Status Updates From A Little Too Close (Madigan...

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This man. This difficult, stubborn, reckless man had become the epicenter of my dreams. And I knew that a lot could change in the years ahead, but that never would. We’d build our family, our life, around each other, and I’d make sure every single one of his dreams came true.
“We’re next, Calliope,” he whispered, his fingers slipping through mine.
“Hell yes, we are.”
And I couldn’t wait.

He’d proposed after flying us to the top of the ridge behind the resort, his words stealing my breath just as effectively as the altitude. The sight of him on one knee was something I’d never forget.
It was also something we were keeping to ourselves for the next few weeks so Reed and Ava could have the spotlight.

He tilted his head to kiss my fingertips, then took my hand in his, lifting it to his mouth. He kissed the inside of my wrist, then my palm, then the diamond I’d spun around to face inward for today. “Still glad you said yes?”

he didn’t waste time in those five months

She loved me, and I didn’t deserve it because I’d never risk loving her back, but I wasn’t capable of letting her go, either. Guess I was the selfish asshole now.

Trust me, Reed is chomping at the bit.

Learned a new phrase

Sometimes life was even better outside the lens. I’d debated leaving my camera at home, perched on the table beside the piano Reed had given us, but brought it just in case Ava wanted some special shots. Reed had the piano delivered from their parents’ house the day we closed on our dream home.
Weston had it tuned within a couple of weeks, and I’d even caught him playing it once or twice.

Five months later

these timeskips

“I bought you a house,” I said against her mouth.
“What?” She pulled back, her eyes wide with shock, and I lifted my head to give her space, since she couldn’t retreat past the door.
“Technically, I’m under contract on a house.” I grinned. “You might know it. It’s a cute little Victorian on the corner of Hudson and Vine.”

Buy me a house to please🫠🫠

“I’m here because I’m in love with you!” There. The words I hadn’t even let myself think, let myself accept, were out and hers to do whatever she wanted with.
Her lips parted and her eyes flared.
A breath passed, then two.
“I said I’m in love with you,” I repeated. “I flew all this way just to tell you that.”
“I heard you,” she whispered, but there was disbelief in her eyes.

He’d covered for her.
He’d still made the absolutely wrong decision, but he’d covered for her.
I crossed through the living room and opened the door.
Then I stopped breathing.
Weston stood on the front steps.

But how could I keep her here when we were obviously both miserable?
There was a knock at the door. It was probably time to start tearing down our equipment to prepare for tomorrow’s move.

It’s Weston, right?😌

“I signed it, and I was going to upload it, but Weston caught me.”
“What?”
“I told him that if he didn’t do it, I would. I said that if you were his mom, he’d want everyone to know you were special too.”
“Oh gosh.” I covered my mouth with my hand. The way Weston loved his mom…that must have sliced him to the quick. “Tell me you’re kidding. Tell me you didn’t really say that.”

“You know anyone who might be interested?”
I nodded.
Five minutes later, I made my way back down to where Reed was waiting.
“How is Mrs. Rupert?” he asked as we started walking, heading across the street.
“She’s good.” My smile stretched from ear to ear.
“It scares me when you smile.”
I laughed.
“That’s fucking terrifying.” He glanced sideways at me.

Three months later

Dear Weston,
We’re in Ecuador now. It’s hot, but the flowers are pretty, and I like being so close to the ocean. I get to go to the beach on days Mom isn’t shooting. But she shoots a lot. Yesterday we spent the whole day in one tiny area of the forest while she took pictures of flowers.

3?!?!

“She left for the internship three days ago, Weston. I’m so sorry.”
Whatever was left of my heart shattered.

Ava sighed. “So, please don’t hate me, but I made a mistake.”
“About what?”
“I heard Reed tell you that he was glad you’d left the mountain, and I told Callie.”
“Okay? You overheard us talking about the conference. No big deal.” That didn’t explain why Callie’s room was empty.
“Right, so from this end of the conversation, it sounded like you’d left…left.”

“What am I supposed to do, Theo? Ask her not to go?”
He scoffed. “You do what Jeanine has done through every deployment and you tell her you’ll wait. That you’ll be here when she gets back. A year sucks, but it’s nothing in the scheme of things.”

“I couldn’t be here.” I rubbed my hands over my face. Shit, I was exhausted. Turned out, I’d forgotten how to sleep through the night without Callie. “Not after I told her to go. One look at her and I’d cave. I’d beg her to stay, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the reason she misses out on her dream.” Not when I knew exactly how it had broken my heart to lose mine.

“You were watching?”
“Online, of course. Like I’d miss it.” He leaned back and kicked his feet up on the desk. “I also enjoyed the part where you almost knocked your entire glass of water over.”
“Public speaking is not my strong suit.” I glared at him.
“Why does he get to put his feet on the desk?” Simon whined.
“Because he’s my business partner and my best friend.”

This was the expert backcountry guide Reed had hired to fill in while I’d been at the Army Aviation Association of America conference for the last four days. When they’d called, asking me to fill in for a speaker last minute, I’d almost said no, but the topic had been on transitioning from military to civilian aviation careers, and honestly, I’d just needed out of Penny Ridge for a couple of days.

Oh-

“Maybe you should call down to the hangar. If it were Reed, I’d want to know for certain.”
“Reed loves you.” My eyes burned. “And we both know that Weston doesn’t love me. God, what is wrong with me, Ava? The first guy I fall for has the biggest heart but his body can’t survive, and the second guy has a body that won’t quit and a heart that refuses to actually live.

🫢

“And what if I’m still here? What if I don’t go?” I knew how to get him to stay. All I had to tell him was that I needed him, and he’d never go. But if he didn’t need me, what the hell was the point of all of this?
“Then I’ll find somewhere else to stay,” he said over his shoulder.
“But there is nowhere else,” I snapped. “Remember? That’s why we’re both here in the first place.”

He nodded once. “Right. I’m going to pack a bag and head out for a few days. I really, truly hope you’re not here when I get back.” He didn’t so much as wait for a response before walking away.

omg, that sounded so mean

And Weston? As pissed as I was that he’d submitted my photo, I still loved him, and I couldn’t imagine walking away from him for a year either. Sure, we were in a fight. A pretty big one. But in the scheme of things, it was just a fight, and I knew his heart had been in the right place.

lol