Page 33 of Unconditionally With Me
“Love you, T.”
“Love you. And thank you for the heads-up. Any idea of when I’m getting my head pastry chef back?”
Julian stops his ministrations against my neck long enough for me to answer. “Soon,” I hedge, but I don’t give her an exact date because I don’t know how to tell her I might not be coming back to work for her. First, I need to tell Julian. Because it isn’t our life together I don’t want. It’s just time for me to become who I’ve always meant to be in order to be complete.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the Space Needle standing tall in the sky, and I immediately know how to tell him everything. And I know what I need to make it right. I twist in his arms before telling Trina, “Got to go,” and I press the End button. “Think you can handle a stop before we head back to the hotel?” I murmur as I wrap my arms around his neck.
He rubs his nose against mine. “I know you didn’t sleep well, babe, plus you just had a mountain dumped on you. Are you sure you’re up for more?”
“Yes.” Stepping closer, I rest my head against his chest. The steady thump-thump of his chest makes mine synchronize in simple contentment. “If I haven’t said it before, thank you for taking the time to make this trip with me. Your perspective helped me in so many different ways. It meant everything to me to have you by my side. I love you, Julian.” I tip my head back to enjoy the myriad of expressions cross his face.
“I love you, Elle. For the rest of our lives, I plan on being the guy you lean on for the simplest of concerns or the deepest of worries.” He leans down and presses his lips against mine, igniting a storm inside of both of us.
Bending down, his arms around slide around my hips to hold me tighter against his firm body. I wrap my arms as tightly as I can while his lips demonstrate what I already know.
This is love, no matter where we are, as long as we’re with each other.
* * *
The early afternoonsun is pouring down on us as we walk up hand-in-hand to the Seattle Center. I’ve shucked my jacket I had on at the attorney’s. The weather’s just perfect for my favorite off-the-shoulder Girl Boss T-shirt. In deference to where we’re headed, I’ve clipped my long hair back, knowing the wind on top of the 604-foot spire is going to whip it around like the ends of a well-wielded mop.
“I can’t believe you’re ready to go back to New York,” Julian remarks as we make our way through the winding path through the Space Needle Museum, pausing to read about the construction of the infamous landmark built for the 1962 World’s Fair.
“Why?”
“This city’s pretty amazing. I never knew there was so much to explore. Somehow, I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of it.”
“True. But I miss home. I’m sure we’ll come back.”
His head whips around at my words, but before he can ask me what I mean, we’re being ushered into a cramped elevator that will take us to the floor-to-ceiling observation deck. I want the city where I regained my sense of self and the ghosts of my past were laid to rest imprinted on my heart before I do what I know in my soul I was meant to do.
Go home.
Open a bakery.
And love Julian Rice for the rest of my life.
Julian’s hand, clutching mine, is becoming a bit clammy. I whisper, “Is everything all right?”
“It’s just…” But he doesn’t have a chance to finish his sentence because the elevator doors open and my breath is stolen from me.
I tug hard at his hand. “Julian, come on.” I drag him down the steps and toward the rotating deck.
“Go on ahead,” he encourages.
So I do.
I run right over to the glass and look out as far as I can. With a small cry, I call out, “Julian, look! There’s our hotel. And the market. The building. I can’t believe how much you can see up here.” Frowning, I decide I need a better view.
So, I jump up on one of the benches and shriek, “Yahoo! This has got to be the best view I’ve seen since…” But I don’t get to finish when I hear Julian.
“Christ. Jesus, Elle. I’m already about to have a heart attack watching you.”
“I never knew you were afraid of heights.”
“I’m terrified I’m going to lose you. There’s a big difference,” he retorts. But the raw honesty in his words digs deep inside my soul.
I drag my eyes away from the view and turn slowly. “You’re not going to lose me, Julian. You never could.”
