Chapter 34 #2
And goddammit, he deserved it all. Starting with the ray of sunshine coming his way. Her face was obscured by the suit netting, but it didn’t matter. He felt those blue eyes trained on him, warming him to his bones.
Quinn cleared her throat. “Oh damn, it’s happening. I’m going to go ahead and walk away now.”
He nodded, eyes never leaving Penny. “I think that’s a good idea.”
“I love you, buddy.”
“I love you, too. Now please fucking go.”
Quinn laughed as she left, and then the world around him went fuzzy as Penny reached him.
Her chest lifted with heavy breaths, but she was smiling. “Hi.”
“Hey. Everything okay?”
“Yes. Yes. I wanted to talk to you. It’s important. I want to say something.”
Her fingers searched for the zipper of her hood, but her hands were shaking.
“Here.” He swallowed hard. “Let me help.”
Zander eased the zipper along the teeth to detach the hood, then lifted it to gaze at her flushed face and freckles.
“You wanted to say something?”
She blinked at him, just looking. “Yeah,” she said finally. “Yes. I do. I was over with the bees, talking about their roles and the work they do, but also about how humans are different because we’re not bees and we can go to lakes and take care of each other and—”
“Penny.” He cupped her sweet face. “Slow down. Take a breath.”
“It’s just…” Her eyes gleamed with welling tears.
“I want to tell you yes. Yes, I’ll figure out a way to try this, even with the distance.
Because life is special and we aren’t bees and I think we—no, I know—we both deserve something beautiful and happy and joyful.
And we should give ourselves the chance. ”
Everything around them slowed, and it was only Penny Becker and the sky that matched her eyes. Zander let his forehead fall against hers. “You’re sure?”
She nodded against him. “Yes. I know it won’t always be easy. But you were right. I can’t look back and wonder what could have happened.”
Penny stepped back and took Zander’s hands in hers. “I promise to try,” she told him. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to the farm, but I understand life will keep moving. I know the people in my life are the most important things. And Zander, you’re one of those people now.”
Zander didn’t bother blinking away his tears. But even as he wanted to pull Penny to him, an old voice still whispered inside him, telling him he didn’t deserve another great love in his life. That this happiness would burn up and vanish when he held it too tightly.
Then Penny smiled up at him, and he told that voice to fuck off.
Penny’s gaze flicked to the house behind him. “I’m going to miss having you next door. But I’ll do my best to be a good neighbor to whoever moves in.”
“About that.” Zander let out a long breath. “What if you didn’t get a new neighbor?”
Her brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what if I stayed in the house?”
“Zander.” She shook her head. “You can’t do that. You can’t move away from Winter. I know you wouldn’t want that. I would never want you to do that for me.”
“I know that. And you’re right, I couldn’t leave Winter.”
“So what are you even talking about?”
“Mallory and Quinn came to see me last night,” he told her. “They’re interested in moving back here. It would mean all of us leaving Boston.”
Penny looked stunned. “You’re not serious.”
He stroked his thumb across her knuckles. “I am. They made a good argument for being closer to Mal’s family, having more space for all of us. We haven’t officially popped the question to Winter, but Mallory floated the idea, and he was positive.”
“But what about you? This is the last place you’d want to be.”
“Maybe it was,” he said. “When it was a symbol and not a real place. But since Mal and Quinn brought up the idea, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Really making this house a home for Winter, slowing down my life, exploring what family can look like, for all of us.
” He squeezed her hands. “For you and me, if you’d want that. ”
She was quiet for a moment, just blinking at him. Then she smiled, her freckled cheeks rising on her beautiful face. “That sounds pretty great.”
His body melted with relief. “You think so?”
“I really do.”
Penny threw herself at him, winding her arms around his waist and gripping his T-shirt. Zander surrounded her in her embrace, laying kisses on her golden hair.
When he couldn’t wait any longer, he moved a hand to her chin and tipped her face to his. The kiss was slow and light, the sparkling of sunshine on a lake.
After a moment, Penny pulled away and held one warm palm to his cheek. “I love you, too.”
Zander’s stomach swooped. “But I haven’t—”
“I know you haven’t said it. But you’ve shown it. Over and over.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I’m not wrong, am I?”
“No.” A full laugh burst from his belly. “No, you’re not wrong. I love you. Maybe since that first day I saw you in this hot bee suit.”
“Oh my god, this suit is not hot.” Penny giggled brightly. It was a sound he’d never grow tired of, especially knowing how much of herself Penny held back from other people, how hard it was for her to trust and show her vulnerability. He’d always treat her love like the gift it was.
“It absolutely is.” He trailed a finger up her arm. “I’ll prove it to you tonight. Wear it over to my place with nothing underneath.”
Her scandalized gasp was absolutely adorable.
Before Zander could goad her further, RJ popped out from the house, his apron covered in flour. “Pen!” He looked rapidly between the two of them. “Oh, shit. Something is happening here, is it?”
Penny nodded. “Um, yeah.”
“Okay.” RJ smiled at them both. “I am super happy about this, whatever it is. But also, Natasha just called and said one of the Brads is down by the street complaining about the traffic. And someone inside whose brother’s wife works for some home goods chain in Toronto is wondering about bulk pricing for candles, and I don’t have a clue.
I really don’t want to bother you guys, but—”
“RJ.” Penny laughed, laying a hand on her friend’s substantial forearm. “It’s fine. We’ll go handle it.”
“Okay, cool.” He looked knowingly at Zander. “I can’t wait to hear every detail about what’s happening here.”
Penny smiled and shooed RJ. “Go make your pies, we’ve got it.”
As he whirled back inside, Zander handed the suit hood back to Penny. “Sounds like we have some work to do. You want to handle the Brad while I talk to the people inside?”
“I can do bo—” She paused, narrowed her eyes at him, and smiled. “Yeah, that’d be great.”
He leaned down to brush a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll catch you later, Penny Becker.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “And Zander?”
He gave himself another moment to lose himself in the blue of her eyes, as vibrant and promising as the sky behind her. “Yeah?”
She spread her arms as wide as her smile. “Welcome home.”