Chapter 66

CHAPTER 66

ZAYN

T he roads were a mess. Snow clung to the windshield, and the old truck's wipers were doing their best, but this truck was about as close to death as any vehicle could get without actually crumbling into dust. Every bump made the steering wheel rattle like an over-caffeinated squirrel, but Marigold handled it like a pro, her fingers tight on the wheel and eyes sharp on the road.

"I don't know why you insisted on driving me," I said, reaching over to turn up the heat. The truck's heater was as effective as a kid blowing into a straw and calling it wind.

There was ice on the window. The defroster had given up long ago. I was pretty sure this was not safe. Like the very opposite of safe. Yet Marigold was tooling along like it wasn't a big deal. I supposed she had probably learned to drive in this shit, but I had not and I was close to embarrassing myself with the need for an underwear change.

"Because I wanted one last chance to make sure you weren't going to bail on me."

I had forgotten I said anything. I was too focused on not dying.

I gave her a look. More like a scowl mixed with some offense. "Bail on you? Me? Marigold, I'm deeply insulted. I am the most reliable man you've ever known. Dependable. Consistent. Like those weird Christmas fruitcakes no one ever eats but still show up every year. I'm that. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried. I'm sure you've seen the videos of my complete meltdown at the airport when I was trying to get here."

She snorted, rolling her eyes but smiling. "Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that, fruitcake."

"That's Mr. Fruitcake to you."

The truck hit a patch of ice. I instinctively reached out to steady myself. Marigold got everything back on track and looked over and smiled. "Relax. I've got this. This isn't my first rodeo. You've never driven in snow and ice."

"No. I hire a driver."

She laughed. "Of course you do." She was completely unfazed by the icy road and my impending heart attack.

The old truck slowly chugged its way up the hill and finally stopped at the airport entrance. Marigold parked the truck in one of the drop-off lanes and turned to face me. God, she looked beautiful. How was I going to leave?

I stared out the window at the tiny building, already feeling a knot forming in my chest. I'd only been here a couple of days, but leaving felt wrong. Like someone was pressing a "pause" button on my heart.

I looked at her, really looked at her. She was chewing on her bottom lip, something she did when she was trying not to cry. Her hands were gripping the wheel so tightly her knuckles had gone white.

"Hey," I said, gently placing my hand over hers. "This isn't goodbye for long. I'll see you for New Year's, right?"

She nodded, but when her eyes met mine, they were already a little glassy. "I know. It just feels different this time. Like I'm scared you'll change your mind. Or like something will happen, and you'll forget how much you want me."

I leaned closer, cupping her face with my hands. "There's no forgetting, Marigold. Trust me. I'll see you before you can even miss me."

"I already miss you," she whispered.

That was it. I couldn't stop myself from pulling her toward me for a passionate kiss. Her lips were soft, warm against mine. I lost track of how long we stayed there holding each other. I didn't want to leave. But we both had family obligations.

By the time we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathing hard.

"We'll be together soon," I promised, resting my forehead against hers. "New Year's Eve. I'll be at the airport waiting for you."

She nodded, still looking like she was going to cry but holding it together. "You better be," she said, half-smiling through her watery eyes.

I gave her one last kiss, quick and soft, before grabbing my bag and stepping out of the truck. The cold hit me immediately, but I barely felt it. All I could think about was her—how much I already wanted to run back and stay in that truck forever.

But instead, I turned, gave her a wave, and walked into the airport.

The flight back to New York was uneventful, just me staring out the window at the snow-covered world below, thinking about Marigold. I'd been traveling all over for years, but this was the first time I'd ever felt like I was leaving something—someone—important behind. It wasn't just the idea of being apart for a few days. It was more than that. I'd found something in Green River. Something I didn't even know I was missing.

I truly could not wait to have her in my arms again. I felt like I was split in two. My heart was left in Wyoming.

When I landed, the snow was still coming down. I walked through the airport, found my car, and hit the road. The roads in New York were relatively clear with the traffic and snowplows doing their job. I had a party to get to.

It was Dad and Kathy's open house holiday bash. It was always a massive deal, with half of New York showing up for the food, the drinks, and the excuse to rub elbows with the Bancrofts. We were all expected to attend. Not just expected, but more like commanded. All I could think about was how much better it would be if Marigold were with me.

I pulled up to the house, parking in the long line of cars that had already started forming. They had hired a valet service as well, but I was a Bancroft. I got premium parking. The entire front of the house, the bushes, the driveway were all covered in lights. There were blowup figures of Santa, Frosty, and a nativity spread over the lawn. The sound of laughter and music could be heard as soon I opened my car door. The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by Kathy, who was already halfway through a glass of wine.

"Zayn!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a warm hug. "You made it! I was beginning to think you were going to spend Christmas in Wyoming."

"Wouldn't have been the worst idea," I admitted with a grin.

