I was sad when the rain finally ended after two days of us bonding. My body was sore in areas I had forgotten existed, but I’d loved every minute of it.

“The mud out there is as dry as it’s going to get for the next while, so I’m gonna get you back to town today,” Justin had said firmly before setting his coffee cup down and walking outside after breakfast.

I’d been sitting here listening to the chainsaw all morning as he’d cut up the tree and moved it aside. When Justin came in around lunchtime, I had sandwiches already made and waiting on the table while he went into the bathroom to wash up.

As Justin took his seat a few minutes later, he gave me a sad smile. “We can leave after lunch, the road is clear now.”

I jerked out a nod and attempted to swallow my mouthful of food over the dry lump in my throat.

“Hey, none of that—we knew from the start that this was only temporary, right?” Justin spoke softly as he reached over and wiped a tear away as it spilled from the corner of my eye.

Closing my eyes for a moment to gather myself, I saw him smiling wistfully when I opened them again. Feeling brave, I reached across the table to grab his hand.

“Listen, Justin. Martha held my room for the week but I’m scheduled for the bus in the morning since my visa expires tomorrow night at midnight. Would you like to stay with me tonight? It will be too dark for you to drive back up these muddy roads anyway. What do you say? Will you spend one more night with me before you come back here to finish your vacation?”

After a brief hesitation, Justin looked pained as he closed his eyes and nodded his agreement. Releasing his hand, I forced my attention back onto my lunch while I gave him a moment to breathe. After lunch, Justin tidied up the dishes while I put my hiking boots on and made sure that I hadn’t left anything behind as I loaded up my backpack.

The ride to town was spent in a companionable silence as Justin navigated over the muddy roads in his sturdy Jeep. It was nearly dinner time when we got back to Martha’s, and she was excited to see me arrive with Justin in tow.

After a brief explanation, I managed to break away long enough for us to go up to my room to stow my bag and steal a few minutes together before dinner. When we made our way back downstairs, Martha had the table set up for three in the dining room.

I grinned as I slid into my seat. “Martha, are you determined to spoil me on my last night? I can’t believe you made your famous dinner rolls just for me.”

Martha giggled girlishly as she took her seat at the table with us. She fluttered her eyelashes as she smiled at Justin.

“I’ve seen you around, young man, but I don’t believe that I’ve had the honor of your acquaintance. I am Martha Huxtable, and I’m absolutely thrilled to finally meet you, officially.”

Justin grinned. “I’m Justin Gagnon, and I’m thrilled that we aren’t meeting officially—because if this was in an official capacity, I’d probably be arresting you, eh?”

Martha giggled harder and smacked his hand. “Aren’t you a rascally one? Oh, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

Deciding to save Justin from any further flirtation, I changed the subject. “So Martha, did anything exciting happen while I was gone this week?”

She shook her head sadly and blotted her mouth with a napkin before answering. “I don’t believe I’ve told you this, but I’ve been trying to sell my business for the past year or so. I had a buyer lined up, but they backed out on me and now I’m back to square one.”

My jaw dropped as I took in her words. “Wait, you’re selling this gorgeous business? I can’t imagine this place without you, Martha.”

Martha nodded with a small smile. “Thank you, hon. But I’m just getting too old for the hospitality business, you know? This place needs fresh blood to run it, and I need to get my buns to Toronto so that I can watch my grandbabies grow up.”

Justin grinned at Martha as he shook his head. “Toronto? Why would anybody in their right mind want to go to Toronto? I can’t believe you even said that in front of me—that’s jokes.”

When Martha laughed, I knew that he’d said something that went over my head, but let it go as I eagerly listened to them joke back and forth.

“Tell me something, ma’am. How many Torontonians does it take to change a lightbulb?”

She rolled her eyes as she chortled with laughter and shook her head as she waited for him to answer with a punchline.

Justin held up a single finger and grinned widely. “Only one to hold the bulb up to the socket and wait for the world to revolve around them, eh.”

After a few more, I offered one that I’d seen online. “So, since I’ve been in Canada I’ve decided that hockey is way too violent. That’s why I’ve decided to start watching boxing instead.”

Even Martha groaned at that one. She waved a hand at me. “Please, the last time I was in Toronto I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.”

Justin looked at me with a wink. “Hey Scotty, you know what you call a sophisticated American?”

I shook my head. “I’m afraid to ask, but I brought this on myself. What do you call a sophisticated American?”

