Page 65 of Flowers To Give

Clearing his throat, Clark says, “Guess you’ll be getting your prize money sent to LA then?”

Jeremy looks back to Clark and shakes his head, “No, I’m not leaving with Merle.”

Brow scrunched in a mixture of confusion and surprise, Clark asks, “Barry?”

Shaking his head again, Jeremy tells him, “No, I don’t want to be with either one of them.”

“Then what? Why quit and leave?” Clark steps forward, expression tortured.

Taking a deep breath, none of the air seems to reach Jeremy’s lungs. He figures there’s no turning back now, being completely honest as his heart pinches and he says, “I’m in love with you, Clark.”

Face relaxing, Clark visibly swallows. There’s hardly a pause before Clark is telling him, “I feel the same way.”

“Then you’ll wait for me?” Jeremy asks hopefully.

Expression contorting again, Clark doesn’t follow, “Wait for what?”

“I’m going to do the rodeo circuit and compete in the National Finals Rodeo,” Jeremy shares with him, “I want to travel and make something of myself. I’m going to be somebody for you.”

“Jeremy,” Clark takes a step forward, “You don’t have to do that. You’re enough for me just as you are.”

“No, I want to,” Jeremy tells him, “I want you to be as proud of me as I am of you.”

Nodding, Clark understands, “I can respect that.”

“It’ll take me until the end of the year,” this is what Jeremy is most nervous for. It’s a big question but he asks it again anyway, “Will you wait for me?”

Clark looks at Jeremy as a whole, eyes trailing back up his body and anchoring their gaze. He says, “You know Laurelai was right? I moved here for you. Our marriage was failing and I was thinking about what I really wanted. My mind would always land on you. I felt so bad for how I acted in high school - if I had just been honest with myself then I would have never pushed youaway, and I’d be happy with you now. So I had to come find you, to see if how I felt was real or just something I’d built up in my mind. And I was right, I love you.

“I regret that we weren’t close in high school, that I got married so many times with all the wrong people. I regret a lot, but what I’ll regret the most is if I lose you. So I’ll do anything for you, Jeremy. I’ll wait forever if I have to. Just promise me you’ll come back to me.”

Jeremy takes a step forward, being pulled in by every word Clark declares. Feeling an urge to share the same sentiments, Jeremy replies, “Through the years, I would watch your movies just to see your face. I’ve never stopped feeling the way I did back then. You’re the one for me, Clark. I will always come back to you.”

Clark doesn’t have a moment to respond as Jeremy clears the meager distance between them and kisses Clark. It’s the first time in his life that he’s initiated a kiss, wanting to feel that firework effect in his gut at least one more time before he goes. Their lips work together and it’s as if Clark is made of electricity, sparking something deep inside Jeremy’s chest. The flowers get smushed between their bodies, floral aroma bathing their connection.

There’s murmuring coming from around them and phone cameras snap in their peripheral. Jeremy and Clark slowly pull away but are too lost in each other’s eyes to care that Clark’s been spotted and passerby’s are taking pictures. Jeremy feels vulnerable though, asking, “Should we stop them?”

“It’s too late now,” Clark sighs, hand gliding down Jeremy’s arm, “Besides, I don’t mind the world knowing the truth.”

Chewing on his bottom lip and not wanting another inch to separate them, Jeremy asks, “Can I call you while I’m on the road?”

“Uh, you better,” Clark replies. He chews on his cheek for a moment before looking behind them at the Toyota and saying, “Take it.”

Jeremy looks back and forth between them, asking, “The ranch’s truck?”

“You’ll need it, won’t you? Can’t be having you go from rodeo to rodeo by bus.”

Smiling yet eyes watering, Jeremy chokes out, “Thank you, Clark.”

“You’ll have to bring it back to me, though,” Clark adds, “At the end of the year.”

Jeremy nods, “It’s a promise.”

They stay in each other’s glow for a few more moments, Jeremy fortifying his heart for their inevitable separation. When they do say their goodbyes, they kiss once more. Their hands stay together until Jeremy has to close the truck door. He rests the flowers against his bag in the passenger’s seat. Rolling down the window, Jeremy hangs his head out the window and gets one more kiss before he’s turning the engine over and putting the gear in drive. Overhead lights illuminate the night ahead of Jeremy and as he passes them by, their golden light brings a twinkle to the flowers.

CHAPTER TEN

FAT SNOWFLAKES FLUTTER down from a fluffy white sky as the Toyota makes its track impressions in the pebbled driveway. Ponderosa Pines and Douglas-firs with limbs laden down with snow line the entrance to Willmaker Ranch as Jeremy drives upon it. Nearly eight months have passed since he left Colorado and he’s been homesick every second he’s been away.