CHAPTER TEN

 

 

The buzz of laughter and conversation was all around him, but Archie felt as if he were standing inside a bubble. He could see people’s mouths moving, could hear muted noise, but nothing was sharp enough to understand. He held a martini glass in one hand—as did so many others—but it was just a prop; he hadn’t been able to eat or drink anything all day.

Tonight was the end of it. Tonight they were celebrating the release of Big Sky Divide, tonight the world would see his movie for the first time…and then he’d be free. Starting tomorrow, he could do whatever he wanted to do for the next few months…no obligations until March at the earliest.

And that meant that tomorrow morning he’d be on a flight to Spokane, then renting a Jeep and driving to Idaho.

To River’s End Ranch.

To Cait.

And once he was there, he’d throw himself at her feet and beg her for her forgiveness for not getting her cell phone number. For running away, for not confessing his feelings to her.

He’d beg her to love him in return.

One of the producers approached him, and Archie forced himself to pay attention to what the older man was saying.

“Congratulations, Archibald my boy! Another brilliant production!”

He lifted his glass in a toast, and Archie half-heartedly joined him. It had been a brilliant production, but he’d been chafing since filming had officially finished.

Still, he had his job to think about. “Thanks to you, Mr. Claymore, and the rest of our wonderful producers.” He forced an easy-going smile. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

The man brushed aside his compliment with a grandiose wave. “You’re the talent. Standing here with you now, watching you in your element, no one would even believe you’re the same man we saw on that screen. You portrayed Clay Jeneske brilliantly.”

Clay Jeneske. Archie wasn’t him any longer, but he had been, for a while at least. And Cait hadn’t been disgusted by that change in him.

All he managed was a tight smile and a “Thank you, sir.”

“I mean, look at you!” Mr. Claymore waved at Archie with his free hand. “Clean-shaven, in that tux…you look right at home here. Although I see you’ve added a bit of Jeneske to your style,” he added with a wink, looking pointedly down at Archie’s feet.

The black cowboy boots were indeed from the movie. Wardrobe had let Archie keep them after filming was done, because they’d fit so well. They were beat-up, but he’d had them shined to wear under his tuxedo tonight. A small reminder of who he’d been, at least for a little while.

A small reminder of Idaho.

And anyone who knew Archibald St. John knew he was eccentric. If he wanted to wear worn cowboy boots to a movie premiere, then he would.

He swallowed his sigh, and forced himself to shrug modestly, like it didn’t matter. Only a few more hours of making polite conversation, then he’d be able to slip away.

But when he dragged his gaze up to Mr. Claymore’s, the older man was looking away. Towards the entryway of the exclusive restaurant they’d reserved for the evening. There, on the landing, standing as regal as any queen surveying her subjects, stood a woman.

And not just any woman. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she held herself tall; her shoulders back, her chin up, her arms by her side. She was strong, and confident, and so incredibly beautiful.

“Who is that?” Mr. Claymore is asking. “Is that Halle Berry? Did she get an invite?”

But Archie wasn’t listening. “Excuse me, sir,” he muttered distractedly as he handed the older man the un-touched martini. “I have to…”

He didn’t know what he had to do, other than move. He had to be closer to the vision of confident beauty standing at the top of those stairs. Without his brain telling his feet to move, he found himself floating across the room towards her.

And from her dais over all the mere mortals, she looked down and met his eyes, and Archie discovered he’d forgotten to breathe.

It was Cait. She was here.

Her dark skin seemed to glisten against the pure white of the strapless gown she wore. The sheer material managed to sparkle in the dim lighting, and matched the diamonds at her ears. Her short black hair was slicked back—not as it had been when they’d swum in the lake together, or when they’d been sweaty and dirty from a day on the trails, but with some kind of artful style. There were more sparkles throughout it, as if she wore some kind of netting of stars on her head.

She deserved it.

Archie stopped below her, one knee bent with that leg several stairs higher than the other. His heart was beating frantically in his chest, and he suddenly sucked in a great lungful of air.

What to say? She was here. She was here. She was here.

There was nothing more to say, really. He lifted his hand to her, and prayed.

Cait stared down at him for a long minute. Finally—finally!—she placed her bare hand in his and stepped down a few stairs. She didn’t bother fussing her dress or looking anywhere else than in his eyes, regal as the queen he knew she was. She halted when they were eye-to-eye.

And then, God help him, she still didn’t speak.

But she was here, and that had to mean something.

“I was coming,” he finally said hoarsely. “Tomorrow. My flight for Spokane leaves at noon, and I was coming to you. I’m sorry I didn’t sooner—the movie—the production. I had a contract, and I didn’t think—”

He nearly bit off his own tongue when she shut him up by raising one hand and simply placing it on his cheek. Still no words, but that gesture had to mean something.

His voice caught. “I’m so sorry, Cait. I should’ve found a way to reach you. I was so deep in filming, but I could’ve written to the ranch or something. I could’ve—”

And that’s when she smiled. Her too-wide smile with the gap in between the teeth, and her mismatched eyes sparkling.

“You shaved.”

Archie’s mouth was still open, and something inarticulate burbled out. Shaved? That wasn’t what he’d expected to hear.

