Page 125 of Positively, Penelope

“I’m in this to the finale.” His grin tilted in the way she loved so much. “Whatever it takes. You know that?”

“I know.” She breached the gap between them and buried her face into his shoulder, her arms holding tight. “But I want you within hugging distance.” She looked up through blurry vision. “And kissing distance is nice too.”

His grin spread and his gaze roamed over her face with such tenderness, it smoothed like a caress. With a dip of his head, he brushed his lips against hers.

“I’ll see you soon.”

She pushed up a smile. She had to be strong. This was the choice she’d made. And it was the right choice. But why did right choices have to hurt so much sometimes? Weren’t they supposed to be the easy ones? “And we’ll both be busy with Christmas.”

“And then you’re starting your new job.”

She framed his face with her hands. “All those times before when I thought I knew what love was.” She shook her head. “I was so wrong. Because this is so much more than the fairy tales, and even if I’m going to have to deal with the painful side of love, I’m so grateful I get to experience the sweet side too. Somehow, as weird as it sounds, it makes the hard parts worth it.”

“Love is worth it all.” He brought his smile to meet hers again, lingering a bit longer, and then he pushed her bag toward her. “Now, you take care. And phone me when you arrive home, won’t you?”

“Maybe before.”

“I’ll keep the phone close by.”

She rose on tiptoe for one more kiss. One last hug, her fingers reluctant to release the lapels of his jacket.

And then she stepped into the security line. He waited, watching her until the crowds blocked him from her view, and then she breathedout a prayer. That the magic of this romance would overcome any harm caused by distance. If anything was strong enough to breach thousands of miles and dozens of days, it was love.

Luke moved out of the way so she could take her seat by the window. She wasn’t quite sure what to say or do, so she slumped in the seat and stared at the tarmac. Rain had soaked the ground and a thin fog swirled around the jagged mountains in the distance. Those were Steinndunn Fells. She sniffled. Matthias and Iris had taken her hiking there.

Her breath shivered out. The reality of everything probably wouldn’t hit her until the plane touched down in North Carolina and the distance became concrete.

“The queen wasn’t so bad.”

She turned to her brother and gave a weak chuckle. “That’s a big statement coming from the guy who doesn’t think much of royalty.”

“I have other things to think about than people who don’t even live in my country, let alone my town, Penny-girl.”

They sat in silence, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

“And as much as I hate to even think about it, let alone say it”—he shook his head—“I think you’re positively perfect for Matthias Gray.”

She raised her head and looked at him. “High praise from the overprotective brother.”

“Yeah, well, I couldn’t have you going off and falling in love with a foreigner no one in the family had laid eyes on, could I?” He gave his head a shake. “Didn’t fit the big brother rules at all.”

She chuckled and wiped at her eyes. “You know, you could have left four days ago, Luke. Gotten back home.” She rested her head back against his shoulder. “Why did you stay?”

Silence greeted her question, and then he drew in a breath. “I didn’t think you needed to fly home alone, little sis.”

She pinched her lips tight against a sob and squeezed his arm. “Thanks, big bro.”

***

Matt finished up the work in his office and started a walk-through of the theater to ensure everything was locked up before the Christmas holiday began. Since graduating, Gwynn had taken over as liaison to the community theater group and overseer of marketing. She’d also jumped all in with the business side of things, surprising everyone with her vision for the Darling. She’d truly stepped into her calling, her dream.

Grandfather’s last meeting of the year with the board proved a room filled with unanimous encouragement. Everyone approved upcoming productions for two years in advance, something they hadn’t done in a long time.

But now there was momentum. And hope.

And business to go around.

And Matt was left wondering where he fit in this world. With Grandfather back at the helm, Gwynn diving into her role as executive director, and Dani and Mark supporting in various ways, he found, for the first time in the history of working in this theater, he wasn’t... well, needed. Not exactly. Of course, he continued to do the finances, but the cogs of the theater were running well, and his hands felt free.

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