Page 82 of Real Forever
Madison’s heart fell. “Jake, please—”
He stood up and stepped toward her. “I’m in love with you, Madison. I am head-over-heels, sit-on-your-sister’s-doorstep-for-hours-in-the-snow, in love with you.”
Madison’s breath caught and her heartbeat hammered in her chest. She exhaled a short, incredulous huff.
He took another step toward her. “Have you ever thought about why bears are so calm?”
Madison crinkled her forehead. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ve thought a lot about it,” Jake continued, “and I think it’s because they’re free. They are these massive, powerful beasts, right? They are big enough and strong enough to dominate anything in their path. Take anything they want. But they don’t. They stroll, and eat berries, and lay in the sun. They get done what they need to do to survive, but on their own terms.
“Madison, you were a rainbow colored firework exploding in my careful, calculated, black and white life. You drenched everything in color and light and it let me see who I really am. And now, I’m free.
“So, I’m not leaving. I talked to my realtor this afternoon and I’m selling the office in Calgary and staying in Silver Creek. I don’t want to be the head of a bunch of beige offices full of a bunch of beige employees or work eighty hours a week just so my parents can impress their friends. I don’t want that for myself.I want to ride my bike with Zach on the weekend. I want to walk across the street and grab a cup of coffee whenever I feel like it. I want to watch you get barbecue sauce all over your face when we go out for lunch. I want to be Uncle Jakey. And I want to wake up every morning of my life with the warmth of your skin against me.”
Madison laughed and tears rolled down her face.
“I have something for you.” Jake reached his hand into his jacket pocket. “Madison, you trusted me, and you counted on me, and I let you down. I should have never asked you to keep the photos when I knew they would help Lauren.”
“Jake, no. You were right. It was crazy of me to ask you to take such a huge risk.”
“Maybe. But I’ve seen the way you love Lauren and Maisie. And they way they love you back. Maybe that kind of love is worth risking some craziness.”
Madison’s legs trembled and lost their strength.
“You counted on me and when I didn’t come through, it cost you. I want you to know I will never put you in a situation like that again. I will always have your back, Madison. I will always do everything I can to protect you and the people you love. I promise.”
He pulled his hand from his pocket and opened his fist, revealing a single key.
Madison shook her head. “I don’t understand. What is this?”
Jake turned to the living room window and gave a thumbs-up to Maisie, who was hopping up and down and grinning like a maniac between the curtains. She returned the thumbs up before running off. Madison turned back to Jake, her eyebrows bunched inward. A moment later, the garage door opened. Parked inside was Madison’s truck.
Madison gasped and threw her hands over her mouth. She stared at the truck and then Jake. “How? How did you do this?”
Jake grinned. “It was surprisingly easy. I figured, in a town as small as Snowbrook, someone at Avery Autos would know the truck and the area and might give me a lead on who could’ve bought it. So I called the shop. A real good guy by the name of Nikki answered the phone. It was a straightforward mission from there.”
Madison laughed and tipped her face to the sky, the soft snowflakes falling cool and gentle against the warmth of her tears on her cheeks.
“Kiss him, you crazy bitch!” Lauren shouted from inside the garage. Madison’s eyes darted over to see Lauren standing by the door of the garage, with Maisie on her hip.
Madison laughed and closed the short distance still separating her from Jake with two leaping bounds, throwing herself into his arms. She jumped her legs up around his waist, knocking him off balance and tumbling them both into a pile of snow.
“I love you, Madison Avery.”
“I love you, Jake Murphy.”
Epilogue
“Aaaah!”Madison screeched and outstretched her arms. “You guys made it.”
“Hey.” Madison’s girlfriend, Tori, embraced her in a massive bear hug. “I have missed you so much, girl.” She peered around the room. “Mads, this place looks amazing.”
Madison beamed. Three months ago, she and Jake had purchased her father’s old home, the home she and Lauren had grown up in, and had renovated from top to bottom. Well, renovated is a strong word. Madison’s dad had looked after the home well and it showed. The work they’d done was more of an extreme redecoration than a true renovation, but in any case, the place appeared brand new. After weeks of work, they had settled in enough to throw a small housewarming party and looking around at how perfect everything turned out, Madison swelled with pride and gratitude.
“I missed you too. I’m so glad you could come.”
“Me too. It was perfect timing. My mom makes me come home for the May long weekend. Hey, so my brother told me you started a podcast or a YouTube channel or something? For real? What’s it about?”
