“You’d have to be close though. I mean to run it. Wouldn’t really make sense for you to run it from thecity.”
“I know… I figured. I’d likethat.”
“I still don’t want to be yourfriend.”
I feel the tears rising in my eyes, but happy tears. “I don’t want to be your friend either. I’ve been thinking a lot. I still don’t particularly like you, but I think I love you a lot.” My voice breaks and the tears start running down my face. More rush down when Silas gathers me in his arms. He’s still holding on to those baked goods for dear life, but his other hand cradles my head to his massive chest. This feels likehome.
“I was worried you wouldn’t forgive me,” Isay.
“I was never mad at you. Ever. Ijust—”
“I get it. Trust me. You just need what you need,” I say and then I look up into his eyes. “I need you too. I wantyou.”
“I want you too. Can I kiss younow?”
“Absolutely.” I step up on my tip toes and press my lips to his. More tears slip out of my eyes as we kiss and kiss. Pure joy and pure happiness, interrupted by my loud ass fuckingsister.
“Ah yeah!” I hear her scream across the parkinglot.
I step back andgroan.
“Do you know that person?” heasks.
“I do. Do you want to meet mysister?”
“Sure. We might have to bring her along though.” I turn around and spot Honeycrisp coming around the corner of the cannery. I’ve never been so happy to see a dog in my entirelife.
“Hey girl!” I say as I squat down to the ground. She makes a beeline right for me, sprinting like her life depends on it. She almost knocks me over when she collides into my chest. I ruffle her fur as I dodge her attempt to ply me with her puppykisses.
“Don’t let that dog lick you in the face!” Brooklyn says with disgust. I laugh and stand, still patting Honeycrisp’s side. I grab Silas’s freehand.
“Come on. She just getslouder.”
He looks at me and smiles as we start walking. My chest feels better than fine. It feelsgreat.
Epilogue
April
“This isn’t going to work,”Silas says. He’s carried the fresh scent of his soap from the shower into thekitchen.
“What?”
“This!”
I look over my shoulder and Honeycrisp is standing directly behind me looking at Silas, just daring him to come closer to me. She’s been acting weird the last few days, but today she seems to have made up her mind. She’s my new head of security. I snicker and turn back to my cakebatter.
Silas’s parents will be here by dinner time and I want everything to be perfect. A seven layer apple pear cake will definitely be enough to pad the news that we may have fudged on the timeline of how and when Silas and I decided on each step of this new life of ours together. Not that they won’t be able to tell that I’m pregnant as fuck the moment they walk through the door. I’m still convinced we conceived this little girl my first night back intown.
“I don’t know what to tell you, pimp. She’s just doing herjob.”
“Keeping me from you is not her job. I’d like to help you raise this child. I’d like to hug you again and sex has crossed my mindtoo.”
“Ugh, I wish you hadn’t said that. I broke my third vibrator thismorning.”
“Why didn’t you just text me? I would have come back for whatever you had in mind. God. Move dog.” Silas sidesteps Honeycrisp and then slowly slips his arms around my waist. I laugh as she starts growling. “See, Honey. Everything’s cool.” Hank and Joe have definitely shown interest in my growing belly. Gala and Morty couldn’t give less of a fuck, but Honeycrisp is on high damnalert.
“It’s okay,” I tell her as she shoves her nose under Silas’s arms and tries to come betweenus.