Page 29 of Rekindled Heat

“You think she’ll take me back?”

“With some groveling,” Anne says.

The plans for going back home start percolating in my head. Is there any way I can avoid my mother during my visit? Doubtful. And the old biddies that are in everyone’s business? Even less. But my heart has been empty since I sent Bran away, and I have to do something before I go into full meltdown.

What finally convinces me that I’m doing the right thing is that I can finally breathe freely with every step I take toward Woodland Falls. The knot in my chest is untangled. That proves how deeply I love Brandy Lennon and how I cannot live without her.

Chapter 11

Brandy

I’m on my way to Woodland Falls Park with a heavy picnic basket. Sam said she was taking the day off so she could spend some quality time with me. I need it. I need my BFF. Both my head and my heart are one big tangled mess. I haven’t heard a peep from Erik after two weeks, and it discourages me. I don’t want to have to go through another twelve years for him to figure this shit out.

I find a close parking spot and start unloading everything. The gazebo seems to be the best bet for a picnic because it’s a bit cloudy today. I lay everything out and remember that picnic I made for Erik the final time he came home from college. I had been desperate to keep our connection alive. I would have done anything to follow him to school.

He made his choice back then, and I had to live with the consequences. It bothers me a little bit that he’s got the say in the way our relationship goes. I should have a say, too. Back then, we were just children. Now, we’re grown adults who are supposed to know what they’re doing. I laugh out loud at that and catch Mrs. Carter looking at me funny.

Oh well, live and learn. Being in a small town is ‘an experience,’ and I should just enjoy it. I keep checking my watch. Sam is late, but I’m in no hurry, so I get my phone out and start reading People magazine. It’s part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription, and I just love it. When I hear footsteps coming up the stairs behind me, I frown because they are heavier than Sam’s would be. Someone is encroaching on my picnic area, and I’m going to complain.

“Is there room for one more in here?”

I turn around and see my beautiful Erik standing right here in the middle of Woodland Falls.

“You’re here…” I whisper.

This is definitely an awesome surprise, but he renders me speechless, and I can’t even get the words out to let him know it’s okay to join me. So I pat down the space next to me, signaling him to sit down there.

“Looks like rain.”

I nod and take a peek at him sitting next to me. He looks good enough to eat. I wish I was sitting on his lap. My thoughts are getting away from me, so I take a deep breath to center myself and maybe speak a few words.

“Has the town changed much since you were gone?” I ask.

“Are we really going to do small talk right now?”

“Answering a question with another question. Great strategy.”

“Bran…”

“I’m sorry I lied to you. That’s not the way I wanted to restart our friendship. But I missed you so much these past years. You only sent those Christmas cards. I thought I’d lost you.”

“When my career took off, I decided to put this town and everyone in it behind me. I was selfish, especially because I hurt my mother and you as well. Anne says I'm a coward, and I'm starting to agree with her."

"Why would she say something like that?"

"Because I'm terrified of putting everything on the line and then having it not work."

"But that's the best part of loving someone—taking that risk that it might be the best thing that ever happened to you or the worst mistake in your life. And you won't find out which one it will be unless you live through it. I'm willing to live through it. Do you think you can try it for me? For us?"

He glances at me with this tortured look on his face, and I keep myself from jumping him right here in front of everyone. And yes, there's a crowd. Mrs. Carter must have called her friends.

"Loving you is the biggest risk I'll ever take in my life."

I smile my brightest smile and grab his hand with mine.

"There's no time like the present, Erik Nelson. But, do you truly forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive. I'm an idiot and have many witnesses willing to testify to that."

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