Me:Good. Just relaxing. We packed up a good bit, so we just have to take down our tents in the morning. We’re all eager to get home.
Alyssa:Well, we miss you here.
Me:I miss you too.
Alyssa:I told Kristy that I would go shopping with her tomorrow in Atlanta. Her grandparents are renewing their vows after 65 years of marriage.
Me:Damn, congrats to them.
Me:Does that mean I won’t get to see you tomorrow?
Alyssa:Not sure how long we will be gone. I’ll keep you posted.
Me:Have fun with Kristy.
Alyssa:Be safe coming home. Enjoy your last night.
“Sterling?”
I lift my head to look at my dad. “What’s up?” It’s then I realize that Archer, Rushton, Maverick, and Merrick are missing from our group. “Where did they go?”
“If you wouldn’t have had your nose in your phone, you would know your brothers went for a night swim.” Dad smirks. He’s not pissed. He’s just calling me out. That only means one thing. He’s onto me and about to break out his advice hat.
“Right.” I smile sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”
“Alyssa?”
“Yeah. She sent me a picture of her holding Remi.”
“I miss my baby girl,” Brooks says.
“How much longer are you going to wait for someone to take that girl away from you?” Dad asks.
And there it is.
“What?” I turn to look at him.
“Come on, Sterling. I raised you better than that. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
I nod and take a long pull from my beer. “When we get home,” I confess. “I just— I don’t know how to convince her to give me a chance.”
“Do you really think you’re going to have to do any convincing?” Ryder asks. “You’ve got this great girl who would do anything for you, and she’s just within reach. You can touch her, hold her, see her smile, and hear her laugh anytime that you want. She’s crazy about you, bro. Take your shot.”
You can hear the heartbreak in his voice, but his words resonate with me. He’s right. She’s right there where I can reach out and grab her and hold onto her forever. There’s a chance she might be getting a job that’s an hour away, and it could potentially have her moving too. Her parents no longer live in Willow River, so I need to make sure that she knows she has a reason to stay.
Me. I’m her reason.
“I don’t even know where to start. I’m in love with her. I’ve been battling with this for the last couple of months.”
“You ask her to stay, son. Stay with you, in your heart, in your life. You tell her what she means to you. Make sure she knows that she’s still your best friend, but you also want her to be your partner in life.”
“She already is,” Orrin speaks up. “You two act like a married couple already. You plan dinner together most nights of the week. You mow her lawn while she does your laundry. Every weekend she’s in your plans, no matter what you’re doing. The only thing you’re missing is sleeping together and the title.”
“I don’t want to lose her. I was of the mindset that I’d rather be her friend and have her with me than risk telling her and losing her, but it’s getting harder and harder to pretend that my heart doesn’t belong to her.” I stare into the fire. “I’ve made up my mind that I’m telling her when we get back, as soon as I can find a time when it’s just the two of us. I’m going to tell her.”
“Good.” Dad nods. “Work hard, and love harder.” He winks.
“It worked for me,” Brooks tells me.