Chapter 15
NATE
Bailey and I chat about hiking and adventure TV while enjoying our lunch, but she's almost silent the whole drive home. Part of me wants to ask if everything's all right. A bigger part realizes she probably needs some space.
After we arrive at the house, I take her hand and lead her to the living room, where we sit on the couch. I try not to think about the fact that the last time she was in this spot, she was naked and spread wide for me.
"You want to do that brain dump now?" I ask. "Or would you prefer some alone time?"
Bailey leans back against the cushions. "Definitely brain dump.
" Her eyes fall shut. "I have no problem leaving those two idiotic so-called parents. I would be fine never seeing them again. I’d miss the boys, though.
" Her eyes snap open again, and she looks at me.
"But I had a thought on the drive back. Tomorrow, I'm going to call my grandmother and tell her everything.
She's extremely controlling. Maybe that's why Mom is such a flake, as a sort of reaction to it.
Anyway. She'll either take the boys in or get them a nanny. She'll take care of everything."
"Perfect. Great idea." I hold out my palm and she takes it. "And you?"
Her eyes close again, and she sighs. "Jeremy was a moron to try to get me a free trip home. But it did hammer home that the only money I have is my savings for an apartment. It’s not enough to live on."
She nods to herself. "One of the jobs I was thinking about getting was remote. The other two were in offices. The remote one is a lot less money, but more interesting work."
“If you stayed here with me, you could live for free and not need any money at all while you tested out the job. Right?"
Her eyes snap open as she squeezes my hand. "Nate, I appreciate the offer. But I can't sponge off you forever. You've worked hard for your money. It's not right."
"But what if I didn't work hard for my money?"
Bailey peers at me intently. "Explain."
"Okay… What if I won the lottery? What if, at the age of twenty-one, I won ten million bucks, leaving me set for life, by sheer, dumb luck? Could you sponge off me then?"
A smile begins to blossom across her lips. "I guess so. Somehow that's…different."
I kneel on the floor in front of her, taking both hands. "Well, that’s what happened. Except instead of winning a literal lottery, I was born into the Wolfe family."
"The mountain people."
"Yes. And because they've owned businesses and land for generations, they’re extremely wealthy. I have a trust fund that pays me monthly instead of a salary. It’s practically like winning the lottery, being born into the right family, don't you think?"
Bailey stares deeply into my eyes for a full minute, breathing deeply, calmly, as if she's counting her inhales and exhales.
"Bailey, baby, I love you. Shush, please don't panic when I say that. Of course it's fast, way too fast, but loving you feels like the most natural thing in the world."
I nod toward the window. "We could build you an office on the east side of the lawn. You can design it. Office, powder room, kitchenette with your own coffee maker."
Her bottom lip falls open.
"Why not, baby? I have a huge garage. You should have a private space, too.
And you can take the more interesting work and not have to worry about money.
" Squeezing her hands, I smile. "Back on Wolfe Mountain, my relatives spend as much money as they can at all the local businesses to boost them.
We could do the same here. Go out to dinner as much as we like.
Buy local art, splurge at the bookstore… "
"It's not too fast?" she whispers.
"Of course it is!" I laugh. "It's ridiculously fast. It's also the most deeply correct thing I've ever felt in my life.
" Her lovely eyes are misty with tears as I say again, "I love you, beautiful.
Do you think you could live with me for a couple of months, see how you feel at the end of it?
Do you think you could give us a chance? "
She's already nodding. "Yes. To all of it."
My heart leaps up into my throat, choking me into silence for a moment.
"Yes to living here,” she continues, “and to taking the job I enjoy more. Yes to supporting the town." She grips my hands, her fingers shaking. "And yes… I love you, too."
I lean forward at the same time she does. She's more aggressive, tumbling on top of me on the floor as I push the coffee table out of the way. With her curvy body over mine, I wrap my arms around her, rocking as we laugh between deep, passionate kisses.
“So that’s that?" I ask. "We belong together, we've discovered we’re soulmates in less than a week, and we're going to live happily ever after?"
"Yes. That's officially the new plan."