”
“You and me both.”
“Bye, honey, I love you. Tell your...um, friend? I said hello.”
“I will. Love you, too.”
Ending the call, I tossed my phone onto the bed and leaned back until I was flat against the mattress. As annoying as it was to be stuck in my house with limited mobility, I had to say, watching the people in my life come out in droves to check on me and offer whatever help I was willing to take from them was heartwarming.
Not that there were ever any doubts in their care for me, but seeing it firsthand really put a lot into perspective. Especially, with how fortunate I was to have such a close-knit safety net.
One I desperately wanted Blake to join.
Taking him away from the camp was selfish, I’d admit that in a damn heartbeat if pressed. And while I did feel pangs of guilt here and there for pulling him away so soon into the season, I was also glad at how willing he was to come home with me.
That had to mean I wasn’t the only one feeling this. That we were meant for so much more than a few hookups.
The longer I spent with him, the more I was beginning to understand Avery’s obsession with Brandon. How deep that need went in keeping that person who held your heart close to your side. How tender and delicate this stage was before things were finally settled.
Back then, I was of the mindset of losing the freedom to come and go as you pleased was worse than death.
What kind of life was it to be trapped in a relationship, tied to one single person for the rest of your life?
Naively, I’d been blind to the fact that I, too, had someone that was perfect out there for me. I was stupid to think otherwise—to think I was above love and having someone to call mine.
That hubris within me had gotten slapped hard with reality with my near-death experience finally opening my eyes.
“You okay?”
Turning my head, I spotted him just shy of the doorframe. He had his hands in front of him, fingers twisted together tightly while he wrung them in an apprehensive way.
My poor Blake. Such a worrywart.
Holding out my hand, I gestured for him to come closer. Obediently, he walked into my room, his steps careful and cautious. Breaking him out of seeing me as fragile would be difficult. My still-healing body, a constant reminder of how he found me, wasn’t doing either of us any favors.
Whatever Blake’s hangups were, whatever was preventing him from falling back into those easy laughs and poignant jabs, needed to be taken care of before we could move on to an actual fruitful future.
If he wanted one with me, that is.
