Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
brOOKS
The resort looks beautiful tonight.
Really, it’s pretty every night, but now that it’s all decked out for the grand opening winter festival, it’s on a whole other level. It rivals some of those pictures Hadley has saved in her Pinterest board.
I know she was worried about how this would all come together after Sheila and the others quit a month ago. It’s not easy planning to host an event like this when you’re trying to keep the place afloat. But between Hadley and the events manager, it seems like everything is going off without a hitch. I’m not surprised, but I’m glad that Hadley will be able to witness the fruits of their labour.
Guests and townsfolk alike have been taking advantage of the post-Christmas festivities, and the place is packed. I’ve been trying to find Hadley for the past half hour. I texted her a while ago, but she hasn’t responded yet.
“Brooks!”
I eagerly look up, but it’s only Spencer.
“Damn, don’t look so disappointed,” he jests, coming up beside me. “What’s up?”
I shake my head. “Just looking for Hadley.”
“Ah. How’s that going, by the way? You get your girl to stay yet?”
At this, I glower. “I’m not getting her to do anything. If she wants to stay, that’s her decision. I don’t want to force it.”
“You’re a noble man, Brooksy.” He claps me on the back. “Good luck.”
When Spencer walks away, I scan the crowd again. Finally, I spot Hadley across the courtyard near the fire pit, in conversation with the events manager, so I make my way over to them.
I slip an arm around Hadley’s shoulders, pulling her against me. I expect her to tense in surprise, but she simply melts into my side, wrapping her arm around my back.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I say. I nod to Mia. “Everything looks incredible. You did a great job with all this.”
She grins. “Thank you. Enjoy your night, you two! I’ll talk to you later, Hadley.”
That’s all the permission I need to whisk my girl away. Taking her hand, I tug her in the direction of the hot chocolate stand. I order a regular one, but Hadley decides to go for the peppermint white hot chocolate that comes with a heavy helping of whipped cream on top.
When she pulls her drink away from her mouth, I laugh. A layer of whipped cream coats her upper lip.
Her brows furrow. “What?”
I smile, reaching out with my thumb to wipe away the cream. Then I suck it off my finger. “There,” I say. “That’s better.”
Her cheeks, already flushed from the cold, go even redder. “Thank you.”
“How do you feel?” I ask. I gesture to the crowd. “Now that the grand opening is finally here.”
Hadley takes a deep breath as she surveys the scene around her. It’s straight out of a Hallmark movie.
“I feel…good. Relieved. Like I can breathe a little easier. ”
“Good, I’m glad. I know how hard you’ve been working.”
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she says, “Everyone at the resort has been. I couldn’t do half of what I do without their help.”
I nudge her shoulder. “I’m proud of you.” When she looks up at me, there are tears gathering on her lash line. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
She smiles. “Absolutely nothing. Everything’s perfect. I just…really missed hearing that.”
“What? That I’m proud of you?”
She nods. “I didn’t think I’d get to have that anymore.”
“I’ll always be proud of you. I felt that way even after you left. Because you left. You’re incredible, Hadley Knight.”
“And you are way too good to me,” she counters. “But for the record, I’m proud of you, too. Proud to know you.”
I tug her over to a bench and we sit, finishing off our hot chocolates. She leans against me, and man, does it feel good to have her in my arms again. Even if it’s temporary. Even if I’ll have to let her go soon.
I know I’m delaying the inevitable by not asking her, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
After a period of silence, Hadley sits up. I look over, brow raised.
“I have something to tell you,” she says.
I turn to face her fully. “Is this a good something or a bad something?”
I prepare myself to hear that she’s going back to Brazil soon. That she’s finally putting an expiration date on this. On us. I’ve been telling myself this was coming, so I wouldn’t be surprised, but it still hits me like a sucker punch—the possibility that she’ll be leaving me again.
She chews on her lower lip before speaking. “I asked Thiago about the manager position today.”
Now that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. “What about it?” I ask .
Hadley’s cheeks pinken. “If I could have it.”
Her words stop me short. I pause before speaking. “You what?”
“I, um—” She smiles. “I asked for the job, and he said yes.”
“ Fuck yes .”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I stand and lift her off the bench. She laughs, face pressed against my neck as I spin her around. The tip of her nose is cold to the touch, but I don’t care.
“Brooks!” There’s a grin in her voice. “Put me down!”
I shake my head, somewhat in disbelief. “Of course he said yes. He’d be a fool not to.”
I set her back on her feet, but I don’t let her go. If I had it my way, I never would. I’ve already spent too many years not being able to touch her.
She shrugs. “I didn’t want to let him down. But I’m learning that I can’t let myself down either.”
Cupping her cheek, I tip her chin up so I can meet her eyes. “You’re going to make a great manager, Hads. The best.”
The happiness shining in her eyes nearly brings me to my knees. It’s a stark contrast from hearing her talk about her assistant job. While I know she loved working for Thiago, she wanted more. Needed more. Now she’ll get to have that. Running a resort is no easy task, but I have every faith she’s up for the challenge.
“Brooks?”
“Yeah?”
Her expression turns shy. “Do you know what else this means?”
My heart pounds in my chest. “What?”
“I’m staying in Sugar Peak.”
Staying .
Hadley is staying. Everything I’ve been hoping for since I saw her again is clicking into place. Because she’s staying .
I grin so wide, my cheeks hurt. “Yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah. Well, I’ll need to go back to Brazil at some point after the holidays to pack up my stuff and figure out what to do about my apartment, but after that?—”
Cupping Hadley’s cheeks, I drop my mouth to hers. Her rambling is adorable, but I can tell she’s heading into a nervous spiral. She doesn’t need to be nervous, though. With her, I’m all in.
She sinks into the kiss, hands splayed on my chest. I’m sure she can feel my heart thumping beneath her palm. She should—it belongs to her. It has for a long fucking time.
When we pull apart, I simply watch her for a moment. Admire the way she stands out against the snow behind her. She is vibrant. She is beautiful.
She is mine, and I am hers.
“Hadley.”
“Yes?” she whispers, looking up at me.
“I love you.”
Those three words have been hanging over me for the past month. They used to come so easily to me—because loving Hadley is easy. I knew from the moment I met her that I wanted her to be mine. That I wanted to be hers. I wouldn’t change these past eight years because in truth, we both needed them. But they also showed me that there’s nothing I wouldn’t give for a second chance with her.
Hadley’s eyes widen, and I worry for a second that I’ve fucked everything up before it has really had a chance to begin. But then she leans closer.
“I love you, too.”
She smiles, and the way she looks, with snowflakes catching in her hair, takes my breath away. If I could freeze this moment right here, I would, if only to live in it a moment longer.
“So…seeing as you love me and all, I have a question,” she says.
I chuckle. “What’s your question?”
Her eyes sparkle. “How would you feel about being my boyfriend again?”
This is the easiest question I’ve ever had to answer .
“It would be my pleasure,” I reply. And then I gather her in my arms and kiss her breathless.
I know Hadley doesn’t put much stock in the universe, but I have to give credit where credit is due. And I’ll always be thankful it led her back to me.
Best Christmas present ever.