Page 124 of Blindly Yours

“I look forward to it,” I reply with a smile as she leaves the three of us alone. Then I turn to George and take a deep breath. “Rose said you consoled her yesterday, and I want to thank you for that. I should have been there.”

George nods, and he looks serious. I think maybe he’s going to start lecturing me about how I should treat his little sister, but then he smiles. “We’re picking teams for tomorrow morning. You seem like the kind of guy who knows how to handle a shotgun. How about it?”

I chuckle. “It’s been a few years for me, but yeah, let’s do it. Do you hunt?”

Rose lets out a small laugh but covers her mouth, and George turns to her, incredulous. “What? You don’t think I know how to shoot a gun?”

She shrugs. “Only because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you spend your free time on anything but getting ahead at work.”

He raises a brow. “I have quite a few extra-curricular interests, actually.” Then he turns to me. “I don’t hunt, but I’ve tried my hand at skeet shooting a few times.” He grins. “I’m alright at it.”

Rose gapes at him. “Not withDad?”

He shakes his head and laughs. “No. With a few guys back in college. One of them had a family range, so we did that, then went to a Packers game.”

“Ah, nice!” I chime in at the mention of my favorite team. “You think they’re going to have a shot at playoffs this year?”

“As long as they can contend with the Vikings.” He arches a brow. “If they play like they did last year, we might not have a chance.”

I cross my arms and lean in slightly. “It’s rare I see another Packers fan living right in the heart of enemy territory.”

He rolls his eyes a little. “Yeah, I get plenty of flak for it. Especially from Henry. But I’m sure you do too.” Then he peers curiously at me like a thought just came to him. “Hey, I’ve got tickets to a few home games in Green Bay this year. I’d love to invite you to one of them.”

“That would be incredible,” I reply, surprised by his generosity. I wouldn’t have expected something so thoughtful from any member of the family. “It’s been years since I’ve been.”

“I’ll email you the dates,” George confirms with a smile.

When I look down at Rose, she’s beaming at the two of us. Maybe we’refinallyturning a corner with her family. If there’s one weight I wish I could lift from her shoulders, it’s that one.

No relationship is ever perfectly smooth, but I feel like we’ve overcome two gigantic hurdles tonight, and that makes me more hopeful for the future than I’ve ever been.

TWENTY-NINE

Rose

The next morning, I sip a steaming cup of coffee on the large, shared balcony at the lodge. It overlooks a crystal-clear lake surrounded by tall pines, and the soft fog that sits on the water’s surface is slowly evaporating in the early sun.

The air is crisp and fresh at this early hour, and I take a deep breath, watching a family of mallards cross the lake. Before Nate, I would have had my phone in my lap, completely oblivious to the beauty that surrounds me, but now I crave the peace and clarity found in simple moments like this.

Almost as if to tease me though, my phone vibrates on the table next to me, and when I pick it up, Junie’s name reads on the screen.

“Hey, Junie.” I hold it to my ear and take a sip of coffee.

“Nate came?” she asks eagerly.

I smile as a cool breeze catches the ends of my hair. “Yeah, he showed up for the reception.”

“And what was his excuse?”

Her firm tone makes me laugh a little because while I love how protective she is of me, it’s so unnecessary in this moment.

“We both made stupid mistakes,” I clarify. “He was in a bad place that day with Kara’s appointment. But he apologized, and I know he truly meant it.”

Junie sighs lightly. “Well, he’s gonna hear from me if he does it again.”

I bite my lip. “Something else happened, too.”

“What?” she asks tentatively.

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