She was headed back to the city, but he had an idea where she’d go first. She’d told him once how special the falls were to her, and he knew in his gut she’d need to see them as part of her good-bye.
He drove straight to the trailhead, and sure enough, her shiny black Beemer was there.
He hit the trail, walking fast. But first he let himself take a moment to pick her a good pinecone.
Thirty-seven
Laura had dallied long enough. She’d said good-bye to the falls. She wondered what Grandpa would’ve had to say about her leaving—probably that she was a coward.
It was too late now. She’d accepted the job. Had chosen her path.
She got up and brushed herself off. It was time. She hadn’t lied to Sorrow when she said she wanted to miss the Bay Area traffic. She hit the trail, heading back the way she came.
She’d made fun of herself for not being nature girl, but she did love these woods—she always had. It didn’t hurt that it was an easy walk to and from the falls.
She took a good look around, memorizing the trees. Saying good-bye. Good-bye to the person she’d almost become.
Realistically, she wouldn’t be back until autumn. The leaves would have turned by then. The quaking aspens—those were her favorites—they’d be yellow. There’d be some reds and oranges, too. But mostly it’d be the same pine trees, green and fresh, and feeling old as time.
She had to look away. Look down. She kicked rocks along the trail, thinking how lately she felt old as time, too. Would she ever really be happy? She was in love with Eddie, she knew that now. She’d probably been in love with him for years. All that sparring. All those sparks. Had she wanted him all along?
But she also knew that sparring, arguments, conflict…it was all she was good for. It was why she was so good at business. Why she thrived in a cold, big city.
“Penny for your thoughts, darlin’. ”
She looked up and her breath caught. “Eddie. ”
It was like she’d conjured him. For an instant, she had the fantasy that they hadn’t fought. The fantasy that they were a couple, out for a hike. But she reminded herself it wasn’t true. They were from two very different worlds, two travelers bearing different passports, with two very different destinations. So many differences never to be resolved. Seeing him, she mourned the person she wasn’t.
“How did you find me?”
He walked right up to her. “Finding you was easy. It’s catching you that’s the hard part. ”
He didn’t touch her, but he looked like he wanted to. She knew Eddie—the touching would be up to her. But she didn’t have the guts.
He spoke of catching her…did that mean he wanted to keep her, too? She didn’t trust it. What if she let him in, let him look deeper into her heart, and he decided he didn’t like what he saw? The old fear and vulnerability began to slink back, and it sharpened her words. “Why are you here?”
“I told you,” he said gently. “I love you. Why can’t you believe that?”
Probably because she didn’t feel particularly lovable at the moment. Last night’s accusations came to her in a flood. “I thought I was too controlling. A robot with intimacy issues. ”
“I didn’t mean those things. I’m sorry—I was hurt and jealous. But I do love you, Laura, and I’ll say it as many times as I need to until you believe it. ”
Then she saw what he had in his hands, and she burst into tears. “You brought me a pinecone?” Maybe he did recognize the real her. Maybe he had looked deep into her heart and still wanted what he saw.
“Yeah, goof. ” He gave her a loving smile, tipping her chin up to face him. “I can’t hike to the falls without picking you a pinecone. ”
She’d held so much emotion dammed in for so long, but one pinecone, Eddie’s smile, and—God help her—being called a goof when goof was the last thing she was, and she broke. Laughing, crying, smiling, sobbing…she stood in the middle of the woods and completely lost it. Lost it like she’d never lost it in front of anyone before.
Eddie panicked. “Oh, honey, no crying. I hate to see you cry. ” He finally crossed the divide, tucking her close, which made her only sob harder.
She let herself sink into him. “Oh, Eddie, I love you, too. I think I’ve probably always loved you, and now I screwed it all up. ”
“You didn’t screw anything up. ” He squeezed her tight. “We’ll figure it out. Just don’t cry anymore—you’re killing me. ”
“Are you kidding?” She sniffled. “I keep crying. I can’t stop it. People think I’m a robot, but really I’m just a wreck. ”
“Nobody thinks you’re a robot. ”