Chapter 18
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“I can’t believe I finally saw a moose,” Nana says, scrolling through the dozens of cell phone pictures she took when a giant bull stepped right out onto Main Street, as though he had just as much right to saunter through town as anyone else.
“Now you can die a happy woman, right?” I ask, trying to sound positive.
But my heart just isn’t in it. I hate that we’re leaving, but I know there’s no other option.
I can’t stand the thought that Nolan might be in love with this other woman.
What happens if she shows up in North Haven, looking for her groom?
Will I even matter, then? It’s better if I leave, while I have only good memories.
“Well, I thought so,” Nana says, putting her phone away.
“What does that mean?”
“I think I’d rather wait to kick the bucket until you admit you found your true love. Would be a shame to miss that.”
My chest aches at the way I snuck up to Nolan’s house earlier this afternoon and packed my things. I triple checked the house, just to make sure I didn’t leave a thing behind. Except I couldn’t find my purple readers. Dammit. Guess I won’t be leaving Alaska with everything I brought with me.
But the truth is, even if I had my purple readers now, my heart would still get left behind.
“Nolan’s not the one, Nana.”
“And how are you so sure about that? We’ve hardly been here four, maybe five days?”
“He was keeping secrets from me.”
“Like?”
“He doesn’t claim his family, but somehow he has a trust fund.”
“What does that prove?”
“Who left him the money? And why is he all hush, hush about it? I don’t care about the money itself. Just the secrets surrounding it.”
“He used that money to invest in Caribou North. Didn’t Vanessa or Blakely tell you that?’
“Well, no, but—”
“He bought that house, that tank, and then invested the rest in the business. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to accommodate the expansion for the kids’ interactive space. That’s why they have that meeting tomorrow with another investor.”
“He was supposed to marry someone else,” I add.
“When?”
“Yesterday.” I tell her about the invitation I found, and how Nolan never said a word about any woman named Chantel or being engaged at all. “How do I know he’s not still in love with her?”
“I can’t tell you the answer to that,” Nana says, patting my leg as she stands. “But I can get us some moose juice before our flight boards.”
I bury my head in my hands, wishing the plane would hurry up already.
The sooner it takes off, the sooner I can start forgetting about North Haven—and Nolan.
This was just supposed to be a cool job with travel benefits.
What happened between me and Nolan was never meant to be permanent.
It was just a bit of spicy fun. I was never staying, and he never asked me to.
A wet nose pushes through my hands, bopping me right on the mouth. A tongue licks my cheek before I fully register what’s happening. “Gary?”
He whimpers, as though to say his feelings are hurt.
“Look, I get you skipping out without saying goodbye to me,” Nolan says. “But Gary? That’s just cruel.”
“You came to see us off?” I ask, wiping away a stray tear I hope he doesn’t see. I wasn’t crying until Gary shoved his furry face into mine.
“I came to tell you I love you, and I don’t want you to leave at all. And before you ask, no, you can’t run away and take Gary with you.”
My head snaps up, certain I’ve misheard him. Because those are the words I’ve been hearing in my head for hours, in a fantasy movie-like version of my life. One I was convinced would never be my reality. I pinch myself, just to make sure I haven’t passed out in the terminal. Ouch!
“You don’t mean that, Nolan. You hardly know me—”
“I know that you drive me up a wall with your snarky comments and complete disrespect for itineraries.”
“Hey, I did read it. Well, some of it.”
“I know the solitude I craved at my place is no longer a comfort without you there to sprinkle it with chaos.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“I know you’re the complete opposite of me in every way, which at first I thought would make us completely incompatible. But you know what I figured out?”
“What’s that?”
“That you’re the yin to my yang. It doesn’t always make sense, but we fit together. And if you leave, I’ll never feel truly whole again. So don’t leave. Stay.”
I’m so stunned I don’t know what to say, but before I can try to form a reply, Nolan adds, “If you won’t stay for me, at least stay for Gary.”
The pup looks up at me, those puppy dog eyes in full force. I hug him against my chest, plant a kiss on his head, then stand to tell the man I love how I feel—after I straighten out a few things.
“I have some questions.”
“I’m not surprised,” Nolan says, chuckling as Nana approaches us, only one coffee cup in hand. But she waves at us to ignore her and takes a seat next to Gary. Looks like we’ll have an audience.
“Who’s the trust fund from?”
“My grandma. She died when I was young, but I was her favorite. That’s why I don’t talk to my family anymore. They were jealous that she left me a trust fund and not them, and it brought out a dark side.”
“Do you miss your family?”
“Sometimes. But then I remember the family I have here—the family I chose—and I realize how truly lucky I am.”
“Who’s Chantel?”
“You weren’t kidding about the questions,” Nolan says, chuckling.
I fold my arms over my chest and glare at him.
“I know you snooped through my drawers and found the invitation. Gary ratted you out—”
“Gary!”
“Don’t be mad at him. He was sore at you for leaving without saying goodbye. Anyway, Chantel was my fiancé, but when I asked her to sign a prenup, she refused. Admitted she was only marrying me for my money, and I broke things off.”
“That’s awful.”
“That’s why I really moved to North Haven,” he admits. “I wanted a fresh start, away from people who didn’t care about my net worth. Caribou North is something we dreamed up after I’d been here a few weeks, looking for something meaningful to invest my trust fund in.”
“Okay, last question. And this one is the most important one.”
“I’m ready.”
“Can you handle a messy house? And I don’t mean messy like dirty and gross, I mean messy like—”
“Like your clean clothes unfolded, empty coffee cups everywhere, and your readers on the floor?” He holds out the pair of purple glasses I thought I’d lost forever.
“Yes, exactly like that.”
Nolan leans in, his mouth against the shell of my ear, “I think you know exactly how I feel about messes when it comes to you. Or do I need to push you up against my kitchen wall and remind you again?”
I snake my hand around the back of his neck, locking eyes with him. “This feels like a slightly awkward time to admit I’m in love with you too, but when has anything with us been normal?”
“I love you, you love me. We’ll figure out the rest.”
“Would you two kiss already?” Nana says, and a few others join in, encouraging the same.
“I love you, Bree Harper,” Nolan says, sliding his hand along my cheek, tipping up my chin. “And I’m not letting you go. Not now, not ever.”
“But what about my allergy to winter?” I say, our lips so close I can practically taste the coffee on his breath.
“Don’t you worry. I’ll keep you plenty warm, even on the coldest nights.” With that promise, he presses his lips to mine. The small crowd in the terminal cheers, Gary barks, and Nana claps as though we just won a gold medal.
“Where does your itinerary have us right now?” I ask.
“It has you, right here in my arms.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s all that matters.”