Someday she might decide to move him to Italy – or maybe even someplace else that wasn’t even on her radar yet. In that moment, though, she knew that they were exactly where they needed to be…
She just wished that her son’s father was there with them.
19
Laurie
Nearly a week went by without a single word exchanged between Laurie and Kekoa.
She kept waiting for the opportunity to speak with him, but it never came. He seemed to be avoiding his mother’s house. She saw him a few times around town, but he hardly looked her way.
He had meant it when he told her that things would be all or nothing with him. He had warned her. She just hadn’t fully realized what that meant.
She hadn’t realized that “all in” included the children.
But of course it did. She understood where he was coming from.
Their families were already as close as it was possible to be. She practically lived with his parents, for goodness sake, and in the little cedar cabin that he had built with his own two hands. Their kids were good friends. And limiting their romantic relationship to the occasional hike while the kids were at school meant that they would only have a few hours together each week when she managed to get away from work.
He wanted more than that.
And – if she was being honest with herself – so did she.
She had typed and deleted a dozen different messages.
This couldn’t be mended with words on a screen. She needed to see him.
She found him in his shop, just as she had hoped that she would. He was putting the finishing touches on a beautiful pair of rocking chairs, and it took him a moment to notice her. She stood watching him, marveling at the contrast between his muscular arms and the delicate lines of the chair. He looked built for construction work, right enough – but toting logs and raising barns. Instead, he had dedicated himself to the delicate work of carving.
She loved this man. All of his surprising contrasts. Everything that he was, and everything he stood for. She was in awe of him.
She just hoped that she hadn’t broken it beyond repair, whatever this was between them. That force between them felt strong enough to change the course of her whole life… and yet fragile enough to snap if she said the wrong thing.
She wasn’t afraid of him. After everything that she had been through, that was a marvelous thing to realize. She wasn’t afraid thathewould snap. She trusted him with her life. But shewasafraid of losing him.
She had been standing there for a couple of minutes when he finally set his tools aside and turned to face her. There was no surprise in his expression; he had known that she was there the whole time.
“It’s been a while,” she said.
He stood stoic and unmoving.
“I’m sorry I haven’t reached out. I started to, so many times,but… I needed to speak with you in person.” She trailed off, unsure of how to continue.
“Are we done, then?” he asked, his voice rough.
She stared at him, uncomprehending. “What?”
“You don’t want to be with me.”
“Of course I do!”
“You do?” The blank mask slipped, and she saw the hurt in his eyes. He started to reach for her – but then he pulled back and folded his arms across his chest.
“Why do you think I’m here?” she asked.
“To break up with me?”
“No! Kekoa, I love you.”
