“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.”
Pete folded the paper away. “That’s from The Alchemist,” he said. “It’s a story about following your dreams, and how you must let your heart lead the way.” He inhaled a deep breath. “I used to think that following my dreams and satisfying my heart had to be two separate things. But you’ve shown me how wrong that is. It’s like the more we love each other, the more our dreams come true.” Their eyes met and she felt his stillness, his love for her warming the space around them. “My heart led me to you, Cassidy. And I know it hasn’t been easy, and we’ve been severely tested,” he said. “But our love is stronger because of it. I love you more every day.” He smiled. His fingers drew something from his pocket. “I want to spend my life with you, Cassidy. Will you marry me?” he asked.
A rush of emotion flooded her. She jumped to her feet. “Really?” she said.
Pete laughed. “Yes, really.”
Cassidy realized that he was waiting for her to answer. “Yes!” she said. “Yes of course!”
Gently, he took her hand and slid the gold band onto her finger. She gazed at it, awed by the design of tiny gems sparkling above a delicately carved wave. “Oh my god,” she said. “It’s beautiful.” She spun the band and watched the wave rotate in an endless loop. The gems poised above the wave looked like stars, or phosphorescence.
“They’re peridot,” he said. “I figured that a volcanic mineral was appropriate.”
Cassidy’s heart swelled to the point of bursting. “Oh, Pete,” she breathed, then broke away from the ring to kiss him.
“I love you so much, Cassidy,” he said as they embraced.
“I love you too!” she said. A gust of wind grazed her cheek. “Wait, is that why you snuck off with Quinn at the after party? To ask for my hand?” She remembered the intense gaze Quinn had sent her across the bar.
Pete blushed. “Sort of,” Pete said, his lips twitching. “I guess I wanted his approval.”
“I thought you were scheming about all the places he wanted to take you.”
He shook his head, grinning. He clearly enjoyed this. “We did some of that. But that’s not all we talked about.” He caressed the side of her face, settling the emotions fluttering inside her chest. “I wanted him to know that I was going to take care of you. That I would keep you safe.” He kissed her. “Sharing that with him felt like the right thing to do.”
Cassidy drew a deep breath, imagining Quinn listening to such a speech. How had he reacted? When it came to Quinn’s business, he was ultra-responsible, but in all things relationship he was as careless as a teenage boy. She couldn’t imagine him ever getting married.
They packed up and readied their equipment for the descent, actions they had completed together countless times. Thinking through everything they had shared over the last year and a half, she realized marriage was part of a natural progression. They had talked about staying together when she graduated, and that had been good enough for her. But now that they were engaged things would be different, though she couldn’t explain how. Her emotions spun, from happiness to trepidation to joy. This is really happening. Her excitement grew as she imagined their life together: moving to Eugene, skiing Mt. Hood, sipping coffee in a sunny kitchen, working late into the night, making love wherever and whenever they felt like it.
“Ready?” he asked.
Cassidy glanced at him and a thrill tingled down her spine. “Ready,” she answered.
Sixteen
Eugene, Oregon
August 7, 2016
Cassidy returned from her early morning run to find a visitor in her living room.
“Hey Sis,” Reeve said breezily, a cup of coffee in his hands.
Cassidy bristled. “What are you doing here?” she asked, which was nicer than what she wanted to say.
Pete stood cooking something in their functional but cramped kitchen. He gave her a look she couldn’t read.
“I was in the neighborhood,” Reeve said. “Thought I’d come see your new place.” He looked around, took a leisurely sip of his coffee. “It’s nice.”
Cassidy wondered if he was searching for things to steal. “Thanks,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
“How was your run?” Pete asked. He served up three plates of eggs with toast and put the pan in the sink.
Cassidy wiped her forehead with the bottom of her shirt. She desperately wanted to take a shower, but it would have to wait. “Uh, good. I tried that new route.”
Pete nodded while fishing out three forks from the drawer. She helped him bring everything to the table. “Thanks for making all this,” she said.
“Sure,” he answered, giving her a quick kiss. “Breakfast,” Pete called to Reeve who stood examining a series of photographs framed on top of the bookshelf across the room.
“Good shot of you guys,” he said, picking up the selfie they’d taken during the ski trip when Pete had proposed.
“Thanks,” Pete said.
The three of them sat down. “You got any hot sauce?” Reeve asked, looking at Pete expectantly.
“Sure,” he said, getting up. Cassidy heard the fridge open.
“So, where are you living now?” Cassidy said. She blew on a bite of eggs.
He grinned. “You ever heard of hashtag vanlife?” he asked.
“No.”
Pete returned with a bottle of Cholula.
Reeve removed the lid and sprinkled some over his eggs. “Well it’s sort of like this freedom movement. Seeing the country, living minimally in a van. Some people even have dogs.”
Cassidy tried to follow this thread. “So you have a van?”
Reeve nodded, his dark eyes shining dangerously. “I’m retrofitting it now.” He shrugged. “It needs some work, but, you know.”
“It’s here?” Cassidy asked, losing her appetite.
“Right across the street,” Reeve said, pointing his fork.
Cassidy squinted, trying to see through the half-open
