I reach out and pull her close to me, pressing my lips against hers. I kiss her softly before she pulls away, demanding I answer her question.
“I think after all this time, everything is finally coming together for us.”
“She took his offer?”
“It all went perfectly. They’ll be out of town tonight. I think we have seen the last of the Ramsay family.”
“So no more feud?”
“No more feud.”
Cherry hugs me, but it’s not enough. I kiss her again, letting myself get lost in the feeling of her lips and tongue. We don’t break apart until Nora yells at us to stop making a spectacle and come inside to look at flower arrangements.
“Now what?” Cherry asks as we head inside.
“Plan a wedding and choose a college,” I say. “Once we’ve settled on a place, I’ll find us a house—something out in the country, maybe, where you can have a garden. Anything you want.”
“I think that sounds just about perfect.” Cherry smiles and squeezes my hand.
We have a plan. A good plan. A plan that doesn’t involve violence or anything illegal. In fact, it involves new life and new opportunity. For the first time since I took over this family, I feel like I can truly, completely relax.
As we approach the front door, the house doesn’t seem as foreign to me as it did only a few hours ago. In fact, it seems strange that I could have seen it as anything other than the inviting place where my family lives. Maybe I don’t want to live here in this environment, leading the family business, but the house feels good. No matter where Cherry and I end up living, this house will always be a home to me.
Nora greets us, and though she immediately starts yapping about photographers and guest lists, her expression is off. There are dark circles under her eyes, and when she smiles, her eyes don’t shine.
“Nora, what is it?” I ask.
“Do you really have to ask?” She glares at me for half a second and then quickly looks away. “You’re leaving me.”
“I’m not leaving you, Nora. I’m leaving this lifestyle.”
“Leaving is leaving.” She shrugs. “Whatever. I’ll get over it.”
I reach out and pull her close to me. I close my eyes, trying to ward off my own tears as Nora sheds hers. After a minute, she pushes me away.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, “but it has to be this way. We’ll come back to visit—I promise. I’ll call you every day if you want, but I have to do this.”
“I know.” Nora wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. “I don’t like it though.”
“I’ll miss you,” I say. “You’re still my sister, right?”
“Of course I am, you jackass.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” I laugh, and Nora’s smile finally reaches her eyes.
While Cherry and Nora go heads down into wedding plans, Antony approaches me.
“Nate,” he says softly, “can we talk?”
“Of course.” I’m pretty sure I know what he’s going to say. We head into my office, and I wait as patiently as I can for Antony to speak.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” he says.
“Do what?”
“Lead this family.”
“Nora told you she didn’t want it, huh?”