Page 9 of Designing with the Mountain Man
“It should for how many hours I put into the thing.” I chuckled as I began cleaning up my station, all of my mixing bowls and pastry bags piled high on the table.
“It’s gorgeous, Mar, really. Every time I think you can’t blow me away, you always manage to do exactly that. Sometimes more. I wish I could decorate as well as you do. Instead, my flowers look more like they’re dying by a horrible melting death, falling off the cake to their doom. But we can’t all have green thumbs, can we? Nope. And we can’t all play guitar and sing amazingly, can we? Nope again. Can Marlowe make a mean everything but the kitchen sink cookie as good as her best friend G? Again nope.” Genevieve laughed.
“No one can make that cookie as good as you. One day I’ll get the recipe from you.” I teased her and she shook her head no while laughing more.
“Nice try, but you won’t.”
“What recipe?” Steeler asked, his voice echoing around the large kitchen. He flashed me a big smile before he wrapped me in a bear hug and kissed the top of my head. “Hi baby, I missed you.”
“One of G’s cookie recipes. She doesn’t want to share. And I missed you too.”
“Ew, you two need to get a room.” Genevieve said with amusement.
“You love it.”
“It’s like being in high school all over again.”
“Ha! Best times of our life, girlfriend.”
She waved her hand and left the room. “If you say so.”
“You ready to ditch this place so we can get a head start on our weekend?”
I placed my hands on Steeler’s chest and lifted onto my toes to kiss his lips. “I sure am. Let me just package up this cake.” Steeler planned a surprise getaway weekend for us, and I couldn’t wait to get out of town and leave some of the stress behind.
“Damn, it’s so lifelike. You amaze me, Mar.”
“I know, right?”
After finishing up at the bakery with Steeler’s help and saying goodbye to Genevieve, we left town, heading down to the Cape, for some sun and relaxation on the beach.
It brought back memories of the first road trip I ever went on, having been with Steeler as we drove to Florida together one summer.
We were so young and carefree back then and so in love with each other and full of life.
Walking away from Steeler to pursue my dream was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. But I knew in the end it would all be worth it. I’d accomplish my dreams and have Steeler by my side. Because with a love like ours, it can withstand the test of time, the test of turbulence, and all of life’s nuisances.
With a love as strong as ours, it would last forever.
Steeler,ten years ago, age sixteen, flashback from high school
My parents movedus here unexpectedly and the last thing I wanted to do was be the new kid at school. While it was the beginning of a new school year, and I could hopefully blend in, it wouldn’t change the fact that I was the new kid in school. Even worse, I was going into my sophomore year of high school. All the kids had their friends already, their established groups, and there I was, an outsider, a loner, and boy, did I feel like the biggest loser. The first day was always the hardest and combine that with a new school and it was a disaster.
The day turned around in the afternoon when I walked in fifth period English and saw the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen before. Long brown hair, pulled into a ponytail, stunning hazel eyes, and the brightest smile that could cheer up the gloomiest day.
She offered me a smile and seat next to her, told me her name was Marlowe, and she loved to draw and bake. She asked me my name and what I liked to do. She made me feel important. Cared about. And finally, not lonely. It was instant. Our connection, our friendship, our bond. I fell hook, line, and sinker.
And when I kissed her two weeks later, under the Friday night lights of the school’s first pep rally, I was certain I’d never be the same again. Sure enough, I was correct.
Marlowe brought me into her world and soon, I had friends, like this cool kid Lyric who started hanging out with me after school, and Marlowe’s best friend Genevieve who cracked funny jokes.
For the next three years of high school, it was Mar and me. All the time. I was hopelessly in love with this girl, and I didn’t care if the world knew it.
When she told me her plans for after graduation, I wanted to talk her out of it. Wanted to keep her in Apple Falls forever with me. But how could I?
How could I watch the one I loved not chase her dreams and be unhappy?
I couldn’t.