Martha and Justin answered in stereo. “Canadian.”

Holding up my hands, I shook my head and laughed. “You guys win, I give up. Besides, if I don’t put a stop to this you’ll both start saying you’re sorry sooner or later.”

They laughed at that, and we went back to our dinner. Martha gave me a big hug before we went upstairs for the night.

“I’m gonna miss you, hon. Of all the guests I’ve had over the years, you’re my favorite. I’d beg you to come back and visit, but hopefully I’ll have sold this place long before you make another trip up our way—if you ever do.”

As I hugged her, I met Justin’s sorrowful eyes over her shoulder. “Good night, Miss Martha. I’ll see you in the morning for some of those famous flapjacks you promised me, okay?”

By the time we made it upstairs, Justin and I were quiet as we got ready for bed and slid under the quilt. After I’d turned off the light on my nightstand, I curled up into his arms.

“What if I stayed, Justin? I kinda don’t want to go, you know? How tight is Canada about immigration anyway? Aren’t you guys too polite to kick one little ol’ heartbroken American to the curb?”

Justin’s hand stroked along my spine as he sighed into my ear. “Your life is in America, Scotty.”

I shook my head stubbornly. My heart raced as I spoke. “I’m a citizen of Earth, not any one country. I can send for the few things I care about, but I’ve found that most things can easily be replaced—that’s why I travel light. I’ve lived and traveled all over the world, and I’ve learned one thing… all I need for a place to become home is to have people there I love. I feel like if I stayed here, maybe we could pursue that.”

“When is your visa up?” Justin asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Tomorrow, that’s why I had my bus ticket for then. It was my last day that I could legally be here. Like I said, surely Canada’s too nice to kick me out, right?”

Justin shook his head, turning to kiss my forehead. “Wrong. Rules exist for a reason, Scotty. Go home, and when you can get a visa to come back, maybe we’ll see each other again and see what happens then.”

I wanted to argue, and to be honest—my heart was breaking that he was picking the rules and regulations of the law over me. I started to push my feelings down and kiss him instead, but then the idiot had to open his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Scotty. But you’ll have to admit, it all happened so fast anyway. I think some distance will be good for us, eh? No, you need to go home where you belong. If it works out for us to be together again someday, then maybe we’ll see what happens. But for now, it’s best that you go home as planned.”

I sat up and flipped on the light as I glared down at him. “Are you really such a stuffed shirt that you wouldn’t ignore the fact that my travel visa has expired? Seriously, couldn’t you at least pretend not to know about it until you’re off vacation? I realize that you’re with the RCMP, but you’re not on the clock right now, Dudley Do-right. Surely I’ve earned the right to matter at least a little bit to you by now.”

“You know what, Scott? This was a bad idea. I’m not here to fight with you on the last night that we’re going to see each other. I think it’s best if I just leave,” Justin said as he stood and pulled his pants on.

I scrambled back into my clothes to follow him downstairs as he left, my heart in my throat as I realized that I’d driven him away when we could’ve been lying in each other’s arms right now.

When he opened the door to leave, a blast of snow hit him square in the face. Justin spat out a mouthful of the icy powder and held an arm over his face as he peered out into the snow-filled night.

“Fucking Winterpeg. I did not see a lick of snow on the forecast; this is bullshit,” he grumbled. As he went to step back and close the door, something under the streetlight across the road caught my eye and I pointed excitedly.

“Look! A white beaver just ran under that streetlight! It’s Amik! He’s telling us to talk some more and give things a shot. How about you quit being so uptight, and I’ll quit being stubborn and maybe we can compromise?”

Justin sighed and closed the door as he pulled me into a hug. Martha came bustling in just in time to hear my comment.

“Did you really see Amik, hon?”

Justin stood there patiently while I eagerly recounted my experience. When I was done, he shook his head.

“The damn thing was white because it’s covered with snow from this freak storm. As for whether there was a beaver crossing the road? Well now, that’s like asking if a bear shits in the woods when you live this far north.”

Martha and I shared a meaningful look as Justin tugged on my hand and led me back up the stairs. Once we’d stripped down and climbed back into bed, we agreed to table our disagreement for now and get some sleep.

After I’d turned off the light, Justin pulled me back into his arms and we made love softly and tenderly.

When we were finished, I felt more safe and at home than I ever had in my life as I lay there in Justin’s arms and drifted off to sleep.