Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
I felt like the world had tilted sideways. “When did you decide this?”
“It’s been in the back of my mind for a while, but I decided for good the other night, when we were stuck in the hunting shack. After I almost lost you on that mountain.” He ran both hands through his hair. “I realized I could have it all, my dream SAR job and maybe a chance to build something with you, too. If I live in Legacy and you live in California… well, I’ll have two weeks off between every SERA session to come see you. And when you come to Legacy to visit your family…”
It was too much. Too good to be true. “I thought you’d decided I was too much trouble. Too much drama. Too much… Marian.”
Foster’s face crumpled. “Christ, Tommy. You’re not too much of anything. You’re everything. You’re the reason I’m here turning in my resignation instead of running from you again.”
I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath, like there were too many questions and not enough answers. “You accused me of running, when really… it was you.”
“Yes.”
“Because you’d already fallen for me.”
His smile was tender and sweet. “On the airplane that very first day. I didn’t believe in love at first sight, but I think I knew you were The One, even then. I guess you could call it… kismet.”
I huffed out a laugh that sounded almost like a sob. “Real, like daisies in sunshine?”
“Exactly.” His smile faded, and he stepped forward, taking my hands in his. “And it turned out you had the answer all along. You remember what you told Matthew that night at the bar? You said, ‘When you find The One, you hold on to him and find a way to make it work.’” He pulled me closer. “So if long distance doesn’t work for us and you want me to come to Stanford with you instead… I will.”
I blinked at him. “But…”
“Your great-aunt Tilly told me at the cookout that you’d accepted the position,” Foster said with a little eye roll. “And she’d already told me she planned to set you up with every available person in Northern California. But we’re never letting on that her shenanigans helped me get my ass in gear and realize what was important, okay? Because it’s bad enough I’m going to be called Sheriff Muscles for the next two decades—”
“Foster,” I interrupted. “I turned down Stanford. And I told UC Davis I wasn’t interested.” I took a deep breath and admitted, “I already accepted a different job.”
“Oh.” His mouth fell open, and I saw the rapid calculations happening behind his eyes as he tried to recalibrate. “Okay. Right. Well, we’ll make it work. If it’s further away from SERA, we can—”
“Actually,” I interrupted, wrapping my arms around his neck, suddenly needing there to be no distance whatsoever between us. “It’s closer.”
“Closer?” He blinked. “How close?”
I grinned. “About… three feet away from you? Possibly four. But I really think I need to bite the bullet and get a decent-sized bed, so—”
“Tommy.” He gave me a light shake that said he wasn’t in the mood for teasing. “Where?”
But I saw the hope blossoming in his gaze, and I could tell he already knew.
“SERA.” The look in Foster’s eyes was so happy, so vulnerable, I couldn’t help but lean in and press a kiss to his mouth. “I love you,” I whispered.
“I don’t understand,” he croaked. “Jasper said Trace was ripping you a new one before you left.”
“He was,” I said ruefully. “He told me he would only hire me if I swore never to do something that stupid again. I don’t blame him.”
“Fuck, baby.” Foster’s voice was barely a whisper, his eyes seeking mine. “Are you sure? You’d be giving up—”
“Nothing that I truly want.” I threaded my hands through the hair at the nape of his neck. “I figured out what I really want. And it’s not a prestigious job in California. It’s not impressing my colleagues or making my parents proud or any of the things I thought mattered.”
“What do you want?”
“You,” I said simply. “I want morning coffee with you complaining about compliance paperwork. I want to argue about training techniques and fight over who gets the bigger half of the bed. I want to watch you work with Chickie. I want to teach students and save people’s lives in ways that matter.”
Foster’s hands came up to frame my face. “You have to be a hundred… no, a thousand percent sure. Because I can’t—I can’t do this if you’re going to change your mind. I can’t watch you leave again.”
“I’m not leaving.” I covered his hands with mine. “I’m staying. I’m staying for the job I actually want, I’m staying for the family I chose. I’m staying for you and for me.”