Page 107

“What was that for?” he murmurs against my lips.

I cup his face, bringing him down to me for another one. “For holding out hope. For not giving up.”

“On you? Never, sweetheart.”

My heart squeezes. “I did. I gave up. I was so mad.”

“It’s okay. I forgive you,” he says. “I had enough in me for the both of us.”

I would have melted to the ground if not for the solid grasp he has around me. “How about we get the tent and fire ready and go swimming in the lake, huh?”

He must pick up on my unspoken invitation because his fingers flex on my waist. “Already on the schedule, ma’am. If memory serves me right, your perfect date included a swim. Without any clothes.”

His words warm my blood until my skin feels tight and overheated. “It did,” I whisper. I wouldn’t mind running to the lake right about now, but Oliver releases me and takes my hand, leading me to the patch of sand.

When we get there, I take care of gathering twigs and larger branches to build a fire in the middle of a set of stones that have already been placed in a circle, and Oliver busies himself with the tent.

“So, um, do you have anything planned when you go back to Toronto?” he asks after a while, his focus zeroed in on pitching the tent.

I bring some branches and twigs and strategically place a few fire starters. “Not really, no. Probably see my sister,” I reply, my tone as detached as I can force it. I strike a match, and the wood catches fire.

Oliver kneels in front of one of the tent’s pegs and pulls the material taut before placing the pole in the loop. “Riley will be happy to see you. It’s been a while.” There’s an edge to his voice, and I don’t know what to do with it.

“Yep. She’s always hounding me for sister time, so it’ll be nice.”

He hums—just hums—like there’s not a billion other things he could say. Like “stay.”

Ask me to stay! I want to scream at him, but the words get stuck in my throat.

So we both stay silent. I wish he wouldn’t let the quiet settle. I wish he would take the leap I desperately want to take for once in my life. But instead, he finishes putting the tent up, and when I’m sure the fire will keep burning, I walk to my bag and rifle through it until I find the blanket and lay it out on the sand.

I take off my hiking boots, then remove my sweater, tossing it onto the blanket. “I’m going for a swim,” I say to Oliver. I don’t wait for his answer. I need to sink underwater and forget the disappointment rising in me. I slip my clothes off piece by piece until I’m wearing nothing but my skin and the bear pendant around my neck.

“Charlee, wait!”

But I’m already halfway into the water. The cold chills me to my bones, but I don’t care. I wet my shoulders and the back of my neck, and without a second thought, dive into the limpid water and lose myself to the roaring in my ears. When I rise to the surface, I spot Oliver removing his underwear and diving into the freezing lake.

Before I know it, he’s caught up with me, staying just a few feet from where I am.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” He’s out of breath, panic contorting his face.

“Go ahead,” I reply calmly, even though my heart is pounding in my ears.

“I had this whole speech planned. I wanted it to be perfect. To deliver it when we were snuggled in front of the fire, but I can’t wait any longer, and, honestly, fuck the speech. So, here’s the blunt truth, Charlee.”

He’s next to me in three long strokes. “Stay with me. Charlee, I—” He rakes a hand over his anguished features and looks at me, his arms keeping him afloat. “I can’t bear to see you go. I don’t know when you plan to leave for Toronto, if you’ve booked your tickets already . . .” He huffs shakily, and I try to do the same, but the air doesn’t go through. “This”—he widens his arms desperately—“is your home.” He places his hand over his heart. “This is your home. Don’t go. Please. I need you here.”

My mind goes quiet, and the bad thoughts that were spreading through me like weeds are ripped out in one fell swoop.

This was what he was mulling over all day?

I feel almost foolish for scaring myself like that. I know what he’s like. I should have known it was eating him up inside, that he’d study it from every conceivable angle before bringing it up to me.

I mentally face-palm myself.

It’s almost funny that he thinks I need any convincing, though.

But before I can tell him exactly that, he grasps my waist and pulls me to him, erasing the last few inches that were separating us. “I know my offer terrifies the wildcat in you, that you love your freedom more than anything and you never stay in one place for too long. I don’t want you to think I’m not on board with Emma’s offer. I hope you go for it. It’ll be an amazing opportunity for you, and she’s right—you’re a natural in front of the camera. You shine, and I’m mesmerized every time. I’ll never stop you from going places. I just want to be the home you come back to once you’re done wandering the world. I’ll wait for you to come home to me.”