Hawk looked like he really wanted to roll his eyes, but he nodded gamely. “Yes. Yes, it’s a floral emergency. Gotta run.” He grabbed Jack’s hand and towed him toward the back door. “Anyway, enjoy your cock!”
“Stop calling it that!” I yelled just before they shut the door.
Jack muttered something under his breath that sounded like, “It’s more accurate than you think.”
Once they were gone, Gage and I stared at each other across the space. But Gage only held my gaze for a second before turning away to face that stupid fucking ceramic chicken.
“So… you slept out here last night, huh?” he said fake-casually.
“Honestly? I didn’t sleep much at all.” I took a cautious step toward him. “I knew you were upset. Angry, I guess? And I didn’t know why. But I also knew you needed rest, so I didn’t want to push the issue.”
Gage huffed. “Didn’t matter. I didn’t sleep much anyway,” he admitted. He blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, Knox. I was in a shitty mood. I’m still in a shitty mood, apparently.”
I grasped his shoulders from behind. “Baby, will you please talk to me? I want to understand.”
Gage’s whole body shuddered as he let himself be pulled back against me, like he was as relieved by the contact as I was. “I know about Boston. About the job.” He added quickly, “I wasn’t spying, I swear. I went to print some stuff for the science booth from your laptop yesterday morning, and I saw the subject line of an email that said JOB OFFER and that it was from your old boss?—”
“Hey. It’s okay.” I held him tighter. “I don’t keep secrets from you, you know that.” I ran my nose up and down the side of his neck. The scent of our bodywash on Goodman’s skin settled something deep inside me. “I was waiting to talk to you about it when the time was right, that’s all.”
He turned in my arms, eyes stormy. “And when did you think would be the right time to tell me you wanted to move to Boston?”
“ThatIwanted to move?” I frowned, trying to follow his train of thought. “I didn’t. I don’t. I thought maybeyouwould. Short-term.”
His eyes narrowed. “But… but… I don’t understand,” he admitted.
I shook him gently. “Next time you’renot spying, baby, read the whole email. Rick’s offering me a three-month project, starting in August. I thought you might enjoy a change of scenery. Or not.” I shrugged. “Either way is fine with me, but—hold up. What did you think was happening here? That I was… moving away and leaving you behind?” I laughed, not because it was in any way funny, but because the idea was so absurd.
“No! Of course not.” He placed his hands on my chest over my T-shirt and admitted, “In fact, my first thought when I saw the email was, ‘Sorry, Rick, Knox and I are busy in Vermont, so you’re shit out of luck.’”
I half smiled. “Exactly.”
“But then… then I heard you tell Betty Ann that change is necessary, and moving is the best idea, and I?—”
I slid my hands up to cup his jaw. “The best idea forCharlie. We were talking about her grandson.”
“I know! I got that. But the way you said it made me think.” His fingers traced patterns through my shirt front that were highly distracting, though he didn’t seem to realize what he was doing. “You used to have all these plans, Knox, I know you did. Career plans, travel plans. And you only came back to Little Pippin Hollow because Drew needed you?—”
“And because I was having debilitating panic attacks,” I reminded him wryly. “Let’s not forget those.”
“And thenIcame to the Hollow, andwegot together?—”
“Fell in love,” I corrected softly. “One hundred percent, incontrovertibly.”
Gage took a deep breath. “Yeah,” he said softly. Then, more confidently, “Yeah, we did. But being in love with me doesn’t mean all the other dreams you had went away. So, I started to worry that deep down, maybe you’d been missing out on other stuff because you know the Hollow is whereIwant to be. That I’ve been a selfish partner to you because it never even occurred to me to ask. And that you’ve been feeling some kind of way and thought you couldn’t talk to me about it.”
“Gage Goodman, that might be the silliest thing you’ve ever said,” I informed him, conveniently ignoring that I’d had nearly the same worries abouthisunfulfilled dreams. “And I’ll remind you that you once spent a six-hour road trip overexplaining the plot of everyFast and Furiousmovie to me, so you’re clearing a high bar.”
He scowled and tightened his fingers in my T-shirt. “If you’re gonna pretend not to know why I say ‘Hit the noz’ when I speed up to pass a car, you can expect me to explain.In detail.”
I laughed. “I love you. I’minlove with you. You couldn’t be selfish if you tried. And you’re my best friend. I talk to you about everything.”
“I know you love me. Of course I do. And I love you.” He bit his lip. “It’s just that sometimes we’re having these amazing moments—like last summer during the fireworks and last Christmas when you dragged me on that amazing sunrise hike—and I think, ‘Shit, I couldnotbe happier right now,’ and I look at you and… I feel like you’re holding something back.” He wrinkled his nose. “Okay, just hearing myself say that out loud, I know I sound ridiculous.”
“Baby,” I began, but then I wasn’t sure what to say. He was right that I’d been holding back. Those moments he’d mentioned, it had been on the tip of my tongue to ask him to marry me, but it hadn’t seemed quite right. Quite… special enough.
“Anyway, I guess I just want you to know that if you did want to move… to Boston or anywhere… I’d be sad for a minute, but I’d do it,” Gage said firmly. “That’s what I’ve been wrapping my brain around for the last twenty-four hours. I love our life here, but I love you more. And… basically, you’re stuck with me, and I’m not letting you get away, so suck it up, buttercup, because this is your life now. Got it?”
The possessive edge in his voice made my heart race because he reminded me of… well,me, where he was concerned.
