Page 153 of Return To You

He squeezes my hip. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Really?”

Well, it’ll have to be tomorrow, right. Isn’t he supposed to leave now-ish?

“When are you leaving?” I ask.

He groans and pulls me against him but doesn’t give me an answer.

fifty

Ethan

Alittle while ago, Justin asked for my help building something in the fields, a frame of a house. That’s when it hit me.

The need to rebuild the past, to erase my mistakes. No matter what Grace said. I want to forget the ten years that just went by, go back, and start new.

So every evening, after working on Lucas’s projects, I head to Woodbury Knoll.

I have a clear idea of what I need and how I want it, and in a few days, it’ll be done.

Yesterday I stopped at the antique shop and met with Autumn. After swearing her to secrecy, I had her help me pick out a cute rug, a few lanterns, a kilim-covered futon, wide throw pillows, and colorful blankets. I bought local pottery and pink drinking glasses at Noah's general store. I picked up the finishing touch tonight and dropped it off right before getting home to pick up Grace.

“Close your eyes!” I call out from the front of the bike.

Yeah, she’s taken a liking to the ‘chick magnet.’ So much so, that when I wanted to drive her blindfolded to see the ‘surprise,’ she still didn’t want to get in the car.

I didn’t think it’d be safe to have her blindfolded on the bike, so she promised she’d shut her eyes. When I kill the engine and kick out the stand, I turn around to see her with her eyes shut and nose adorably frowned.

“Can I open now?”

“Nope!”

“Ugh!” She swings a leg over the bike and trips on the uneven terrain. “Where are we? I nearly fell.”

I swoop her into my arms. Problem solved. “Almost there,” I say as she holds onto my neck with both hands.

“It smells like forest,” she says.

“Nice try.” The sound of my boots crunching twigs and leaves is enough of a tell. The narrow path climbs steadily, but my breathing stays even.

“Just put me down, Ethan. You’re struggling. I can tell. I’m too heavy.”

“I can barely feel you. We’re just… going uphill.” A rock rolls down the path. “Just a little more.” After a couple more minutes, I set her down and hold her hand. “Duck,” I say, moving aside the underbrush that hides the surprise. “You can open your eyes now.”

She looks around. “Where are we?” Then she squints. “Is that…? Are we on Woodbury Knoll?”

I swing her around so she’s looking in the right direction now. In the direction of the new treehouse I built for her. For us.

She clasps her hands to her mouth. “Ohmygod, Ethan! What did you do?!” The hours spent busting my ass, the extra callouses on my hands, the ache in my lower back are all worth it when I see the wonder in her gaze as she runs to the rope ladder and caresses its rungs before stepping up. She looks at me, stars in her eyes, and fuck me, but it’s a throwback to our younger years. To our carelessness. To the way we just wanted to enjoy each day together.

To the way a tree house away from everyone was all we needed. Hell, it was a castle to us.

And it sure looks the same today.

I close the gap between us and nudge her up, following right behind her, my nose right up her cute ass so she’ll get there sooner. “Ethan!” she giggle-shrieks, hurrying up to the platform.

She moves the heavy curtain aside and gasps. Prodding her to step in, I join her inside.

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