Page 8 of Winter Love

I clean off the bench and lay the blanket down that I brought with us. I hold her hands and wait for her to start.

“When we decided to stop seeing each other, that was the worst day of my life. It’s taken me three years to realize that I was stupid to say no to moving here with you. I was afraid that you would wake up one day and realize that you didn’t really love me. That you just needed me in your grief, but when that cleared up, you’d leave me. But I’ve never stopped wanting you and I hope that you still feel the same way?—”

I wrap my hand in her hair and pull her to me, taking her lips with mine. She moans softly as she matches the passion I have for her. I finally pull back, but keep my hold on her.

“I love you, Emma. I never stopped loving you. Are you saying you’re willing to move here?”

“Yes. If you’ll have me.”

“Baby. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. That day we split up? I knew then it was the dumbest decision I’d ever made. But I didn’t know how to fix it. Are you sure about this?” I ask again.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything. My family told me that leaving Storyville doesn’t mean I’m leaving them. It means that our family is growing. I never should’ve left you,” she says as tears fall down her face. I wipe them away.

“You don’t know how happy you’ve made me. When I saw you this morning, I told myself that I was going to find a way to get you to stay.”

“I was so worried that you might have changed your mind about me…about us.”

“That would never happen. I told you when I met you, you’re my soulmate. That fairytale love that people whisper about. That my parents talked about, your parents talk about. We found it. And when we weren’t together? It was horrible for me.”

Chapter Four

Emmanuelle

This morning turned out better than I could’ve imagined. I knew how connected Lukas and I were before but it’s the best feeling to know that he still loves me. That it wasn’t just me that felt this way all these years. Now to put in for a transfer to Wintervale. I need to talk to him about it and see if there’s an opening at his station.

“So, we need to talk about how we’re going to do this. I can’t just move here and not have a job. And I don’t want to quit being a firefighter.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. We’ll go to the station later and talk to my captain. We can see what positions are open. Maybe we can start the transfer today and get you moved here as soon as possible. Because I don’t want you to change your mind.”

“I won’t change my mind. You’ve always been my future, I just didn’t know how to leave my family.”

“Do your parents hate me? For leaving you…”

“They could never hate you. My maman told me she could see how much we loved each other. She never understood why we gave up on our love.”

Lukas laughs and shakes his head.

“I never gave up. I just didn’t know how to make it work without one of us sacrificing everything to move to the other. Oh, and you need to pack your stuff and check out of the resort.”

I frown up at him.

“Don’t look at me like that, you’re staying with me.”

“I’m only staying one more night. Why don’t you stay here?”

“Can you stay longer? Or do you have to get back for work?” he asks.

“I need to get back for work. I’m on shift on Tuesday.”

Lukas pouts at me. I feel the same way and if I hadn’t been afraid of him rejecting me, I would’ve taken more time off. But knowing that I’ll be coming back to be with him makes leaving easier.

“I’ll be back soon. That’s making it easier to leave this time.”

“That’s the only reason I’m not fighting you more to stay longer.” He laughs. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come and help you pack?”

“I’m sure. There’s nothing big that I’ll be taking with me. Only my clothes and my personal things.”

“Okay, whatever else you need, we can just buy when you move here.”

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