Page 4 of Wild Promises

"Is that what you want?" I'd always thought Tori would want kids, a family. Those are the things we'd talk about when we were stuck in a hiding spot for too long. What did we want to do with our lives? Did we want to leave Telluride? Stay? Be close to our families? For me, I wanted to stay, and I always thought Tori would come back. When she didn't, it was a shock, and I wasn't over it yet.

"I don't know what I want anymore. I was hoping coming home would give me some clarity."

I didn't know what to say to her. I'd never been one to be particularly motivated or goal oriented. I enjoyed my current job. I liked being around my family. It made sense to work at the resort.

"It's getting late. I should get home." Tori stood, folding the blanket.

I stood with her, knowing I'd clear our table later, after she was gone.

She pulled her jacket tight around her shoulders. "It's colder here somehow."

"The snow on the ground keeps the air temperature colder."

"In New York, the snow turns black."

I'd never had any desire to go to New York. All those buildings, the smog. I shuddered just thinking about the sheer number of people.

I opened the door to go back into the lodge. There were very few people in the room. The party had mainly cleared out. It was late. I kept a hand on her lower back as we walked slowly through the lodge to the lobby. "Did you drive, or should I call you a car?"

"Would you mind driving me? I don't want to make small talk with strangers."

"Of course." I wouldn't deny Tori anything.

Outside, I nodded toward the valet who took off for my vehicle. We kept ours in a garage so we didn't need to worry about snow and ice.

When it pulled up, I opened the door for Tori. I waited while she gathered her skirt and climbed inside. I closed the door behind her, struck that we'd done this many times before. We'd gone to school dances together as friends, and I'd driven her to school every morning.

In the cab, the heat was blaring, and Tori fiddled with the radio. I pulled from the curb while she settled for a holiday tune. "I’m so happy to be home. I enjoyed seeing everyone, and my parents are happy."

"I bet." Tori was their pride and joy. They hadn’t been sure they could have kids, and when they finally had her, they spoiled her. I didn't blame them.

"I just don't want to let them down."

"How are you letting them down?" Her father always bragged about his daughter, who was a doctor in the city, saving people's lives in the emergency room and dating a surgeon. She could do no wrong in his eyes. "You have to live your life. This is your dream. Not your parents'."

"I guess."

I wasn't sure what was bothering her. She said she was happy with Hugh. Maybe it was the idea of letting go of her childhood dream and the pact we made. "You know, you don't have to do what you said you'd do at seventeen. We grow up and make different dreams and goals."

I hadn't, but I didn't think that would help her. I parked in front of her parents’ house. It looked as if it had a fresh coat of paint since I’d last visited, and there was new shrubbery under the windows.

"You're right. I'm just feeling nostalgic. It's silly." Tori made a move to open the truck's door, and I reached over to stop her with a hand on her leg.

The heat seared my palm, and I quickly withdrew. "You're not being silly."

Tori smiled at me, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Walk me to my door?"

"Of course." I was hoping we had an extra few minutes to talk in the warmth of the cab, but she was already getting out.

I hustled around the truck so I could assist her walking down the sidewalk. We'd gotten some fresh flurries during the party, and the concrete was covered in a fine coating of fresh powder. "I wish I had time to go skiing."

I chuckled. "You'd have to stay longer than a day or two for that."

"True," she said as we stepped onto her porch. The light was on, and I felt like a teenager taking her home. I wondered if her parents still waited up for her.

We stopped in front of her door and turned to face each other.

"I should get inside. I have an early flight tomorrow."

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