Page 89 of Stuck on the Slopes

When I smiled, I could have sworn I felt tears well behind my eyes. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. And besides, that’s what incidentals are for.”

As her father laughed from his gut, Rachel squeezed my hand, silently letting me know she was here and that everything was okay. I remembered some of the first vulnerable words I ever told her, about how a good family was hard to come by. I swallowed my tears back, keeping my emotions close to my chest once more. I’d let them out in the privacy of my room later.

Over her dad’s shoulder, I saw my father standing by himself. Once I spotted him, he waved and I excused myself, stepping aside to approach him.

“Dad?”

“Hey, Juniper.” My father wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me in for a hug. He’d sounded almost melancholy, struggling with his words as much as I struggled with my own. I didn’t bother to fight my smile as I returned his embrace and he said, “I’m proud of you.”

“Did Mom come?” I suspected I knew the answer already since she was nowhere to be seen, but I still felt the need to ask.

“No. It’s just me.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Hope that’s okay.”

I nodded as we pulled away from one another. “Of course it is.”

“I think it’ll be just me from now on, if you get what I mean.” He sighed. “We can talk more about it later. I don’t want to put a damper on your big day.”

“No, it’s fine. I get it.” I smiled at him, trying to ease his worries. “What’s next for you?”

“Apartment hunting. I’m letting her keep the house. I don’t want any trouble. I was thinking of getting a place in the village here. It’s real cute. What do you think?”

I found my smile growing. “I think you’d love it.”

It felt like ages before the crowd died down. Once we had a moment alone in the lobby, I reached for Rachel’s wrist. I’d been wanting to talk to her alone all day, needing a moment to recharge my social battery and process my feelings.

“Can I talk to you for a second? Just us?”

Her gaze softened as she smiled, tugging at my heartstrings with a simple look. “Of course, Juni.”

We walked down the hall to my suite, Sasquatch in tow. Once I closed the door, I cupped her face and kissed her, feeling too much at once to think of the right words. All I could do for now was give my all to this kiss. Rachel melted against me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling herself closer. I never thought I could crave the touch of someone actively connected to me as I kissed and gripped her in hopes of communicating better than I could with words. How I hadn’t fucked it up with her yet, I’d never know, but Rachel seemed to cling to me as much as I clung to her, despite all of my flaws. When we pulled away, I pressed our foreheads together. The need to stay close to her took over, and I didn’t know what else to do or say.

I just needed her.

“Juni?”

“These have been the best few months of my entire life.” My hands trailed back, gripping her raspberry-scented hair. “I know when you started, we said we’d figure out housing when we were ready to cross that bridge, but I don’t want to lose you. I know we can’t live in a fucking hotel forever, but don’t want for you to leave and me to leave and for us to lose whatever this is. Maybe this is all too fast, and if it is, tell me to fuck myself, but I know that I can't be away from you.”

I’d fully expected that Rachel would take a moment to process my words. After all, I’d essentially just confessed that I want to move in with her and take our relationship to the next level, despite the brevity. But I knew—I knew deep down that she was it for me.

To my surprise, though, Rachel didn’t need a second to process anything. Without a beat passing between us, she said, “Me neither. I don’t want to lose this or be away from you, either.”

That was not the response I was expecting. Even though I knew Rachel felt the same way I felt about her, my imposter syndrome usually won my internal arguments with myself. I could feel my jaw drop. “Really?”

When Rachel nodded, I kissed her again, except now the words came bubbling up. I couldn’t stop myself as I said, “I love you,” muffled against her lips. I couldn’t remember the last time I told someone that other than Sasquatch.

Between kisses, she said, “I love you too, Juni.”

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