Page 21 of Axes and Ohs

I’ve never really gone all in for the hearts-and-Cupids romance schtick before… but then again, I’ve never really had anyone I wanted to get romantic with until now.

Until Erick.

When my guy announced on a video call yesterday that he wanted to drive up for a long weekend, my tongue had nearly tripped over itself rushing to agree. I’d practically sold a kidney to Jenna, Ames’s second-in-command and my sister’s bestie, to score a last-minute reservation for tonight. And I’d texted Erick a few hours ago to meet me here as soon as he got to town.

Now, I’m checking my phone for the third time in five minutes… when the door finally opens and Erick walks in.

Even bundled up in his expensive wool coat, he takes my breath away.

After all those months of video calls and text messages and questioning whether my feelings for him were real, the weekend we spent together in New York a couple weeks back was like a drop of water to a man who’s been wandering the desert.

A glorious relief, but not nearly enough.

Now, I want to drink Erick in, gulp him down. To keep him with me, because everything’s better when we’re together.

Keeping him permanently is not in the cards right now, and I know that—Erick’s got his life in New York, and I’ve got my life here—but he’s going to be in Winsome for four whole days on this visit, and I’m going to enjoy every minute.

Tomorrow, I’m taking him to meet Mamá for what will probably be a heinously embarrassing trip down memory lane, complete with baby pictures and stories about my childhood exploits. The day after that, we’re all having dinner at my sister’s place so Erick can meet my niece and nephew.

And all the times in between—all those mornings and evenings, all those afternoons and middle-of-the-nights, it’s going to be just the two of us, talking and laughing and touching. Getting to know each other more deeply. Savoring this relationship we’re building.

Because as far as I’m concerned, this is the real deal. The realest deal.

And tonight, I’m going to officially ask Erick Nelson to be my boyfriend. No impulsive helicopter ride required.

I wave to catch his attention, and when his face lights up at seeing me, my heart makes an audible ga-GUNG, just like it did when I first saw him last October. Like it’s saying this one. Him.

This is what I want my future to look like, I realize. All of it. And that thought doesn’t scare me one bit. It feels good. Feels right.

Later, I’ll wonder if I was so caught up in how right everything felt… that I didn’t realize right away when things start going so fucking wrong.

Erick’s eyes light up and takes his first step toward me, when Watchfire’s front door opens again and Robbie Wojcik and his girlfriend step inside, blocking Erick’s path.

Robbie’s wearing only a Winsome FD vest over his shirt, but the guy’s so big he’s probably impervious to the cold. Lissa’s pink-cheeked and practically bouncing.

I’m too far away to hear what she’s saying to Ames’s mom, who’s working the host stand at Watchfire tonight, but I recognize the pride when Lissa thrusts out her left hand for Ames’s mom to oooh and aaah over. Seems like Robbie and Lissa have an extra-special reason to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.

Everyone in town knows Ames and Robbie are best friends—the legendary ride-or-die kind—so I’m guessing they’ve come to share their engagement news with Ames.

I can’t say what makes me look to the right when the rest of the restaurant is craning their necks to the left, trying to glimpse Lissa’s ring. But when I do, I see that Ames’s face has gone pale, and it looks like he’s going to be sick.

That’s not the face a man gets when he learns his friend is about to be married. It’s the look of a man whose heart is breaking. And while I don’t immediately understand why he looks like that, I do feel a deep, instinctive stab of sympathy for him.

That sympathy starts to evaporate, though, when Ames’s panicked gaze darts around his restaurant and lands on Erick, who’s still standing by the door, smiling politely and trying to edge his way around the happy couple.

“Oh my god! Erick?” Griffin calls out in surprise from the corner table he and Beckett are sharing and waves in Erick’s direction. “Hey! I had no idea you were coming to Winsome!”

Erick’s shoulders tense as a dozen mostly strangers stare at him. “Oh. Well. Actually, I’m here to meet—” His gaze finds mine, and he swallows nervously, like he’s not sure how much he should say.

I hate that he has to question that even for an instant. I’m halfway out of my chair in the span of a breath, ready to storm across the floor and claim my man in front of the whole town, gossips be damned.

But I’ve barely taken a step when I hear a voice say, “Me! He’s here to meet me!”

I freeze in place and send a shocked glance at Erick, who stares back at me like a deer in headlights.

Ames dashes over and wraps an arm around Erick’s waist before either of us can process what’s happening. “Because Erick and I have an announcement too!” he continues. “Surprise! We’re… together.” Then, as I watch in disbelief, Ames squeezes Erick against his side. “Tell them, honey bunch.”

“What the fuck?” I growl, loud enough that several heads turn my way. I don’t give a shit, though.