Page 205 of The Hookup Situation
“That’s exactly what I told him.” Nick reaches for my hand, his thumb stroking slow circles against my skin. “I believe in us.”
The Range Rover’s engine hums as the town fades behind us. When I roll down the window to feel the brisk late autumn breeze, I inhale the clean air.
In the distance, the mountains rise higher. Their ridges are painted gold and brown, while some are completely bare. The sky is endless blue. It’s something I can only find in Colorado.
I sip my peppermint mocha, watching our reflections blur in the windshield. He’s driving one-handed, his other hand over mine on the console, as if he can’t stand not touching me, even for a minute.
When we climb the hill near Hollow Manor, I grow excited, knowing we’ll live this close to Autumn and Zane. It makes me giddy. The thought of tying our lives together here, permanently, does something to me.
Nick turns onto a gravel road that cuts into the mountain. Tirescrunch over stone until the trees open up, and we’re met with a large stretch of meadow. Surrounding it are towering aspens. Beyond them, the mountains climb, layered in smoky blue. To the right, the slope drops into a viewpoint that overlooks Cozy Creek. I can see tiny houses, the church steeple, and even the coffee shop.
From here, the town looks like a snow globe.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Hell yes,” I tell him, and we step out of the SUV.
The cold air bites my cheeks as I breathe in pine and possibility.
Nick slips an arm around my waist as we take it in. “Zane said he wanted this land to go to someone he trusted after Harper stated she didn’t want it.”
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. “Can we really accept this?”
“Yes. And we will with a smile and a thank-you,” he says. “It’s selfish on Zane’s part. Trust me.”
Wind rushes through the aspens, causing the branches to tremble.
Nick glances over at me, wearing a soft smile. “Picture it, Jules. A house with a porch swing. A kitchen big enough for several espresso machines. And a pumpkin patch in the backyard.”
I laugh, blinking away tears I didn’t even realize had formed. “I can imagine it.”
“I’ve never wanted anything more,” he admits.
Nick tilts my chin, his golden-brown eyes locking on mine. His mouth claims me, and the kiss sears through me.
When we finally break apart, the cold rushes in, and I shiver, but I don’t stop staring over the land. I can imagine a farmhouse with pumpkins on the porch; kids with sticky fingers, chasing each other through the grass; and laughter carrying through the trees.
I see myself in that kitchen, pulling espresso shots on a machine that hisses like a dragon, Nick sneaking up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist. I imagine us stringing lights on the porch every October. I can almost hear our kids begging for one more story before they go to bed. I picture Christmas mornings andbirthdays, stupid arguments, and sexy make-ups. Whole seasons stitch together into a life I want to live with him. It’s not a fantasy, but a possibility.
I see us growing old together, with gray hair and wrinkles, and still kissing because we can’t get enough.
When our eyes meet again, I know he saw it all too.
The dream doesn’t feel impossible.
I smile. “Did you ever think it was only going to be a hookup situation?”
Nick chuckles, pulling me closer. “No fucking way. You’re the only one who ever believed that.”
36
NICK
The town outside is just starting to stir on Thanksgiving morning, but in here, it’s peaceful.
After my sister passed away, this holiday has been hollow for me. It used to be nothing more than a press release about how much Banks Advertising and Marketing Firm donated. There were a few posed photos at charity galas. The night was filled with endless champagne and cameras, most of which were staged and empty.
During the holidays, I went through the motions of crossing things off a list instead of celebrating.
