He pulls me into another hug. “Oh, Pearl, I don’t hate you. We both really messed this up.” I can feel his throaty chuckle in his chest. I’ve missed his smell, fresh and woodsy. His hair is still lightly wet from a shower, I’m guessing. He puts two fingers under my chin and lifts my face so that I’m looking at him. Without a word, he leans in and presses his lips to mine softly. I try to deepen the kiss, but he steps back.
“Pearl, we need to talk first.” My stomach drops a little. “I am beyond excited to see you and I’m not angry with you. I was an asshole. I love you, Pearl. I love you more than I thought was possible, but I don’t want you waiting around Grand Lake for me, alone.”
“I have a solution,” I say, interrupting him. “I got the job in Chicago, and they said I can work remotely. I just need to fly to Chicago four times a year.” I reach out and grab his hand.
He smiles and reaches his hand out to run it down my cheek. “Sweetheart, that’s amazing! I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I had no idea if you’d be willing to speak to me again, but if you did, I was going to tell you that I want to move my business to only Colorado. That’s where I started out. I only started taking out of state jobs once things with Tracey went south. I was running away.”
“I don’t want you turning down business for me, Blake.”
“I don’t think it will be an issue. I already turn down a lot of work locally in Colorado to take these long-distance jobs. Maybe I’ll take one or two larger out of state jobs a year, and we can travel together?”
My heart feels like it’s going to explode. A huge grin breaks out on my face, and I leap into his arms. “Are we doing this, Blake Winthrop?”
“Hell yes, we’re doing this,” he says pulling me back for another kiss. This time, he doesn’t stop. We’re all hands and lips and tongues, stripping our clothes off one another till we fall onto the bed.
Blake stops once we’re both on the bed. He’s propped up on one arm looking down at me, both of us breathing heavy from our make out session. He runs his finger lightly down my chest and stomach, stopping right before he gets to my clit.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Too cliché?” He asks leaning down to plant a soft kiss on each of my breasts.
“Tell me more,” I say.
“You have no idea how nervous I was that day I came in to The Place and told you my mom wanted to talk to you. I’ve been so nervous and distracted by your beauty and confidence for so many years.”
“You’re lying!” I say with a giggle.
“Sweetheart, you are everything I could want. You’re kind and passionate about what you believe in, you are loving and sincere and the only person I want to spend my life with.”
I couldn’t feel happier than I do in this moment. It makes me realize that it doesn’t matter where we are. As long as we’re together, that’s what home is to me. It’s not a place, it’s a person, a feeling of love and happiness and contentment.
Epilogue
Blake-One year later...
“Just keep your eyes closed. I won’t let you fall.” I hold Pearl’s hand as I lead her from the passenger side of my truck and up the walkway.
“I can’t see. I’m going to fall, Blake.” She grips my hand a little tighter and has her other hand outstretched.
“Okay, stop right here. Now, open your eyes.”
She slowly opens her eyes and stares at the house I’ve secretly been building for us. She doesn’t say anything, just looks around.
“This is our home, baby.”
She lifts her hands to her face and covers her mouth. “You did this for us? Can we?” She points toward the house.
“Yes. Let’s go inside. It’s just the framing. I wanted to let you make some of the design decisions.” I walk her through the front door. “This is the family room. I left it open concept. If you prefer walls, we can certainly add them in. Over here is the kitchen. I knew you mentioned how much you loved the kitchen island I built for my mom, so I made sure to include a similar design in here.” We make our way through the house as I point out different rooms. I can’t wait to show her the back.
“Come this way. I built a custom deck with plenty of room to have people over, and I’m currently building an elevated garden for you. I remember you telling me how much you enjoyed working with your dad in your garden growing up.”
She still hasn’t said much. She’s just taking it all in, a huge grin plastered on her face.
“And now for the best part,” I say, taking her hand and leading her back into the house to the second floor. “So this is our bedroom.” We step into the room. “There’s a full en suite and a walk-in closet. I figure you can pick out the exact type of custom built-in shelves and organizers you want.”
“I just…I can’t believe you did all this. How did you do all this without me knowing?”
“Well, I might have let you believe I was working on a job locally the last few months. I did a lot in the early mornings and weekends. I’m sorry we lost that time together, but I wanted to surprise you. One more thing,” I say, leading her out of the room and down the hall. “We have three extra bedrooms. I figure for Trevor and his wife and soon to be baby when they visit or other family from out of town. Or…when we want to start a family of our own?”
She spins around so fast, she almost falls over. “A family of our own?”
I can’t help but smile at the excitement in her eyes. “Yes, sweetheart, a family of our own.”
It’s been almost three months, and the house is finally done. It’s been a blast to watch Pearl turn this house into a home. I swear, every time I stop by, there’s a new painting or cute touch that reminds me of her. She has amazing taste.
I kicked her out of the house yesterday and made her stay at the cabin so I could organize one more surprise for her. I told her to meet me at the house after she wraps up her workday.
It’s nearing six, and I have dinner almost complete, candles throughout the house, and rose petals leading out to the back deck. Soft jazz streams through the in-house speaker system when I hear the front door open.
“Honey, I’m home! Wow, it smells amazing in here,” she says, waltzing into the kitchen with a bottle of wine in her hand.
“Hey, beautiful.” I plant a kiss on her lips. “Why don’t you get comfortable and open that bottle? Dinner is almost ready.”
She looks around the kitchen and pulls me in for another kiss. “This place looks so romantic.” She scurries upstairs and returns a few moments later, her face freshly washed and wearing a cute pair of shorts and a tank top.
During dinner, we talk about her job. She’s about to celebrate her one-year anniversary and loves it. She’s already received a promotion, and we enjoy the trips to Chicago together. We stay with Trevor and explore the city but are always more than happy to return to our home in the mountains.
The cabin rental business is thriving still, and Pearl even hired her replacement, a young eager kid that is attending UC Denver next fall.