lovemaking, Jenna passed out and I’ve been laying here holding her ever since. I still can’t believe she’s back, and that she chose me and wants me. I was prepared to go after her if she hadn’t returned to me.
She chose to come back, and that means everything to me. I want her to know I don’t take it lightly. I need her to know that I understand what it means to accept a life out here, and to show her I’m all in.
So I wait for her to wake up because she needs this nap. The drive here alone is two days, and who knows how long she’s been back in town.
As I think of the future, I lightly run my hand through her hair, enjoying the silky feel of it. I know the moment she’s awake because her whole body stiffens.
She opens her eyes, looks at me, and then smiles. ‘I was worried it was all a dream.’ She stretches, giving me an unobstructed view of her perky breasts.
‘I’m still worried after the first winter here you’ll bolt,’ I whisper.
She turns to look up at me and opens her mouth to speak, but I stop her. ‘Life out here isn’t easy. As much as possible, I try to live off the land. If I have to buy something in town, I try to find a way to make it or do without it first. Just because I have money doesn’t mean I use it. I live off of less than the interest in a savings account each month. My biggest expense is paying my yearly taxes on the land, and other than that, I don’t spend any more than most people make in a month in the entire year.’
‘Phoenix, you know it’s not about the money for me. If it was, don’t you think I would have had a major shopping spree and decorated my cabin by now?’ Jenna asks with a smirk on her face, trying to lighten the mood.
‘I know money isn’t a thing for you right now, and it may never be. But what about when winter hits and we can’t even get down the driveway? When we’re stuck on the mountain for months at a time and sometimes stuck inside for a week or more? Are you going to be able to handle it?’
‘Do you know the kind of photos I can get on the mountain up here when we’re snowed in? Even more than that, I can spend all of our time in the summer getting the photos I need as we prepare for winter, and spend all winter putting books together, editing photos, and doing all of my online work. I would love nothing more than long days curled up by the fireplace in the library reading with you. As long as it’s with you. But above all else, I know I can do this because you have.’
My heart starts racing because she’s really thought this out, and I know I can’t keep doubting her. I don’t want to give her any reason to doubt me, so I reach into my nightstand and pull out the box that has been sitting there for a couple of weeks now, removing the ring inside.
I take her left hand and slide the ring on her finger. ‘Good. Because I want all of this with you, too. I want to marry you and do everything with you by my side. Hunting, fishing, winter prep, days in town, all of it, and more. Will you marry me?’
‘Yes. A hundred times, yes.’ She grabs my face and pulls me down for a kiss. A kiss which pushes any doubt and fears I have aside, at least for now.
This kiss is a promise of the life I want.
Jenna
I’ve officially moved into Phoenix’s cabin. After we spent a day in bed, he took me to go get all my stuff and demanded I bring everything but my furniture. I was happy to do it because I don’t plan to spend any more nights away from him if I can help it.
I just unpacked the last box and put everything away, and I’m taking the boxes out to the workshop where we’ve been stacking cardboard. It took much longer than it should have because every time the light caught my ring I’d stop and stare at it, smiling and thinking of the future to come.
‘Last box. Everything has a home.’ I smile at Phoenix.
‘Good. You’re stuck with me now.’
I walk over and look at the table he’s working on. My table. This is the one that was supposed to go in my dining room and be a showstopper in my cabin. This is the last thing I have to figure out before I finally feel settled. Phoenix says I have a few more weeks until he’s done.
He’s taking it slower than normal as he’s been doing a lot of side work as well.
As a car pulls up the driveway, we both walk to stand in the large garage doorway.
‘Must be Emelie and Axel. Emelie said she was going to make some more food for Cash,’ I say as we wait for the car to appear from the trees.
‘That’s not the sound of Axel’s truck,’ Phoenix says hesitantly, and steps in front of me. I wonder if he did it on purpose, or if it was on instinct. Either way, I love that he wants to protect me.
A car pulls up with a dark tint and we wait for whoever’s inside to step out. The last people I expect to see are my parents. They’re dressed like they’re going to a stockholder meeting in business formal. In short, they stick out like a sore thumb.
‘Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?’ I ask in shock, placing a hand on Phoenix’s back to draw some strength from him.
‘Well, you left with no warning, and just disappeared. Then you weren’t in your house, so this was obviously the next place to look,’ my father says in a bored tone.
‘I told you I was only visiting. I never wanted to go to the gala, but you guys kept pushing events on me and not listening. So, there was no reason to stay.’
‘You can’t live like… like… well, like this,’ my mom says, looking around and not even trying to hide the disgust on her face.
‘Like what?’ I want her to say it.
‘No phone service,’ she says, flustered.
I want to laugh. Of course, that’s what she’s worried about.
‘That’s what I love most about it. It’s what kept me coming back. But then I fell in love with Phoenix, which was an added incentive.’
‘Well, we don’t approve, and if you stay here, we’re cutting you off for good,’ my father says, straightening his spine.
‘You cut me off months ago, and I’ve been fine. In fact, I prefer it.’
That’s when Phoenix finally makes a move. He walks up to my father, who is a few inches shorter than him. He holds out his hand and smiles. ‘I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Phoenix March. I think you knew my parents, Thomas and Quinn.’
Phoenix shakes my father’s hand and at the mention of his parents’ names, my mother’s jaw drops, and my dad tenses.
When I was looking into his parents, I found out they were worth more than my parents by at least double. They had the kind of power to destroy my parents with a snap of their fingers, though, according to Phoenix they weren’t like that.
‘Well, you running off so recklessly makes sense now. Why didn’t you just say you were shacking up with the March boy?’ Dad laughs and shakes Phoenix’s hand enthusiastically.
‘Well, this is a turn of events. I approve. We’ll have to clean you up, but I don’t think I could have picked a better match myself,’ Mom says.
‘Of course, you would. But regular old Phoenix, who makes your daughter happy and treats her like gold, isn’t good enough. So now it’s time to turn the tables. I’m cutting you off.’ I glare at them and they both freeze.
‘Oh, you don’t mean that, darling. Your kids will need grandparents and connections for the best schools.’ Mom waves her hand.
‘Phoenix has plenty of connections. We need nothing from you. The only thing I want is for you to disappear from my life. Do not step foot on our property again, or next time you will be greeted with a shotgun.’
In a show of support, Phoenix wraps his arm around my waist, probably to keep me from lunging at them.
Maybe someday, I’ll want to form a relationship with them. Perhaps in the future, they’ll be part of our lives again, but right now we need this space and separation. It’s my hope they’ll change, but I’m okay if they don’t. Our kids will have plenty of family here on the mountain between the guys and Jack.
We will build our own family.
