77. Reese

There’s a bay window in the bookshop. It’s my official spot. I sit at the little bistro table there, sipping coffee and staring at spreadsheets until my eyes cross. There’s so much to learn it’s overwhelming. But I welcome that feeling of vastness because it just means that the job isn’t going to be boring. Snow sits in piles on the street, half-submerging parking meters. A winter front rolled through, dumping nearly a foot on the city. But today, the sun is shining, and you can almost take off your coat. If I strain, I can see down Pearl Street and just in the distance, the front range.

It would be a perfect morning, but for one little thorn in my side. It’s the thorn that’s been lodged there since the ski trip. Skyler left at the beginning of the week, promising to figure things out. He never said what he meant by that and hasn’t been particularly good at texting. I’m trying not to obsess over him. Trying not to look desperate. To feel desperate. But every little thing I see seems to remind me of him. That little bastard stays at the forefront of my thoughts all day long.

Someone passes by on the sidewalk that looks just like him, and I’m sure I’m starting to hallucinate. But then I take a second look. That’s his coat. His dark glasses.

I’m on my feet, my computer and purse left behind. I push the door open and call after him. “Skyler.”

He turns back and smiles at me. Joy, pure and golden, wells up in my chest. I run over to him, colliding with enough force to knock the wind out of him. He wraps me up in a tight hug, pressing his lips to my hair. “Hey there, Kitty Cat.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Mitch told me where you live.”

He cranes his head to look at the windows on the second story. “Above a book shop, huh? That’s very Reese.”

“Is it?”

I glance at the store. “Oh shit. Hang on. I left all my stuff inside.”

He follows me in, watching patiently while I shove my things into a satchel. Taking it from me, he slings it over his shoulder and motions for me to lead the way.

We take the little side door and climb up a rickety set of stairs. “This feels like déjà vu.”

I laugh. “Traded flowers for coffee and books.”

I let him into my apartment and watch him as he looks around. He looks good here. A little big for my cramped apartment, but like a brawny bookworm. I frown at him. “Why didn’t you text to tell me you were coming?”

He comes closer, reeling me in. “I wanted to tell you in person.”

My hands flatten across his chest. “Tell me what?”

He pauses, looking unsure. “I decided to take a page out of your book.”

“Which book was that?”

He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “The one about the girl who follows her dreams.”

“I’m not sure I’ve read that one.”

He grins. “You should. You’d like the main character. She’s brave and knows how to follow her heart. And I want to do the same thing.”

His hand cups the side of my face. “You’re my heart, Reese. I’ll follow you wherever you go. Can I follow you here?”

My heart expands to the ends of the earth. “Here? In Boulder?”

He nods.

“What about the farm?”

“That’s Bo’s problem now.”

I bite my lip to keep from grinning ear to ear. “We might need to get a bigger place.”

My cheeks catch fire. “Unless you were going to find your own place.”

He tugs me closer, glancing around the small, jewel-colored apartment. “I like this place. Pink is my favorite color.”

I glance at the powder pink walls and laugh. “If you like that, you should see the bathroom.”

“More pink?”

“Green.”

“That’s my favorite color, too.”

He bends his head, brushing his lips over mine.

I speak against his soft kiss. “Is it?”

“Always has been.”

He presses his lips to mine and I return the kiss tenfold.