Page 43 of Love Never Happens with your Brother’s Best Friend

We walk back, hand in hand, to where we left the backpacks on the riverbank. Still, no one else is around. Holding Brodie’s strong warm hand, I feel so close to him. Just like when we were teenagers, but closer; better, now that we have cleared a few things up. Being with Brodie seems like the most natural thing in the world. I’m not sure what happens next, but I know we’ll be together, and I can’t stop smiling. Afternoon has turned to evening. Birds swoop to catch insects buzzing just above the water’s shining surface. Occasionally, a fish plops, jumping to catch them too.

“I’d better check in with Dylan. He’ll worry if I don’t call soon.”

“He knows that you’re with me, though, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah. I think that’s why he’ll worry.” I smile across at Brodie.

“Haha. Rita Carmichael. You are very funny.”

Brodie drops my hand then puts a protective arm around my shoulders and pulls me close.

He kisses the top of my head and says, “Are you going to tell him, or should I?”

“About what?” I say with deliberate nonchalance as we arrive at the backpacks.

“Rita. You can be so annoying sometimes. About us, of course!”

“You are so easy to tease, Brodie Kent…” I reach my arms around his muscular torso and nuzzle my face in the front of his hoodie. “We’ll tell him together.” Then I tilt my head back, leaving my chin resting on Brodie’s chest. “How about we get Mom, Dad, and Dylan together, all in the same room, so we only need to say it once, alright?”

“Good plan.”

Brodie wraps his arms around me. I feel warm and safe. But then I break away to find the radio. I call Dylan who picks up almost immediately. He must have been waiting for me to call.

“Hey, Sis. Where are you guys?”

“Hi. At the swimming hole. It’s so nice. The water is lovely. Bring some food? We could have dinner here. Bring Mom and Dad and the dogs?” I’m about to continue, but Dylan cuts me off.

“Listen. Sorry.” Dylan is uncharacteristically serious. “I think I should just come get you. Is Brodie there?”

“Sure, Bro,” Brodie says into the handset. “What’s up?”

“Seems like word has got around that you’re in town. There are a couple of reporters with cameras camped out at our place. It’s a bit mad. My dad has asked them to move along, and the sheriff has been called, and everything.”

“Oh, no. This is terrible,” says Brodie, his brow furrowed with concern. “I am so sorry.”

“Not your fault. Really. What do you want to do, bud?”

Brodie’s face is stoney with thought. The warm light has gone out of his golden-brown eyes. He looks across at me.

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “We’ll do whatever you want.” Brodie nods then hits the button to reply to Dylan.

“Could you come pick us up?”

“Listen. Rita. Brodie. You could stay a few more nights out in the forest,” Dylan says through the static crackles. “Until these people go away. I could drop off supplies for you. What do you think?”

“Thanks, but no.” Brodie looks at me. His eyes are sad. But then he says with determination. “I need to sort this out.”

“If that’s what you want, then cool. I’m leaving now. See you soon.”

Brodie hands me back the comms set and sighs.

“This isn’t going away until I make it. The story is totally untrue. I promise.” Brodie looks into my eyes and says, “I’m going to tell the world. But there’s only one person I need to believe me, and it’s you, Rita.”

“I believe you, Brodie, with all my heart.”

I reach up to kiss my first and only love. Brodie places a hand either side of my face. We kiss with urgency and passion. My eyes close as our kiss deepens. I kiss Brodie with a longing that I’ve been holding back for years. In that moment, he possesses everything that I am: my past, present, and future; my hopes and dreams; my fears and triumphs. Every fiber of my being belongs to him. I will walk through fire to be with this man.

We stand together wrapped in each other’s arms for a little while longer, both wishing that we could stretch out the moment to last eternity.

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