Page 63 of On the Slopes of Tahoe
My breathing is labored, barely sucking air into my lungs. They feel tight and uncomfortable. I sit on the bed and put my head between my knees, trying to get the shaking in my hands to subside. What the fuck just happened? Wet tears track down my face, everything I said running a loop in my mind. I hope I made the right decision, but I can’t have her calling whenever it’s convenient for her and destroying the progress we make in between.
My head is heavy in my hands, the weight of the whole world on my shoulders. How do I go back downstairs and face Willow?
“Fuck.” I push off the bed as the door swings open. Rory stands there, calm just covering the concern shining in her eyes.
My body moves without my brain weighing in. I pull her to me, closing the door and pinning her against it, and crash my lips over hers. It’s a distraction thatIneed this time, and I take it without asking. We’re not supposed to be doing this anymore, but she’s not protesting. Pulling at my hair, she flips us around so I’m pressed against the door. She lifts on her toes, raking her body up along mine as she goes. I grip her hips and pull her closer.
The kiss slows and she pulls back, wiping a stray tear tracking down my cheek. “Are you okay?” I shrug and she continues. “That was Talia?”
I nod.
“She wasn’t calling to talk to Willow I take it?”
I shake my head. “New owners of Adventure Chasers want a meeting. She was calling to set it up. Not a care in the world for it being Willow’s birthday… which she thought was yesterday.” The pain of that lances through me again and I hang my head onRory’s shoulder. “I told her not to contact us again. I can’t even be sure whether that was the right thing to do. Why isn’t there an instruction manual for how to navigate this situation? That’s what I need. I need someone to tell me how to deal with this and come out on the other side unscathed. Can you do that?”
I look down at her, a plea in my eyes.
“I wish I could. I don’t know if there is a way to escape this. Life never leaves us unscathed; it changes and molds us. But, I promise, you will get through this,” she says and presses a light kiss to my lips.
“I’m sorry for just now. I got lost in the moment. I know we’re not supposed—”
“I know. It’s okay. We don’t overthink what we do together, remember?” She gives me a sweet smile. “But right now, we need to figure out how to pull it together for Willow. Yeah?”
“Yeah…” I blow out my breath. “Did she… Did she say anything after I came upstairs?”
“She told Jamie she thought it was her mom on the phone.”
I shake my head.Her mom. Talia doesn’t deserve that title.
Not anymore.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Rory
With one more quick kiss to his salty lips, I leave Breck so he can gather himself. Walking down the stairs, I prepare myself to distract Willow as best I can from the heartache that’s sure to come.
“Who wants an early present?” I say, mustering my enthusiasm and catching Jamie’s eye.
“How about the one I bought you?” he suggests, and Willow squeals, jumping up and down. His pile of presents included theones from me and a couple that Wes and Joss mailed to him so Willow would be none the wiser.
She stops mid-jump to ask, “Shouldn’t we wait for Dad?” A look of hope is barely disguised in her eyes.
“He won’t mind if we open one little present without him,” I say like I’m conspiring with her and Jamie in some evil plot.
“It’s not a little present,” Jamie says with a scoff. He walks over and pulls the largest one from the pile.
Willow’s nearly salivating at the sight, weight bouncing from one foot to another.
“What is it? What is it?”
“Wouldn’t it ruin the fun if I told you?” he asks, pulling her into his side. She looks up at him like he hung the moon.
“Can I open it?”
“You sure can,” Breck says as he walks into the room. His megawatt smile is on full display. If I hadn’t just wiped tear tracks from his face, I’d have no idea anything bad happened.
There’s a slight pinch to Willow’s brows when she sees he’s no longer on the phone, but the desire for presents overpowers it. “Okay!” She grabs the package from Jamie and flops down on the floor, ripping in.
