Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 125117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Truman got choked up, and Ash’s stormy eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
“I’m so damn glad you were born, Ash. And I feel so incredibly lucky that I found you. I know you didn’t want a bunch of presents, but I just got you this little one.”
He handed Ash the small packet. Ash tore off the paper and peered at what he held.
“It’s seeds for your favorite wildflowers. I thought, since you mentioned you wanted to start growing them to sell in the shop next summer, maybe you could start with these. It’s nothing really. I’m just so proud of you and all the risks you’ve—”
Ash knelt up and threw his arms around Truman. He didn’t say anything, but Truman could feel everything he felt in his embrace.
Ash pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and held it close to his chest when he sat down again.
“I drew this when I was, like, ten,” he said, voice thick. “I’d forgotten about it until my mom gave me all those drawings today.” He glanced at the drawing. “I told her it was me and a brother or something, but it wasn’t.”
Slowly, tentatively, he held the drawing out to Truman. His hand shook.
In colored pencil, Ash had rendered a house that looked very much like their house. In front of it stood a young Ash—Truman thought he would recognize him anywhere—holding the leash of a sweet-looking dog with its tongue out. But it was the person next to him that Truman peered at.
Ash was holding hands with another boy, who had light brown hair and a shy smile. He was holding a dog’s leash as well. Around the house grew brightly colored tulips.
“I think I knew I wanted you before I was even old enough to know what that meant,” Ash said. “I wanted this life. With you. The house and the dogs. When I left Owl Island, I left because I didn’t think I’d ever find that here. When I came back to take care of Mom, I thought I was giving up my chance of ever having it.”
Ash looked up at him, face shining with love.
“Truman, I love you so much. I never thought I could have this. And honestly, I’m scared of fucking up somehow and losing it. But I’m going to try so hard to be worthy of you. Of this.”
He patted the drawing.
Tears streaked down Truman’s face.
“You don’t have to do anything,” he said, stroking Ash’s hair back. “You’re what I want. This.” He tapped the drawing too. “This is my dream too. I love you, and I love our life. I’m all in.”
Ash rolled him onto his back and into Ash’s arms, knocking over a candle.
“Please, please don’t let our sweet moment end in a fiery conflagration,” Truman said.
“I’ll show you a fiery conflagration,” Ash growled and kissed him. Their mouths met and Truman sank into the feeling of being touched by the man he loved, of hands and lips and tongues and smells that all said home.
Then he got a rock in his shoulder blade, and the tendrils of arousal that had begun to envelope him turned to pain.
“I love that kind of fiery conflagration, but also it’s so uncomfortable here. Wanna go home and make out in our own bed?”
As Truman said it, his heart swelled. No word had ever sounded sweeter than home, when home was with Ashleigh Sundahl.
“Yeah. But can we stay like this for just a little bit longer?” Ash asked, face nuzzled in Truman’s neck.
“As long as you want, love.”
Truman and Ash held each other in their private universe until the tide began to rise. Then they walked in silence, hand in hand, back home.
It wasn’t a drawing. It wasn’t a fantasy. It was love and trust and choice. It was a life they were building, day by day, flower by flower, together.
Chapter 33
Greta
Things grew like magic in New Orleans.
On Owl Island, Greta had required so much equipment to keep her plants alive, even inside. But in her community garden plot next to Veronica’s, they thrived on neglect. Her tropical, carnivorous beauties were finally where they were meant to be. And when you were where you were meant to be, life required far less effort.
Of course, the process of relocating her plants had been a comedy of errors. She and Truman had set the week of their permanent swap, and when the time came, Truman had gotten Horse on the road with minimal effort, whereas she had to swaddle each one of her plants and place them in the moving truck individually.
It had been enough to make her think she’d never want to acquire another plant ever again.
Until she had them unloaded, some greening up Truman’s house—now hers—some scattered around Carys, Helen, and Veronica’s house, and some planted in the garden. It only took about two days before she was wandering through town and the garden, seeing all the amazing plants and deciding she couldn’t wait to try her hand at them.