Page 50 of We're One

“What can I do?” I want to make this better for him, but don’t know how.

He puts his computer on the table then holds out his arms. “Sit with me,” he says. I don’t hesitate as I sink onto his lap and he wraps his arms around me. I snuggle against him, laying my head on his shoulder as I rub his arm. If this is what he needs, I’ll sit this way all night.

“I have a long story to tell you, and I hope it doesn’t make you question us being together. Before I start, let me tell you that no one makes choices for me, and no one but me decides how my life should go.”

I’m confused and also a little scared. This is an ominous way to start a conversation. “I can’t imagine anyone ever telling you what to do.”

“Tell me this won’t change how you feel about me,” he demands.

I smile against his neck. “I can’t imagine anything will change how I feel. I haven’t had a lot of choice in this from the moment we met again.”

“I know. You fought it, but what we have is too powerful to throw away.” His arms tighten around me. I continue to run my fingers along his arm, and shift a bit, getting more comfortable. This is my favorite place to be.

“This all began when my brothers and I were in college at OSU,” he says.

“Wow, okay, that’s a long time ago,” I say.

“Yes, we were going out to take a midnight swim in a lake near our house. When we got close to the water we heard a woman splashing in the water. She was calling out for help, and then she went under. We jumped in and swam to her. Luckily, we found her, pulled her from the water, and gave her CPR. She was fine, or at least she appeared to be fine.”

I don’t know what to say to this and what it has to do with the envelope, so I don’t interrupt. I’m sure it will all circle back to now. He takes a long moment and I squeeze him. Of course he was a hero even as a young college man. I don’t think he realizes how special he and his brothers are.

“She went from lying on the ground by the lake to getting up, looking like nothing had happened to her. We told her she needed to go to the hospital but she gave us this mysterious smile, and then she walked off saying something about a gift. I’m not sure, none of us were really paying attention to that. We were still in shock over the near-drowning.”

“I bet,” I say, unable to keep it inside.

“When we returned to our house we found three boxes on the steps. We were a little creeped out if I’m being honest. It all seemed like a dream. We didn’t know what to think about the situation. We took them into the house, then eventually they got tucked away in some corner. When we moved from the house, they must have gotten packed up and sent back home to the ranch. We didn’t think about them again after that.”

“You never opened them?”

“Nope.”

“That would’ve killed me. I’d have to have known what was in those boxes,” I tell him.

“We were young and easily distracted back then.”

I chuckle. “Not much has changed then.” I must admit I love how dedicated this man is when he wants something. On the other hand I fear how easily he’s done with something when that fascination ends.

He squeezes me again. “I get distracted by you, like you’re doing to me now,” he says with a little chuckle. “I like it though, because it helps my heart not hurt so much.”

Admitting his heart’s hurting makes me want to hold him tighter, makes me want to protect him. For this strong, beautiful, capable man to feel vulnerability is unreal to me. I feel like I need him, but maybe, just maybe, he needs me as well. Maybe he really isn’t the same kid who was with me nine years ago. Maybe he does want something more permanent. We can’t guarantee anything. Heck, people fall in love, get married, have children, and then divorce. I can’t expect him to always love me, but I can hope this will last if we both want it enough.

“Do you know what this envelope has to do with the box?”

“I might,” he says. “When Gramps died last year, we met in his office and sitting on his desk were the three boxes. We looked over them, and they didn’t appear to be tampered with. The rules for the boxes were that we had to open them one at a time. Blaze did his first, then Callan, and now me.”

He again pauses. I’m in shock. This is so strange to me and I don’t know how it all comes around to this envelope. But I’m patient.

“Blaze’s journey was to go on a treasure hunt. He found whatever it was he was supposed to, but he wouldn’t share the entire journey. That’s part of the game. Callan was to go to Seaville. Both of my brothers were guided to one person to help them along the way.”

He lets this sink in for a moment. I finally get it and sit up so I can look him in the eyes. “What person was supposed to help them?” He smiles.

“Well, in Blaze’s case, he was sent to Courtney. Callan was sent to The Mermaid Café where he then was teamed up with Sasha.”

“What are you saying, Zach?” I’m so confused.

“My game was to redesign this house... and your name was the one I was to go to.”

It takes several long heartbeats for this to sink in. I’m incredibly confused. It makes no sense at all. “How would some lady from a lake know my name?” I pause for a moment. “Did this happen before or after we met?”

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