“We were both scared,” he says. “I didn’t know how to feel. But I know how to feel now. It’s how I’ve always felt. I didn’t know if it could work. But I believe it can.”
“How do you figure?” I ask.
“Look, Charlotte. I know it’s messy. But I’m sure of us. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life,” he says, leaning in towards me.
But before his lips have the chance to press to mine, I turn away.
“I just…I don’t know,” I tell him as I push my glasses up. “I need time.”
“We can sit up here all day,” he says. “That’s fine.”
“I want off the lift,” I state the obvious. But Gavin just shoves his hands in his pockets and crosses his feet at the ankles.
“No can do,” he shakes his head.
“And why not?” I ask. I’m about to figure out how to turn this lift around myself.
“Because I love Ben and Ben loves me, and Holly loves Ben and I love you, and Ben wants me to be happy as much as I want him to be happy because that’s what his mom would have wanted.”
“What?” I ask, my face twisted in confusion.
“This wasn’t just my idea,” he says. “Ben and Holly are at the bottom waiting for us. Ben says he isn’t going to stop the lift until we figure it out.”
My mouth pops open. “Are you joking?” I ask. “They’re in on this too?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re serious?” I ask.
“Yes. About all of it. About us and about the baby. Because I love you, Charlotte. It’s because of you that I haven’t died inside. That I found love when I never thought I could. And I won’t lose it again. I will sit here until the sun goes down and comes back up again over and over until you believe me. You’re the only thing I want. You and that baby.”
Tears brim my eyes and run down my cheeks as I clutch my hands in my lap. Gavin covers them with one of his, strong and reassuring. And as much as I wanted to fight it, I know I can’t. Because…
“I love you too, Gavin,” I say with a smile, and he smiles back. Then he leans in, but pulls back again.
“Can I kiss you now?” he asks.
“Yes, you can kiss me,” I giggle.
“Okay, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to shove me off the lift or anything,” he says.
“Gavin. Shut up and kiss me,” I tell him, and his lips cover mine.
Epilogue
Charlotte
“I never thought I’d say this,” Josie admits as her face is half covered in a giant, expensive camera, “And I can’t believe I am saying it now, but this color is somehow working.” She says, talking about the olive green. I look down at my own dress, and over at the other bridesmaids; I can’t help but smile.
“You know…I was thinking the same thing,” I say. And wildly enough, I mean it. “It’s actually working with every skin color, every dress cut, every body type, and almost looks good next to the color I picked.”
“You mean I did something right?” Gavin asks, walking up in a perfectly fitted black suit, complete with an olive vest and tie underneath. He’s fumbling with his white boutonniere with a smug smile on his face. “Maybe I should quit my job and take over the wedding planning industry,” he says just as the boutonniere falls off and into the snow.
I laugh and pick it up. Gavin’s cheeks actually flush a little as I pin it properly to his lapel. “I think you should just stick to the ski resort industry,” I say, patting him on the chest.
“Yeah, maybe so,” he grimaces. I tug on his jacket, pulling him into a kiss.
“Okay you two,” Josie cuts in, “I need pictures of the whole wedding party. Which means wrap it up and get in place.”
