The engine turned over, she pulled down the drive. Maureen held up her hand, Arissa battled back the tears as she waved back. She let them fall when her car was down the street, heading out of town but not in the direction of Charleston. After everything, she couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. His house came into view, and remembering the first time she’d seen it and how she imagined sitting on that porch, learning later it was his house…she’d come so fucking close. She pulled up his drive; the pain that hadn’t left grew stronger because she didn’t want this to be the end. She didn’t want to say goodbye. She parked behind his truck and seeing him on his deck, feet up on the railing lost in thought as he looked out at the tree line, she had to bite back the sob. Shutting off the engine, she climbed from her car and closed the distance.
Hank’s eyes were trained to the view of trees lining his property when he muttered, “I’ve been expecting you.”
She soaked up the sight of him, memorized how he looked, his voice because she wanted to remember, needed to. “I came to say goodbye.” Her voice broke on the last word.
“I know,” he said confidently, still keeping his eyes trained to the trees.
She followed where he was looking then moved to block his view and when his eyes turned to her it wasn’t just pain, but warmth that moved through her. God, she loved him. “The thing is. I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to leave when everything I’ve ever wanted is right here.”
He kept his eyes on hers, seeing the pain and love lingering behind them. “I know that too,” he said and went on but moved his gaze back to the trees. “You ever see snow?”
Arissa studied him, couldn’t read him at that moment. A chill chased the warmth thinking maybe she really had lost him. She answered absently, “I have.”
His voice was steady, showing no emotion he said, “Every flake that falls is different, no two are the same, did you know that?”
“I did know that.” Her voice betrayed her uncertainty because she didn’t know why he was talking about snowflakes now.
“Noah went up to Maine one winter with his parents, brought me back snow.” Hank gave a small chuckle at the remembrance. “They packed it in dry ice, it was perfect when I got it. I studied that snowball as it melted before my eyes, seeing all the different patterns, but one stuck out. One.” He then slowly moved his eyes to Arissa’s and finished. “But I had to watch it melt in my hand, slip through my fingers knowing I’d lose it forever and never see anything so beautiful again. But then you came along.” He stood, moved into her, placing his hands to the railing beside her, trapping her. His words were whispered, “I don’t want that to happen again. Don’t be the snowflake that melts in my hand and slips through my fingers to never be seen again, Arissa.”
Arissa couldn’t stop the sound that moved up her throat and past her lips, as Hank’s words played over and over in her head. Tears hit her eyes at what he was saying, what he was offering. He wanted forever too. She reached for his one hand, linked their fingers, held his stare and vowed, “I love you.”
Hank laid his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and letting the breath go he hadn’t even known he was holding for days. The tension in his muscles eased, a weight on his shoulders rising. “I love you.” Then he took her mouth, a kiss they both wanted…needed. Taking their time knowing that this moment was the start of them. Not when they met months ago, but this very moment was when their story started.
Arissa pulled back first at the sound coming from the driveway. Hank didn’t need to look to know what was moving down his driveway. No. He kept his eyes trained on Arissa’s so he could see the look on her face as she witnessed the moving truck coming their way. The very moving truck she watched pull out of her own driveway.
Arissa saw the truck, but it took her a second to understand what she was seeing and when it dawned her legs went weak, fresh tears fell because he never intended on letting her leave. He didn’t want her to go. As that happy truth settled, her focus jerked from the truck to Hank before she threw her arms around his neck, buried her face in his chest. “Fuck. I love you so much.”
Hank held her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair, missing the strawberry smell of it. “Enough to give me your TV cause mine had an unfortunate run in with my fist.”
Hank felt Arissa shaking, her head lifted, not from tears but laughter. Her words were sincerely meant, though, when she replied, “What’s mine is yours.”
“Ditto, Baby.” Hank pressed his lips firmly to hers before he backed up and grabbed her hand, moving them down the stairs to meet the movers. “You can unload the contents into the barn.”
“You got it, Sir.” The mover said before getting to work.
Hank turned to Arissa. “So what now?”
Arissa pressed in closer to Hank, met his stare and said, “Well, I am ovulating again.”
Hank’s lips tipped up into a sly grin before he bent, caught Arissa behind her knees and cradled her to him. “Then we shouldn’t waste a fucking second.” Hank kissed her, then added, “Or waste a second not fucking.”
It was Arissa who kissed Hank before she whispered, “You read my mind.”
EPILOGUE
6 months later
Hank stared out into his yard, the camera
