Chapter 29
Snow
Yesterday's Preston article could have derailed me. A few months ago, it would have sent me spiraling with doubt and fear. But yesterday morning, I looked at that headline and felt... nothing. Well, not nothing — annoyance, maybe a flash of anger — but not the crushing panic I used to feel.
Because I'm done giving him headspace.
I'm still riding that high when Nico calls.
"Snow?" Nico's voice is bubbling with excitement. "Are you sitting down?"
"I'm always sitting down when I'm working. What's got you so—"
"Wyatt turned down half a million dollars."
My pen slips from my fingers. "What?"
"Leo called him yesterday. Remember that offer from a few months back? The one Wyatt turned down. The mysterious major brand Leo wouldn't name."
My stomach drops. "Yeah?"
"They came back with an even bigger offer." She takes a breath. "Two-year exclusive contract. Five hundred thousand dollars, plus bonuses and international exposure. It would have set him up for life."
My heart starts hammering against my ribs. "And he turned it down?"
"Turned it down flat. Again." She pauses, and I can practically hear her grinning.
"And according to my sources, when Leo pulled his usual 'we are done' threat, Wyatt called him out on it.
Reminded him that he said the exact same thing a few months ago.
Leo tried to backtrack, claimed he never said that, told Wyatt not to be so dramatic. "
"Wait, how do you even know all this?" I ask, bewildered. "This happened yesterday. How does your information network work so fast?"
Nico laughs. "You know my girlfriend Maya?"
"The one who works in marketing?"
"Yeah. Well, she has a friend who works at Leo's agency. Leo was screaming so loudly about Wyatt turning down the offer that half the office heard it. Maya's friend texted her, Maya texted me." She sounds incredibly pleased with herself.
Despite my shock, I have to smile. "That's actually impressive."
"I know, right?"
"Seriously, Nico, have you ever considered applying to the CIA? Because your information network is borderline terrifying. You know everything about everyone before it even happens."
She laughs. "The CIA couldn't afford me. Plus, I look terrible in navy blue."
"I'm being serious. First, you got all that intel on Preston, then you somehow know about Leo's offer within hours—"
"Minutes," she corrects. "I knew within minutes."
"See? That's exactly what I mean. You're like a one-woman intelligence agency."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she says, but I can hear the pleased note in her voice. "Anyway, Wyatt just hung up on Leo." She takes a breath.
I stare at my laptop screen, my mind racing. Half a million dollars. The kind of money that could secure anyone's future, and he turned it down. Again.
A smile spreads across my face. Of course he did. Because that's who Wyatt is — someone who chooses authenticity over security, dreams over money. Just like he's been trying to show me all along.
"Snow? You still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here. I just..." My voice catches. "I'm so proud of him, Nico."
"I knew you would be." I can hear the smile in her voice. "He's all in, Snow. Just like you are."
"He really is." I press my hand to my chest, feeling the warmth spread through me. "God, I love him."
"I know you do. Now go tell him that." She pauses. "And maybe order some champagne. This deserves celebrating."
"You're right. Thanks, Nico."
After we hang up, I sit staring at the wall where Wyatt hung one of his photographs — the black and white image of wildflowers growing through a crack in concrete.
It's one of the photos from his bookstore display, from that day he showed me the difference between performance and reality.
Resilience, he called it then. Beauty finds a way to exist even in impossible circumstances.
He chose resilience. He chose beauty. He chose authenticity.
I hear a key in the lock. Wyatt must have pulled up while I was on the phone with Nico. The door opens, and he walks in carrying takeout from our favorite Thai restaurant, his face lighting up when he sees me.
"Hey, beautiful. Hungry?" He sets the bags on the counter, then pauses when he sees my expression. "You okay?"
I cross the room and throw my arms around him. "Nico told me."
He stiffens slightly. "Told you what?"
"About the offer." I pull back to look at him, and I know my eyes are shining. "Half a million dollars, Wyatt. And you turned it down."
His expression shifts to something wary, like he's bracing for a fight. "Yeah, I did."
"I'm so proud of you."
He blinks at me. "You're... what?"
"Proud. You chose your dreams over security." I cup his face in my hands. "You chose to be yourself instead of what Leo wanted you to be."
"You're not upset?" The vulnerability in his voice breaks my heart a little.
"Upset? Why would I be upset?"
"Because it's half a million dollars. Because I didn't discuss it with you first. Because—"
I kiss him softly. "You turned it down because you wanted to."
He searches my face, like he's looking for doubt or anger and not finding it. "You're really okay with this?"
"Okay with it? Wyatt, I'm inspired by it." I take his hands in mine. "Do you know what it means to me? Seeing you choose your dreams over money? Watching you be brave enough to walk away from 'security' to follow your dreams?"
"Snow—"
"You've been telling me for months that authenticity matters more than security. That I'm strong enough to stand on my own. That choosing myself isn't selfish." My voice catches. "And now you're living it. You're proving it."
His eyes shine with something that might be tears. "You really mean that."
"I really do." I rest my forehead against his. "I'm so proud of you for being brave enough to do this. For knowing who you are and what you want. For not letting money or pressure or anyone else's expectations change that."
"Even if it means we'll be eating a lot of ramen while I build the gallery?"
I laugh through my own tears. "Even then."
He pulls me close, burying his face in my hair. "I was so afraid you'd think I was being reckless or irresponsible."
"Never." I hold him tighter. "You're being true to yourself. That's the man I fell in love with."
He pulls back to look at me, his eyes searching mine. "You really fell in love with me?"
"Past tense," I say softly. "I fell in love with you months ago. Present tense? I love you."
"Say it again."
"I love you, Wyatt Ford." My voice is steady, sure, completely certain. "I love who you are. I love that you're making your dreams come true."
He kisses me then, deep and slow and full of promise. When we break apart, we're both crying a little.
"So," he says, his voice rough with emotion. "You really want to split ramen costs with a struggling photographer?"
"I really do." I grin at him. "Though I think we should celebrate tonight with something better than ramen. This deserves champagne."
"Celebrating my financial irresponsibility?"
I take his face in my hands. "This isn't irresponsible, Wyatt. This is you finally taking yourself seriously. And I'm here for all of it."
His arms tighten around me. "I can't believe you're real sometimes."
"I'm real. You're real." I pull back to look at him. "And we're going to build something amazing together. Both of us choosing ourselves, choosing each other, over everything else."
"Partners," he says softly.
"Partners," I agree.