When I hit even ground, a pair of strong arms wrap around me, pulling me in close.
“I’m so proud of you,” Rowan whispers into my hair.
And even though we’re in public, and even though I should probably be getting back to my seat, I tip my head up and capture his lips with mine.
It’s sweet and simple, and through it I feel his care for me.
Maybe this was love at first sight. Maybe it wasn’t.
It could be all me and him, the perfect alignment. Soul mates. It could be spending a week in the cabin with him, speed-running first dates and getting-to-know-you activities.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter whether or not it’s too fast or what other people might think.
All I know is now that I have him, I’m never going to let him go.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER - ROWAN
“… a
nd remember… all humans belong in the outdoors.”
Lola claps, nodding her head as Abbie’s video finishes and it cuts to her outro, as well as a link to the Ecotra Sweden travel page.
“She issoperfect for this,” Lola says, grabbing my arm. “Move over. I’m going to email her.”
I laugh and stand up from my place at the desk, letting Lola take the chair and pull up an email to her friend. If we were other people, Lola might just text her, but we’re not, and that means we don’t have phones.
Instead, we’ve compromised with a single computer and satellite internet, though I did a lot of work on the server to make sure nobody could track it back to us.
It’s not like I’m still terrified of the world, but I don’t need pesky reporters showing up at our doorstep.
While she’s typing, a video call pops up on the screen, and Lola clicks to answer it, finishing up her email and sending it as Belle’s face fills half the screen.
“Hey!” she says, a few hairs flying into her face. “I’m glad I caught you. You’re still coming tonight, right?”
Lola glances at me. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“We’re picking up a bouquet of flowers for her,” I add, grinning at the thought of seeing my niece at her birthday party. She’s a little cutie, and I didn’t realize how much I’d love being an uncle.
“Great,” Belle says, flashing us a coy smile. “Any chance you can bring a loaf of bread for her, too?”
I laugh. Ever since Belle found out about the baking, she’s decided that I’m her new supplier. Which is fine with me, and we’ve even started selling to some of the townies as well. I sell the loaves cheap, for five dollars or less, but it’s nice. It gives me the same feeling that I got back when I first started Chromeo Co.
We have a quick discussion about the upcoming town picnic, which Lola and I will be attending, and Belle clicks off to go decorate for the birthday party.
“Okay,” Lola says, running her fingers through her hair. “Swear I’ll be ready in a second. I just want to respond to a few comments.”
I nod and get up to let Cheese out before our hike. Lola has been working on her videography, telling different stories with breath-taking visuals. A lot of it has been about exploring this land, discovering the history of the native people, speaking about what it’s like to reconnect with nature.
She’s enjoyed being out of the city, enjoyed not having to fight for attention or run at a million miles a minute to stay relevant. Out here, she’s making content because she loves the creative passion, and not because she needs to make rent.
I saw to that.
And I also saw to Maisie’s student loans being paid off, but she doesn’t know that. She thinks it was an anonymous benefactor at the school. Although Lola might be on to me.
Ten minutes later — after she’s laughed and typed out quick responses to a few of her many loyal fans — Lola is geared up and ready to come along with me, and she finds me in the foyer, an excited look on her face.
