Page 42 of Lines We Cross
“Forgiven.”
“Just like that?”
I stroked his cheek. “You’re right. You couldn’t have dated me then. But this is now. We’re both adults.”
His smug smile had me grinning harder. “You’re darn right we are. Now kiss me again.”
17
Max
If the following week was any indication of what life would be like living back home in Nickel Bay with Rae by my side, I should kick myself for not doing it sooner. Something about that cemetery visit, or maybe it was the conversation since then, but Rae had opened up to me on a deeper level.
She trusted me.
The ring in the back of my drawer at home didn’t seem like such a farfetched dream anymore. If anything, I was thinking of pulling it out far sooner than anticipated. Rushing things was not how I wanted to court Rae, but then again, we’d been apart long enough. It was past time to move forward with our lives together.
“You ready, Gingersnap?” I asked by way of greeting.
Her head whipped up from behind the front desk at her clinic. She broke out into a smile and came over to kiss me, dancing away before I could pull her in tight for more.
“Just need to write down one or two more things for Monday and I’ll be ready. How’s the knee feeling?” She scribbled some things on a thick appointment book, her eyes darting up to mine to show me she was listening.
“It’s good. I’ve got on the lighter weight brace you got me. Hopefully that’ll work out for a nice jog. I’m back to the gym for upper-body workouts, but I have to say I miss the conditioning the most.” I tipped my head to the side. “Never thought I’d hear myself say that.”
Rae slapped her pencil down and grabbed her bag. She sashayed right by me and out the door, tossing over her shoulder, “Ahh, are you getting to be a fat boy?”
I ran after her, grabbing her around the waist and lifting her in the air while she squealed.
“Did you just call me Fat Boy?” I asked incredulously.
Her squeal turned into a giggle and I couldn’t help but smile at the sound. I loved when she got playful.
“If the name fits…”
I jabbed my fingers into her waist, tickling her so much she doubled over.
“Uncle!” she wailed between fits of laughter.
Karen came out of the bakery to lock up for the day, shaking her head at our antics. “You two are adorable. Don’t mind me.”
I quit tickling Rae and helped her upright anyway. I couldn’t be mauling her out on the sidewalk for anyone to drive by and misinterpret. I didn’t want anyone gossiping about Rae, though given the nature of this town, that was more than likely out of my control.
“Sorry, Karen. Just warming up before our run.” Rae’s cheeks were flushed pink.
Karen smiled wider and handed us a little brown paper bag. “Then you’ll need these later.” She winked and walked to her car to head home.
I glanced inside the bag and saw an array of donuts, that sweet yeast smell making me salivate. “Oh man. Any chance we can forget the run?”
Rae snickered. “And you wonder why I called you Fat Boy?”
I gave her a warning look, one she heeded as she ran off giggling to the passenger side of my truck. I folded up the bag as tightly as I could to stop the waft of pastry goodness and drove us out to the woods where we used to play as kids. There was an overlook section on the trail that sported panoramic views of the ocean below, the crash of the waves far enough below you couldn’t feel the sea spray but you could still hear each wave. Emerson had loved the ocean so much he’d taken a job on a tour boat right out of college, quickly moving up to captain and then buying his own boat to give tours. I couldn’t look at the ocean and not think of Emerson.
I made it three miles before I felt like my lungs might explode.
“Hold up—I gotta—breathe—a second,” I gasped.
Rae, who’d gotten a few strides in front of me, her long legs eating up the ground, stopped and turned back around. She didn’t even look winded.
