Chapter 46 Bennett
BENNETT
Charlie and I sat on the boat, holding hands, a huge wool blanket wrapped around both our shoulders, as we watched the trees get smaller in the distance. I expected to feel nothing but joy at leaving such a difficult experience behind, but instead bittersweet emotions tugged at me.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” Charlie said, her mouth close to my ear so I could hear her over the sound of the boat’s engine.
“It doesn’t feel real yet.”
The fresh lake spray hitting our faces made me homesick for Winterhaven.
I couldn’t wait to get back on my boat and lead another fishing excursion.
To sit down at Icy Asps with a large supreme pizza with extra cheese and eat the entire thing all by myself.
To tug Charlie onto my lap and do movie night with my siblings, while Hansel snuggled in next to us.
“I don’t know if I’m actually ready.” Charlie looked at me, concern in her eyes. “Out here we were in a bubble, but back home …”
I kissed her cheek to reassure her. “We’ll just be in a bigger bubble.”
She laughed, a sound that would never cease to make me feel light inside. “Are our families going to freak out that we’re together, together?”
“Maybe? But in a good way.”
She muffled her laugh in my shoulder. “Your sister is going to die.”
“And take credit for this. She’ll lord it over us forever.”
“You know what? I’m okay with that.”
I kissed the top of her head. I couldn’t get enough of her. “Me too.”
We’d had a lot of time to talk while we were waiting for the team to retrieve us from the cave.
Charlie told me about how they’d essentially kidnapped her and dropped her at the cave.
I’d told her about my dad arriving, and the difficult conversation we’d had.
Even now, when I thought about how I’d sent my dad away, I felt a pang of guilt.
Being out here, with so much quiet and solitude, changed me.
I felt at peace with my decisions. I’d always known I couldn’t change the past, but for the first time, I didn’t want to.
All those experiences led me to being the person I was.
And I liked that person. I cared about people.
I wanted to make sure they knew they were loved.
I valued hugs and time spent together. My family was always going to be number one in my book, and I’d do anything for them. Including Charlie. Especially Charlie.
I came out here, expecting to make a ton of money and have an adventure.
Instead, I came out of our time in the wild feeling healed.
It was wildly cheesy, and I was sure Jules would roll his eyes when I suggested he escape into nature for a time so he could heal too, but it was just as real as the irresistible woman lifting our clasped hands to her lips and dropping a tender kiss on my knuckles.
“What’s this?” She looked at where our fingers blended together seamlessly. At my questioning glance, she ran a finger over the two pieces of tied rope around my ring finger and pinkie.
In all the excitement and relief in finding her, I’d completely forgotten about the rings I’d made for us.
My cheeks grew hot. I wished we weren’t here, in front of an audience—a whole world of audience, since the cameras were rolling—but if there was something I’d learned out here, you never knew what the future might hold.
We only had the present, and I wanted to make the most of it.
“We didn’t exchange rings at our wedding, so I made this for you. ” I slid the smaller one off my pinkie.
Her eyes widened as I took her left hand and slipped it onto her ring finger.
“Obviously I’ll buy you a nicer one when—”
“No. I love it.” She stared at the tied rope and then smiled up at me with more love than I could have dreamed of shining from her eyes. “When did you make this?”
“Our last morning. Before I realized you’d gone missing.”
She brought her hand to her chest and held it there, like she wanted the ring close to her heart. “I’m so lucky to have you, Bennett.”
I pressed my forehead to hers. “I’m the lucky one.” How had I not seen her, really seen her, all these years? “I was an idiot for not falling head over heels in love with you the first second we met.”
“Your face was being clawed by a cat, to be fair.”
“Even more reason to love you,” I said, with a teasingly regretful shake of my head.
We pulled up to the dock, where Savannah waited for us.
She wore a white suit and had her arms folded impatiently, like we were taking up too much of her time.
I may have gone a little extra slow in standing up, handing the blanket to the camera crew, and helping Charlie step onto the dock.
I kept her hand securely in mine, running my thumb along the inside of her new ring.
I’d get her a better one when we got home. But this one felt exactly right too.
“You two have been quite the headache,” Savannah said, her serious expression adding weight to the statement as she stared us down.
“Good thing you’re the fan favorites. Now go take a shower and rest. We have two more weeks here at base camp before you can go home, and we’ve got a lot to talk about.
“I had them make your favorite meals in the kitchen,” she added over her shoulder, finally giving us a real smile. “Good job, you two. Rest. Enjoy. I’ll come find you later.”
Charlie and I looked at each other, and grinned. I had the love of my life wearing my homemade ring on her finger, and the promise of an actual forever with her.
“Race you to the shower?” I said.
“Game on.” She took off toward the showers with a wide smile, and I happily let her win.