Page 63 of Inevitable
The only thing that would stop all that from happening was if Emma didn’t feel the same way.
That part of the equation was out of my control, but I’d do everything possible to increase my chances of getting what I wanted.
I’d just have to hope that was going to be enough.
Chapter 19
Emma
Living in the moment with Colin turned out to be far easier than I’d originally thought it would be.
We’d taken the ferry to Mackinac Island late yesterday morning.
He’d patiently let me drag him around the island to see the sights.
Honestly, everything we’d done together had felt as natural as breathing for me.
Colin had seemed to like every activity. He’d actually seemed to enjoy the butterfly conservatory, and he’d been the one to arrange a horse-drawn carriage tour himself.
The carriage tour was a little cheesy and touristy, but I’d loved every romantic second of it with Colin.
We were staying for three nights. I’d protested when he’d booked a lake view room at the Grand Hotel because it was ridiculously pricy, but he’d blown off the expense like it was nothing.
After we’d arrived, he claimed that it was worth every penny when we’d taken in the views from the world’s longest porch at the Victorian-era hotel.
The Grand Hotel was iconic, and I’d always wanted to stay there, but it was way too pricy when there were options that were way cheaper and nice on the island.
“Are you getting tired?” Colin asked as we brought our bikes to a stop when we reached Arch Rock. “It’s getting hot.”
We’d rented bikes to do the circuit around the island.
I swiped my hand over my sweaty forehead, surprised when I saw that the ride hadn’t even worked up a sweat on Colin.
Nor was he even slightly out of breath.
In fact, he looked impossibly handsome and perfectly comfortable in his jeans and a lightweight T-shirt.
I was perspiring in a pair of capri pants and a lightweight tee.
The ride around the island wasn’t terribly long. It was a little over eight miles, and we were stopping often. But it had been a long time since I’d spent any significant time on a bicycle.
I was hot and it was humid beneath the summer sun, and I was definitely getting my cardio today.
“I’m hot,” I admitted as we pushed our bikes to a safe area. “I’m looking forward to hitting that beautiful pool at the hotel later.”
Colin stowed our bikes and immediately handed me my water bottle. “We’ll rest for a while here. You need more sunscreen before we head back.”
I smiled at him before I took the hand he offered me. “I think I’m getting old. This bike ride was a lot easier when I was a kid.”
Colin shot me a huge grin that made my heart melt. “I think we were just oblivious to the heat and humidity when we were younger,” he answered.
We were both wearing sunglasses, but that smile took my breath away even though I couldn’t see his eyes.
My heart squeezed inside my chest.
The man who never smiled was becoming a man who had no problem enjoying life.
Little by little, Colin was…changing.
