“You know how Chris and Bethany are going to have a baby? Chris and I always talked about having a family. We were going to get married and have three kids, maybe four. But I couldn’t marry him. He’s great, and perfect with Bethany, but not perfect for me.”
“Right. You’ve said that.”
“Yeah, but my desire to have a family didn’t go away just because I couldn’t stay with Chris. So that’s what I decided to use my money for, and that’s why this is my last Frozen Divide 100, my last big race at all, at least for several years. I’m going to use my savings to adopt a child.”
Ah, that all makes sense, Jack thought. “You’ll be a great mom.”
“I think so, too, but now...” She cleared her throat. “Now, I’m wondering if maybe I should hold off?” She looked at her hands, twisting them in her lap. “Maybe, you and me, maybe we’re...I mean, I know it’s too soon—”
“It’s not too soon,” Jack interrupted, his voice rougher than usual. Now was the time. “I need to tell you something too.”
“Okay?” She leaned forward in her chair, a hopeful lilt in the word.
“I’ve been thinking about what I’m afraid of. Not managing it or working around it. Actually thinking aboutit.” He looked at his wrapped foot. “I’m terrified. Of caring about someone and watching them take risks and not being able to stop it. That’s not going away. I know that.”
A cloud passed over her face.
Jack raised his hand. “I’m scared, but it doesn’t matter. I’m choosing this anyway. Choosing you. If you’ll have me, that is. I’m all in. I want to make room for you in my life, and I want to be in yours. I understand that’s not simple, given how I’ve made things difficult with you and our running clubs and the trouble out in the wilderness and the things we still need to figure out. I’m not asking for simple. I’m asking for real.”
She smiled and shook her head. “That sounds like something off a Valentine’s card.”
He laughed. It came out genuine and loose, and he hadn’t expected it. “Yeah, it does. I mean every word of it, though.”
“I know you do.” The warmth in her voice was not the careful, guarded thing he’d spent months navigating around. “I’m in too.”
Jack nodded and smiled. “Good. That’s good. I was hoping...I mean, after everything. I mean, I know it’s a lot. We went through a lot and—”
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
She stood and walked over to him, taking his hand before she knelt by his chair. “You’re rambling again.”
He huffed a quiet laugh, the sound catching somewhere between nerves and relief. “Right. Sorry.”
“You don’t have to convince me. I’m already here. And I agree with you. This is real.”
His fingers tightened around hers. “Yeah. You are.”
For a moment, neither of them moved as they stared at each other.
Then she leaned in.
It wasn’t rushed or desperate. Just certain.
When their lips met, it was soft at first—testing, almost—but the hesitation didn’t last. It deepened slowly, naturally, like they were both learning the shape of something new and finding it fit.
Jack relaxed against her, tension slipping free as he kissed her back. His hand went to the back of her neck, grounding himself in the reality of her. Of them.
There was promise in it. Not just of this moment, but of everything that came after. The messy, complicated, real future they’d just agreed to step into.
When they finally pulled apart, it wasn’t far.
He rested his forehead against hers, smiling, a little breathless. “Real sounds pretty good.”
Epilogue
Three Months Later
