Page 20 of Taboo
I felt tears prick at my eyes, but they were the good kind. “I want that, Bastian,” I whispered. “A home with you. Fixing this place up together and figuring out work and life and all of it.”
He smiled, slow and real, the kind of smile that still made my heart skip. “Good. Because I already talked to the owner, and it’s ours if we’re serious.”
I laughed softly and leaned across the table to kiss him. “Of course you did. Always planning.”
We sat at the table for a long time after that talking about practical things like how much work the cabin would need, what kind of budget would be reasonable, and how I’d take business classes online so I could eventually run my own little marina shop during the busy summer months
It felt real, but scary, and exciting all at once because we were building a future together.
15
JULIET
The morning light felt different today, softer somehow, as if the lake itself was giving us a small break, like it was telling us everything would be okay with our family. I woke up slowly in the cabin, Bastian’s arm heavy around my waist, his breath warm against the back of my neck.
For a few minutes, I just lay there listening to the quiet only broken by the beautiful sound of birds outside and the distant lap of water at the shore. I closed my eyes and focused on his steady heartbeat right beneath my ear.
Bastian stirred behind me, pressing a slow kiss to my shoulder. “Morning, beautiful,” he murmured, voice gravelly.
“Morning,” I said sleepily, turning in his arms. We stayed like that for a while, trading lazy kisses and quiet touches, the kind that didn’t always lead to more but still made everything feel okay.
Eventually, we got up and made breakfast together, and I couldn’t help but smile at our mismatched mugs that we claimed as ours on the first morning. We ate on the porch, the weather not too hot, and the breeze from the lake cooling the air down even more.
I closed my eyes and rested my head on the back of the chair, but that peace was short-lived when Bastian’s phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, and instantly, his body tensed. “It’s Landon.”
My stomach tightened knowing my father was calling. “You should answer.”
He hesitated, then picked it up. “Hey.” His voice was husky, and although he tried to hide it, I heard the pent-up emotion laced in that single word.
I was about to get up and give him privacy, but he sensed what I was about to do and reached out, his hand gently landing on my thigh.
I couldn’t hear everything my dad said, but Bastian’s shoulders relaxed just a fraction. “The boat again? Yeah, I can come look at it. This afternoon work?” He listened for a moment then ended the call. When he looked at me, there was cautious hope in his eyes. “He wants me to take a look at the engine. Said it’s acting up again.”
“That’s good, right?” I asked, reaching for his hand.
He squeezed my fingers, thumb brushing over my knuckles. “It’s something. I’ll head over after lunch if that’s okay with you.”
I nodded. “Of course. I’ll come, too. I want to see Mom.”
I swore by the time lunch came around, I’d aged a good five years just from my nerves.
The drive back toward the main lake house felt different this time. Less like running away and more like testing the waters. When we pulled up, my dad was already down at the dock waiting. He didn’t smile when he saw us, but he didn’t turn away, either. Bastian parked and looked at me.
“You okay if I go help him?”
“Yeah. I’ll find Mom.”
I watched them for a moment as Bastian walked down the dock. They stood a few feet apart at first, awkward and stiff.Then Dad handed him a wrench without a word. They bent over the engine together, not talking much, but they were there, working side by side. I didn’t know if this was the first step to healing, but it was the first time in weeks they were choosing to be in the same space without it turning ugly.
I turned away before the sight made me cry and headed toward the house. Mom was in the kitchen wiping down the counters even though they already looked clean. When she saw me in the doorway, she paused then gave me a small, tired smile.
“You’re back,” she said.
“Just for the day,” I replied, stepping closer. My voice came out shaky. “Dad called and asked for Bastian’s help. I also wanted to see you.”
She came up and gave me a long hug, and I sighed as everything I missed the last couple weeks filled me. When she pulled back, we both sat at the table across from each other. After a moment, she reached over and covered my hand with hers.