“What?” he finally managed.

Her smile grew. “You shaved. You’re wearing a tux and cowboy boots and you look hotter than I could imagine—although I did really like the beard.” She leaned forward just slightly. “But you know what the best part is?”

Mutely, he shook his head, still in shock.

“You’re not wearing your contacts.” She lowered her voice as her fingers slowly caressed his cheek and sent shivers throughout his body. “You’re you. All the yous you’ve ever been, wrapped up in this body.”

Archie’s knees went weak, and if he hadn’t been standing on two separate stairs for balance, he might’ve fallen over in the face of her clear, beautiful, incredible acceptance.

There were no words. Nothing he could possibly say would convey the way his heart was pounding only for her. The way every breath was harder than the last, because he thought his heart was pushing against his lungs, filling his chest until there was no room for anything other than his love.

Instead, he pressed his free hand against hers, where it rested on his cheek, and tried to keep from crying.

“Do you know why I’m here, Archie?” she asked in a quiet voice.

He didn’t have any trouble hearing her though, and just shook his head slightly, never dropping her gaze.

“I came to find you. To find out if you could possibly see yourself with someone like me. To see if you were just using me on the ranch, to see if you might feel some smidge, some tiny iota of the love I feel for you.” Her fingers moved under his. “I sold my Tacoma to pay for this trip. The plane, the ticket to get in here, this ridiculous dress. I spent my savings, because I had to know… And you know what I discovered?”

Archie’s brain had hiccupped when she’d claimed she loved him. The fact that she’d given up her overlanding truck—given up her savings and her dream—to come here, was the bravest thing he’d ever heard, but—but—but—she loved him. His mind kept repeating that.

She loves me she loves me she loves me.

He couldn’t even answer her question.

Without looking away, Cait stepped down until she was on the same stair as his lower leg, and the bent knee brushed against the angelic gown she wore. She had to tilt her head back to look into his eyes, and Archie knew he should step back, give her room. But with her hand still in his and her other hand still on his cheek, he couldn’t make himself.

She loves me she loves me she loves me.

“Archie,” she whispered. “My heart was broken for so long. I loved you, although I never told you. When you left like that…” She shook her head slightly. “I never want to feel that way again. I gave up everything to come here, and I was more nervous than I’d ever been. But then…” She sucked in a breath. “Then you looked at me—really looked—and I knew. If you were coming to me tomorrow, then…then…” She exhaled. “It was worth it.”

He couldn’t stand it any longer. He released her hand and put his arms around her and kissed her. Kissed her right there in front of everyone in the industry who should matter, but who didn’t at that moment. Kissed her with all the longing and built-up passion and desperation he’d felt in the time since he’d seen her last.

And she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him right back.

It was a million heartbeats too few when he finally released her. Just far enough to press his forehead against hers and breathe deeply, his heart pounding in the most beautiful way.

“I love you, Caitlin Quinn. I’ve missed you so much, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that. I love you, I love you. I love how strong you are, I love how adventurous you are, and I love how you don’t think changes are bad things.”

Her fingers were playing with the hair at the back of his neck as she slowly breathed with him. “I love you too, Archie. I would’ve never thought someone like me could fall in love with a real-life movie star, but you’re the only man I’ve ever met who I could love. We’re perfect for one another.”

She loved him.

Slowly, Archie straightened, ignoring their audience. He grinned down at Cait. “Do you have plans for next week?”

She blinked. “Um…no? I have a return flight booked, in case this was a total flop, but—”

It was his turn to interrupt her. “Excellent.”

He dug his cell phone out of his back pocket, and thumbed through his contacts without loosening his hold on her, there on the steps. Finding his assistant’s number—the man had come to the premiere tonight, but had disappeared after the viewing—he pressed “talk”, all the while staring into her eyes.

“Dan? Hey, I need you to do me a favor.” On the other end of the line, the young man indicated he was ready to take notes. Archie smiled at Cait. “Cancel my flight to Idaho tomorrow. Instead, I want two tickets to Panama leaving Monday. Yeah, next to each other, obviously. And book us a nice resort somewhere down there, with a Canal cruise—that’s the important bit, okay?”

He hung up, and his smile grew at Cait’s wide-eyed expression. “That should give us tomorrow and Sunday to get a new wardrobe for our upcoming adventures.”

“Adventures?” she repeated softly.

“Oh yes,” he repeated seriously, his heart soaring. “I have it on authority my travel partner wants to see the world. Climb trees in the rainforest, hike up sand dunes on the Skeleton Coast, go scuba diving near the Great Barrier Reef.”

As she heard her own words repeated back to her, Cait’s smile widened. “Really, Archie?”

He tightened his hold on her. “I’ve seen the world, Caitlin Quinn. But the idea of not being there when you see it is just heartbreaking. I want to be the one to do all those things with you. I love that you’re always ready for the next adventure.”

“Life is an adventure,” she repeated in a whisper.

“And I want my adventure to be with you. Please?”

“Oh, Archie, yes. Yes, please!”

He wrapped both arms around her, and pulled her against him, not caring if he was crushing her fancy gown.

And they were both smiling as he lowered his lips to hers.