Page 26 of Wild For You

Later that evening, under the blanket of stars dotting the night sky like silver pinholes in navy fabric, Michael leaned against his battered pickup truck outside the bar.

“Thought you'd be gone by now.”

“Figured you'd be happy to see me leave,” Michael replied without turning around, his gaze lingering on the mirror's void. The town had turned into a ghost of itself in his eyes, filled with whispers and judging stares — all because he couldn't let go of his bitterness.

“I don't want this for you. I wanted my brother back, not whatever war you're waging.”

A scoff escaped Michael's lips, yet it lacked heat. “You think it's that simple? That I can just drop everything and play happy families?”

“Isn't it simpler than tearing them apart?”

The question hung in the air, and the crickets paused our chorus as if to listen.

“Maybe for you. You found something here worth changing for.” His words were a begrudging admission, a nod to the love that had blossomed despite his attempts to ruin it.

“Lawson Ridge won't be the same without you, but neither will you if you stay with so much anger in your heart.”

“Maybe some things aren't meant to stay the same.”

“Where will you go?” My concern was a tangible thing, warm against the chill of the departing night.

“Anywhere but here,” Michael responded, the finality in his voice more resolute than the thrumming engine.

“Michael, don’t…” The plea was in my eyes, the unspoken fear of losing my brother to the shadows that seemed to cling to him.

“Take care of Josie,” Michael instructed, avoiding my gaze. It was as close to a blessing as he could muster — a silent acknowledgment of our bond.

“Always,” I assured, my hand resting briefly on the door before withdrawing.

As Michael shifted the truck into gear, the pickup lurched forward.

“Goodbye, Nico.”

19

Nico

“Everyone, could I have your attention, please?” My voice, clear and resonant, hushed the whispers of the crowd, and the music softened into a gentle hum.

I turned toward Josie.

“Josie,” I began, my voice threading through the silence, “from the moment I saw you, with your camera in hand and that look of quiet determination, I knew there was something about you.”

“Life threw us together,” I continued, my eyes never leaving hers, “not in the easy, gentle ways of fairy tales, but in the real, messy collision of two worlds. I came here carrying the weight of my past, focused only on being a good father to Haley.” A chuckle rippled through the crowd, light and knowing, but my expression remained earnest.

“Then you showed up with your warm smile, seeing the beauty in everything and everyone, even when they couldn't see it themselves.” I paused, a small smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth as I recalled the first time she had captured Lawson Ridge through her lens, making even the mundane sparkle.

“Josie, we've faced challenges,” I said, acknowledging the unspoken struggles in our journey—the late nights, the doubts,the fears that clawed at the edges of our happiness. “But every obstacle made me realize how much I need you. You are the lens that brings my world into focus, the frame that holds my life together.”

A collective sigh from the onlookers erupted, their hearts tethered to the gravity of my words. My palm grazed the velvet pocket of my jacket, where a small box held the promise of forever. His thoughts swirled like leaves caught in an autumn breeze, each one whispering Josie's name.

“Living with you is all I want.” I took another step, closing the distance between us, the crowd fading away into a hazy backdrop. All that mattered was the space where our gazes locked, where two souls seemed to converse without a word spoken aloud. “Josie Keller,” I said, the name an incantation on my lips, “you are my storm and my calm, the chaos and the quiet. I can't imagine a day without you by my side.”

The air around us seemed to hold its breath, the park itself a silent witness to the magic unfurling. And just like that, with the simplicity of truth spoken from the heart, the world changed—because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was the moment my life would take a turn toward forever.

Josie's fingers trembled, catching the last tear that dared escape the corner of her eye. My words hung like dewdrops in the morning sun, ephemeral and precious.

“Life is an unpredictable journey,” I continued. “But one thing I am sure of is that every twist and turn led me to you. I look at you and I see more than just the woman who captures joy with her camera. I see the woman who captured my heart.”

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