Normal conversation. Normal life. Nothing dramatic or complicated. Just two people building something together.
By four, we're done. She locks up and we walk to our cars. Stand in the alley between them.
"Your place or mine?" I ask.
"Yours. I want to see the cabin in the afternoon light."
"Fair enough."
We drive in separate cars. Her following me on the winding road to my property. When we arrive, the sun is starting to dip below the trees. Everything is gold and orange.
Inside, I make coffee while she wanders around. Looking at books. Touching things. Making herself at home.
"I could get used to this," she says.
"The cabin?"
"This. Us. Being together without all the weight we were carrying before."
I hand her a mug. "Me too."
We sit on the porch and watch the sun set. Don't talk much. Just exist in the space we've created. No more secrets. No more hiding. Just us.
My phone buzzes with an email from the client. Everything approved. Job complete. I can stay in Hearts Bend as long as I want.
"Good news?" Callie asks.
"The Denver job is done. I'm officially free to stay."
"And you want to stay?"
"Is that even a question?"
She smiles. "Just checking."
I set down my coffee and turn to face her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to work from your shop. Help you build the business. And be the annoying boyfriend who's always underfoot."
"That sounds perfect."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
The sun disappears completely. Stars start appearing. Crickets begin their evening noise. Everything is peaceful and right.
"I love you," I tell her.
"I love you too."
Simple words. But they hold everything. Every choice we made. Every risk we took. Every moment of doubt we pushed through.
We sit there until it's fully dark, then we move inside, and make dinner together. We eat at the small table, and clean up side by side like we’ve been doing this for years.
Normal domestic life. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing dramatic.
Just us building something real, something that will last.
Later, we lie in bed. Her head on my chest. My arm around her shoulders. Both of us aretired but content.