She patted my cheek, then handed me a drink, which I gratefully accepted. The party was in full swing. People I barely recognized, people I kind of recognized, and people I definitely wanted to avoid were all milling about, exchanging pleasantries and small talk. It was the usual holiday chaos, but my mind was far away, stuck in a Wyoming truck with Marigold.

I wandered through the party, half-listening to the various conversations around me, smiling when required but otherwise staying quiet. At one point, I spotted the Griers. I was surprised they were here. I didn't know all the details, but the Grier brothers were not exactly big fans of my uncle, their father. I made my way over. We had only met once or twice before.

"Thomas, right?" I asked.

"That's me," Thomas said, extending his hand. "Zayn?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"This is my wife, Kristi," he introduced.

"Nice to meet you," I said and shook her hand.

"You remember Oliver and Jenson. Their wives, Rachel and Selena."

"It's good to see you," I said.

We made polite small talk. There was some drama there. My uncle had fathered the three of them and ditched them to be with Kathy. There were some very warranted hurt feelings, but Kathy being the magnanimous woman she was, welcomed them into her family. It took some time, but she was able to understand the situation and even felt guilty for her husband's bad decisions.

I made my excuses to move on and greet some of the others. As I made my way to the bar, I spotted Hayes leaning against the counter, sipping something dark and definitely alcoholic. His eyes landed on me, and he grinned, waving me over.

"Hey! There he is. How was Green River?" he asked, his voice a little too loud, which meant he was already buzzed.

I gave him a side-eye as I poured myself a drink. "You've been drinking since when? Noon?"

Hayes laughed, clapping me on the back. "Don't avoid the question, man. How'd it go out there?"

I leaned against the bar, staring into my glass. "It went really well, actually."

"Yeah?" His grin widened. "You and Marigold?"

I was unable to help the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Yeah. We're back together. Things are good. We are going to have to work out the kinks, but we both know what we want. We'll make it work."

Hayes let out a whoop, drawing a few looks from the people nearby. "Hell yeah! I knew it. I knew you weren't over her."

"Yeah, well, neither was she, apparently."

He shook his head, still grinning like an idiot. "You're going to propose, aren't you?"

I smirked, taking a slow sip of my drink. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Come on!" He nudged me with his elbow, almost making me spill my drink. "Tell me."

I shot him a look, but there was no point in trying to keep it from him. "I am. Eventually. But not right away. I think I should give her a couple of days before I spring a proposal on her."

Hayes raised an eyebrow. "What's the plan, then? Are you going to wait until she's stuck in New York so you can do a big Broadway number or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "No. I want to do it right. We missed a lot of steps the first time around. I want to give her all the moments she deserves. Proper dates, proper time together. I want her to feel like this is real. Not rushed. So I'll propose when it feels right. Maybe in the spring."

Hayes let out a low whistle, nodding in approval. "Look at you, Mr. Romantic."

I shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious about it. "She's worth it."

"Damn right she is," Hayes said, raising his glass. "To Marigold."

I clinked my glass against his. I hadn't told anyone about my proposal plans yet. I hadn't even been sure I was going to do it. It just kind of came to me. It felt good to have someone in the loop. There was one more person I had to tell.

It was a while later when Dad found me in the corner of the room, watching as guests mingled and laughed. He approached with a glass of wine in hand, smiling in that proud, fatherly way he always did.

"How's the party treating you?" he asked, leaning against the wall beside me.

I shrugged. "It's fine. Not terrible."

He chuckled. "I suppose that's better than past holiday parties."

"It's not bad," I said. "I saw the Grier brothers."

He grinned. "Yes. Maybe one of these days I'll get the other three."

"There really are more of Art's children out there? I thought Reese was joking when he slipped up about you making them sign a document saying they will never show their faces here?"

He grimaced. "Not my finest moment."

It wasn't but I wasn't going to bring up all that drama.

"I've been thinking," I said, leaving the statement out there.

"About?"

"About New Year's Eve," I said, glancing over at him. "Marigold's coming. She's flying in."

His smile widened. "Is she now? You worked everything out?"

"We did. Thank you for the good advice."

He smiled. "Good. I'm glad it helped. That's great news."

"I wanted to let you know. I'm planning on asking her to marry me."

Dad smiled again. "Zayn, I'm proud of you. She's a good woman. I'm glad you're taking a chance on her. I think it's going to work out just fine. Don't put too much pressure on yourselves. Take your time getting to know each other. I am really proud of you for taking a chance."

I grinned, feeling a little embarrassed. "Proud enough to make me your best man?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice try."

"Had to give it a shot."

By the time I left the party, the snow had stopped. I drove slowly, thinking about Marigold and what she might be doing right now. It all felt big and real in a way I wasn't used to. But instead of feeling scared, I felt ready.