"Baby? What's going on? Are you hurt?" The concern in her voice was enough to melt me.
I let out a soft sob and sunk back in my seat. "I'm fine. Just so torn right now, Mom."
"About what, Cora? Talk to me. Do I need to come get you?" She cared. I could hear it for the first time in a long time.
I wiped at my eyes. "No. I just met someone and he reminds me so much of Brandon, but I don't think he's anything like him. I want so badly to figure out if there's something between us, but I need more time, Mom. Coming home is something I'm doing for you and Dad, but I don't want to live my life for you guys, anymore. I'm almost twenty-three. I want to live it for me."
"Oh, Cora. Why didn't you just say something? Your father simply thought you were being timid about coming to work because you're so unsure of yourself with all this legal stuff. Remember last summer when you helped us out and you were scared like hell you were going to mess something up?" she laughed softly.
"Yeah. Who wouldn't be scared? Dad fired some poor guy the first five minutes I was there." I reached for a napkin in my glove-box and wiped at my nose. "I just don't want to let you guys down
, but I really like this guy, Mom. I need more time. More time to spend with him, to make sure he's the one before I do something stupid."
"Then take it, baby. I'll talk to your dad about all of it when he wakes up."
"He's going to be upset. I don't want him taking that out on you." I sniffled and got out of the car as the darkness started to give way to daylight. The sunrise was sure to be beautiful and seeing that I was never up this early, I didn't want to miss it.
I walked down to the pier and let my eyes move across the lake as my mom's voice filled my ear.
"Get mad at me?" she laughed. "That wouldn't happen in a million years. You only see the demanding side of your father, baby, but he treats me like a queen when no one is around. We're just old school. I love him and would follow him anywhere. If I could have more time at the lake when we were younger, I'd have upset my parents and his, too, without thinking about it." She laughed again.
"Really?" I crossed my arm over my chest.
"Absolutely. Stay out there and we'll tape everything for you. We support you and your decisions, too, Cora. You just need to start making more of them with your future in mind. The future you want." She sighed. "I love you, baby. Call me later, and we'll chat some more."
"Okay, Mom. I love you, too." I slid my phone into my back pocket as realization washed over me. I'd completely seen what I wanted to with my mom and dad. He was demanding and seemed to always be in charge where she or any of us were concerned, but to hear it from her... she liked it that way.
"Cora." Brody's voice was thick and full of emotion.
I turned and smiled, walking toward him and sinking into his embrace. "Hey, baby."
"Why did you leave?" He leaned down and touched the side of my face. "Was it something I did? Something I didn't say?"
He was so precious in his navigating our relationship. I needed to keep that in mind as we moved forward.
"No. It was me needing to think through what I wanted most for my future." I lifted to my toes and brushed my lips by his. "My parents are good with me staying the rest of the summer. I told them I might have a chance at something really great and I wanted to explore it more."
"Oh, yeah?" A smile broke out on his face that would rival the beauty of the sun rising across the lake just behind me.
"Absolutely. Let's figure this out." I squeezed him tightly to me.
"You figure it out for yourself. I already know that I wanna try this thing between us. I want to see if forever is really what they say it is." He brushed my hair back and gave me a cheeky grin as my heart melted in my chest. "You know what?"
I smiled and watched him closely. "What, baby? Tell me."
"We are totally a chick-flick right now."
"Or a horror movie?" I laughed as his expression changed.
"Never. Not in a million years." He picked me up and pressed his lips to mine. Even though I was scared to death to take another risk, a larger part of me was far too afraid not to.
It seemed to right. Too good. Like so much more than a summer fling.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Cora