“The problem isn’t with the house but with me. I’m worried about what will happen when you move out. I can’t live there alone, Mathias. While I’m capable of taking care of the place, it’s far away from anyone who could help me in an emergency, and . . .”
His hand left the wheel to hold my shoulder for a moment. “I’m not moving out and leaving you there alone, honeybee. When I bought the place, we didn’t know about the seizures and I thought it would be safe, but now that we know, I wouldn’t put you under that kind of stress. I’m staying, okay? Please, stop worrying about it.”
“Okay,” I whispered with relief. “I thought the move was just temporary for you, so I’ve been trying to figure out what to do.”
“I will stay in the house as long as you’ll allow it, Honey. It’s your home, not mine.”
“Can’t it be both of ours?” I asked with my head braced against the window.
“I just meant—”
“I know what you meant, Mattie,” I whispered, nodding. “I can own it, but we can both call it home. I don’t know a lot, but I do know we both need a place to call home, right?” I asked and the slight tip of his head was enough of an answer for me. “Then we’ll make it a home together, okay?”
A smile lifted his lips for the first time in hours. “I like that idea very much,” he agreed. “With that settled, do your parents need to be handled?”
“Don’t they always? My dad texted to tell me the air conditioner stopped working. He reminded me that Mom needs to stay cool because of her heart, and he wants me to buy them a new one.”
“He’s always been good at guilt.” He shook his head in frustration. “What did you say?”
“Nothing. He sent me that text and three more since last week. I’m not responding. He’s an adult and can figure it out for himself. Maybe that sounds cold, but I have my own issues to deal with.”
He nodded, but his jaw was tight with anger. “It doesn’t sound cold, Honey. You’ve taken care of them long enough. You don’t have to live with the constant guilt they’ve put on you your entire life anymore.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe not, but I haven’t figured out how to end it.” I sat up and toyed with my hair nervously. “Let’s get back to the house and sort out this Milas thing before it comes back to bite us. I have business meetings and the wedding this week too.”
“Maybe you should put the business to the side until after Mor’s surgery, honeybee. We have a lot going on, and that only adds to the stress of it all.”
“Mathias, you’ve asked me to run your business, and that’s what I’m doing. I can’t sit around and be overwhelmed when you’re paying me a huge salary to get these businesses running in the black.”
He bit his lip and nodded over and over until he turned off the highway into Plentiful. Instead of taking the road to the house, he drove down an old gravel road and stopped off to the side, then climbed out. He opened my door and held his hand out to me.
“What are you doing? We need to get back to the house.”
“Screw the business. Screw Milas’s business. Screw your parents. We’re going to enjoy part of this beautiful day now that the sun is out.”
“But the box . . .”
His finger came down on my lips to quiet me. “If someone wants that paperwork, I wish them all the luck in the world. It’s in Danish.”
I laughed as I glanced up at the sky. “Leave it to Milas.”
I took his hand and slid out of the SUV, following him down the grassy knoll to the beach, where the lake spread out before us.
CHAPTER 13
We sat on the beach for an hour, just staring out across the water. The wind blew gently on my face, and the sun shone warm and bright. It was a relief to let my shoulders relax after the last few days.
Mathias sat behind me, massaging my neck to release the knots in it. “You have to relax a little bit. The tension usually gives you a headache.”
“And a seizure,” I joked. “I’m a little wound up from yesterday.”
“Me too.” He tenderly kissed my neck. “I’m grateful you’re in my life. By all rights, you shouldn’t be. I have a lot of making up to do. Will you let me do one more thing for you?” He rested his chin on my shoulder, and his breath tickled my neck.
“Mathias, best friends forgive and forget.” It was the right thing to say even if it wasn’t always the easy thing to do.
“I know, but what I want to do will give you something you’ve never had.”
“What’s that?” I asked, spinning to face him.
