Page 94 of Wild

"We could make it official if you want." Mia doesn't give her time to overthink it, because she knows Erin's brain can start spinning all on its own without any help.

"You mean move in together?"

"We're already doing it, aren't we? And it's working pretty well," the singer points out.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

Mia smiles and gets up, comes around the table, and settles onto Erin's lap.

"Yesterday was your last shift at the hospital. From now on, you're all mine," she teases, and Erin wraps her arms around her waist.

"What are you actually trying to tell me? Because you're clearly up to something," Erin says, studying her.

"Have you ever thought about living somewhere other than New York?"

"Honestly? No. I bought this apartment because it was close to work." Erin goes quiet, and for a moment her mind drifts.

Living here is just another consequence of her robotic life. Doing things out of habit, as if there were no other options. It's close to the hospital, close to her sister, and it had been closeto her mother. She doesn't have the job anymore. Her mother is gone. And Brooke hasn't reached out since that last message.

"We could live together somewhere else, away from the city. A small town where we can go for walks without anyone recognizing me, without the stress of these streets."

"What happens to your place and my apartment?"

"They stay." Mia shrugs. "I don't want to ask Noah to move out — even if I paid for it, that house is as much his as mine, and he loves it there. This apartment can stay for when we're in the city, but for our life together, we pick somewhere else."

"That does sound tempting," Erin admits with a smile. "Do you have somewhere in mind?"

"I like the Hudson Valley — lots of forests, small towns, farmers markets. We could spend a few days up there and look around."

"Cold Spring," Erin says when she mentions the valley. "I went once as a kid with my parents, before he left, and I remember loving it. We could start there."

"So you're on board?"

"Move to a valley with a rich, gorgeous singer? How could I say no?"

Mia laughs, and Erin nudges her to stand, grabs her by the hips, and lifts her so Mia wraps her legs around her waist and loops her arms around the back of her neck.

"I'm on board, honey," the doctor murmurs, carrying her across the room until she pins her against the wall. "I love being out in nature, and that area's full of trails we can explore whenever you have time off. A calm, easy place is exactly what you need after so much stress."

"Then pack your bag — we're leaving tomorrow."

Erin raises her eyebrows.

"You planned this without me? What would you have done if I'd said no?"

"Used my charm to change your mind."

Erin's laugh dies in Mia's mouth as the singer kisses her.

Epilogue

2 years later.

Mia opens her eyes all at once and the intensity of the blue sky blinds her, though she only blinks, disoriented. Her pulse spikes and fear rushes through her as she hears a muffled voice she's starting to recognize.

"Honey, look at me."

Erin is on her knees beside her, relieved she managed to catch her in time and ease her down before she collapsed completely. They're by the pond that sits barely thirty yards from the house they bought in a part of the Hudson Valley they both fell in love with the moment they saw it.