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“Um, so you know that I’ve been working toward my CPA and that I have been so excited about having a real job at St. James C & D.”
They all nod, still unsure of where this is going.
“How angry would you all be if I said that I don’t want to be a CPA, that I don’t think I want to work for the family business at all?”
Stunned silence greets me until Wilder speaks. “Did you figure it out?”
“Figure what out?” I ask.
Knox answers, “That we love you no matter what. That you don’t have to work with us for you to be one of us?”
They are all nodding at me, and Hunter looks particularly pleased with himself.
“How did you know?” I ask. Is this something they were all waiting for me to realize?
“Hunter pointed it out and that’s why he and Miles came to see you. I don’t think we expected you to completely change your mind, but we hoped that on this trip you would realize there was something else out there for you.” My mom is sniffling as she answers my question.
“I have found something else, but I don’t actually know what it is yet. I want to take time to discover what I want to do.”
My dad lets me know in his no-nonsense way that this is a smart idea, but then I drop a bombshell on the family.
“There’s one more thing.” I hold my hand out to Ethan and pull him next to me. “I met someone on this trip, and I plan to take that time to discover my next steps with him.”
“Hi, St. James family.” Ethan’s face is turning red, but when he looks at me, he smiles so big that his dimples show, and I fall even deeper in love.
Everyone starts talking at once, but I just keep looking into his eyes. Finally, I hear Knox say, “Ethan, you look a lot older than my little sister.”
“Oh my gosh, Knox St. James. I thought that we put the age thing to bed with Wilder and Ivy. Age gap romances are super in fashion right now and sometimes it takes an older man with maturity to know he’s got a good thing in a younger woman,” I scold.
“We’re out.” Miles and Hunter close their chat windows, not wanting to get in the middle of this argument.
“I didn’t marry a younger woman,” Knox argues. “I married someone my age.”
“Yes, big brother, but did you have to get a little older and wiser before you knew just how amazing and perfect Scarlett is and how to love her the way she deserved?”
“Touche, little sister.”
The two married couples look at each other with love in their eyes. I give my brothers a hard time, but I’ve always been overjoyed with their happiness in their marriages. I wish the same for Miles and Hunter…and myself.
“So, Ethan, what do you do?” My mother asks, ignoring the arguing between her children like usual.
“I used to own a company, but now I just travel.”
“You don’t do anything else? No plans for a new job or what you’ll do when you come back to Star Mountain with Clara?” my dad asks.
Ethan and I exchange a look. This is the part I’m going to get the most pushback on.
“I’m not coming back to Star Mountain – not permanently. I’m going to keep my house, and Ethan and I will visit often, but we plan to travel together and visit all the places that are on the list we’ve made together.”
They all sit and stare at me. I’m afraid we’ve lost the connection, but then I see Scarlett smile. She’s always been my biggest cheerleader and I can see in her face that she loves this plan for me.
Ivy’s next when she says, “Clara, I’m so proud of you for putting yourself out there and taking this leap. I think it’s an amazing idea. Ethan, we can’t wait to get to know you better. If our Clara is fond of you, then I’m sure we will be too.”
I see her hit Wilder with her elbow. “I’m…” he stops and looks over at his wife and daughter, “will this make you happy?”
I nod my head. “Ethan makes me so happy, Wilder, and spending time with him makes me feel like I can do anything.”
“Then this is exactly what you should be doing. I know that I’m the worst about treating you like you're still a little girl, but I know you're not. I’m so proud of who you’ve become and so grateful that you are my baby sister. This is a brave thing you are doing, setting off into the unknown, but if that man sitting next to you makes you happy then you are about to go on life’s greatest adventure.”
