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“I should go change. I’m meeting Grant for a late lunch, and then we’re going to…” Possibly indulge in my blanket fort plans, but I’m not ready to be that transparent yet.
Except, apparently Iamthat transparent. Wren slow nods and Hope utterly fails to hide her smile.
“Enjoy each other’s company all weekend?” Wren prompts.
I turn my nose up, but I’m pretty sure it’s too late to try to save face here. “I was going to let him decide.”
They both break down into giggles.
“Oh, yeah,” Wren says. “It’s time to get biz-zay.”
She hits me with finger guns like a sassy desperado. I exhale a laugh. Screw it. I’d rather be honest than save face.
“Yes.” I stand a little straighter and square off with my mouthy friend. “I’m going to spend the rest of the weekend with my hot mountain man doing whatever we please because if this is all the time I get with him, I’m not going to waste a minute of it.”
They give my little speech a standing ovation. These two can be so exasperating…but I wouldn’t want them any other way. I leave on a high note of wolf-whistles and applause. Striding down Maple Street, I feel like I could hike to the top of McKenzie Peak and actually enjoy it.
Halfway back to my apartment, an idea hits. Buzzing with excitement, I take the stairs two by two and rush through my door to sit on the edge of my bed. I pull out my phone and sift through pictures until I find the right one.
A rare selfie I took on the hike. One of the Three Sisters mountains is behind me, the sky is unbearably blue, I have zero makeup on—and it’s absolutelyreal.
I type up a caption for my Instagram.
Seven months ago, I thought I’d lost everything. I ended myrelationship with my fiancé, I lost my job, and had nowhere to live. I moved back to my hometown of Sunshine, Oregon to start over at thirty. I’m rebuilding my life, little by little. My content might change its focus, but in my heart, I’m still me—genuinely Lila.
THIRTY-FOUR
GRANT
I’min sight of my cabin and in desperate need of a shower when my phone buzzes. I can’t help the eye roll. Rhett’s timing could be better.
“Yeah?” Not the warmest greeting I’ve given him but probably not the worst. I spent the morning hiking the trails behind the lodge to distract myself while Lila gave her presentation. I’ve got enough time to catch a breath and shower before I need to head into town to meet her. Unfortunately, Rhett’s a pro at sidetracking people.
“Good vacation then?” He laughs, completely unfazed by my irritation. “You sure sound relaxed.”
I drag a hand down my face. I don’t need to take my impatience to see Lila out on him. “It is a good vacation.”
In fact, it’s the best, for reasons I won’t go into.
“Sounds like it. Mom and Dad told us about their surprise promotion. Congratulations. You’ve been waiting for this.”
Everyone keeps saying that. I’ve even said it. I’m just not sure that means much anymore.
“Thank you. It was…unexpected.” I can’t say when I thought it would happen, but mid-vacation never occurred to me.
“You’ve never been away from work this long. I think they want to make sure you’re coming back, so they had to give you a little incentive.”
“They weren’t wrong,” I say before I can think better of it.
His laughter dies out. “What?”
I don’t know how to begin to explain. So I don’t.
“You like it there that much?” This laugh doesn’t come quite as easily as the first one. “Did you meet someone?”
Meeting someonedoesn’t remotely compare to the reality of it. Finding the person I want to spend the rest of my life with is the truth of it.
“Wait.” He drags the word out, trying to catch up to everything I’m not saying. “Are you kidding me? Who is she?”
