I leave River and Karma at Colton’s while I go to my therapy appointment. It feels a little too settled, too couply, for me to do that, but it makes zero sense to pack them up and drop them at my apartment, only to return for them in an hour and pack them up again. In fact, I leave my overnight bag at Colton’s, too. Dr. Bradley isn’t too far from my home, so I stop by my apartment beforehand and pack an extra bag of clothes for the week away.

When I walk into the therapist’s building, her receptionist isn’t behind the window. But Dr. Bradley pops out from her private office and waves me inside with a smile.

She’s in her usual chair, her notepad on her lap. Her blue jeans and informal top match her casual approach to sessions, and she gestures to the couch across from her.

I sit down at the edge of the couch and tap my foot awkwardly. I pull my leg up underneath my other one and lean forward, bracing my elbows on my knees.

“How are things?” Dr. Bradley’s smile is warm, her brown eyes interested in my answer.

I stare past her face, and past her blond hair mixed with gray, at the cream-colored wall behind her head. It takes me a minute to answer.

“Things are…different.” I don’t know how else to quantify my recent past. “I met someone. Well, I re-met someone. He and I knew each other for a night when we were teenagers. He was my first crush.” Colton was always more than a simple crush, but I don’t know how else to describe him to a complete stranger.

“I could be mistaken, but I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned anyone in a romantic sense in the four years you’ve been coming here.” Dr. Bradley makes this statement as she starts scribbling in her notepad.

“Yes. I’m sure that’s correct. I don’t get crushes.”

“But you have one now.”

I throw up my hands. “Colton and I…it’s so intense. And yet he’s so sweet. I can’t handle something like this.”

“Something like what?”

“Something so real.”

Once the words are out of my mouth, I realize the weight of them.

Dr. Bradley smiles. “Real is supposed to be a good thing.”

“Right.”

“I realize that for you, real often meant the opposite.”

“Yes. That’s a fair assessment.”

“Could that be what’s bothering you now? You’re afraid when something feels good, it’s just a fairytale, and can’t possibly last?”

I twist one lock of red hair around my finger. “He and I barely know each other. I mean, we’ve been talking every night on the phone for the past five and half weeks, which has been so nice, and we went on two casual dates before this weekend. He also helped me find Karma when she ran off. But…”

“It sounds like you’ve actually gotten to know each other quite well. The fact that you took the time to just talk—it says a lot.”

“We love to talk. We also love to kiss.” I laugh. “Everything I do with Colton is better than anything I’ve ever done with any other man. To the nth degree. The strength of my feelings for him isn’t the issue.”

Dr. Bradley raises her pen so it touches her chin. I stare at it distractedly as she asks, “What exactly is the issue, Sky?”

“I’m just scared.” My voice sounds small, and I clear my throat. “I come off like a coward, but I’m working through it.”

“He seems like he’s a man worth doing that for.”

“He is.” I fidget with my foot again. “I’ve been afraid of having one of my freak-outs at night. I even spent the first night I stayed with him in his guest room. And we’re going away together this week, so I’ll be way out of my normal routine.”

She nods. “I know that’s when you’re more likely to have the trauma resurface. Can you bring something familiar along as a touchstone?”

“My cat and dog will be with us.”

“Wonderful. Maybe one or both would be willing to sleep close by?”

I tell her that I’ll do my best, and she smiles.

“But I’m also jumpier than usual, which is saying a lot, I know.” I pause. “My father—they’ve lost sight of him.”

“How so?”

I tell her the story of him leaving the state. “And they are doing everything they can to locate him, but so far—nothing. It has me thinking awful things.”

“Have you talked to Colton about this?”

“I did tell him what was going on. He’s aware of the situation.”

“If you trust him, and it sounds like you do, keep him aware. Not just of what’s going on with your father’s case, but with your feelings, too. The fastest way to end something good is to shut the other person out. And because your relationship is so new, you want to start things out right. Part of that is being as honest as you can be.”

“Right.” I tug at my ponytail. “So you would say Colton and I are in a relationship? Like a real one?”

Dr. Bradley gives me one of those intense, yet blank, stares that bug me. “What do you think? Does it feel like a real relationship to you?”

I don’t know what that even means! “I’m not sure. I don’t exactly have experience sticking around a guy after we’ve…been intimate.”

“Why don’t you try it this time, and see how you feel?”

I’m going to give it one hell of a shot.

---

Colton

When Sky returns after her appointment, we eat a late lunch, which Sky claims counts as dinner. My stomach happens to disagree, so I make sandwiches for the road. I have everything packed in record time. I don’t want Sky changing her mind, and the less time I give her to do that, the better.

She lets me pick up Karma and pop her into my SUV, the largest vehicle I own, and the one I’ve decided will be the most comfortable drive through the mountains.

“The SUV is all-wheel drive,” I say to Sky when she points to my sports car. “Plus, with Karma and River, there’s a lot more room in here.”

“Are you sure we’ll be able to find a place in Boulder that takes pets?” she asks me.

“I’m sure.” I don’t tell her I’ve already booked us accommodations, because I want the lodging piece to be a surprise. “You all set?”

She’s got River in her cat carrier, and her travel bag is behind her. “As much as I’ll ever be.”

I pat her ass. “Let’s go.”

I’m so excited for this trip it’s ridiculous. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this jazzed about anything. To have time alone with Skylar Rosewood, back in the place where I first fell for her, is a fantasy I never even thought had a chance of coming true.

We make good time getting to Vegas, where we stop for gas. Sky feeds Karma and River and, and then we take Karma out for a bathroom break. When we return to the car, we unsuccessfully try to coax River to use the litter box that we’ve placed on the floor of the SUV.

“Right here,” I say, gesturing to the box. “Can you use this?”

River just glares at me, like, “you try peeing in a car, buddy, and then let’s talk.”

She’s not a happy camper, but she stays in her carrier and sleeps for the entire ride.

And how do Sky and I pass the endless hours of car boredom?

That’s simple. We talk. We talk about fucking everything, just like we’ve been doing on the phone. I love talking to her. Through our time getting to know each other as adults, I’ve learned I can trust Sky implicitly, and that nothing I say to her will ever be used against me, or—God forbid—sold to the press. I’ve also learned that she’s smart as fuck, funny as hell, and she’s a great listener. I didn’t realize how lonely I was out in L.A. until she walked back into my life. I have Dylan, and my teammates are my comrades in arms, and I thought that was enough.

But Sky’s friendship has filled a hole that’s been there ever since I lost my dad. When he died, I braced myself for loss. Because of that, outside of my job, I haven’t let anyone new into my life. If somebody wasn’t there before his death, they didn’t get a key into my heart.

Until Sky. Although she was there before, and that’s partly what makes this feel so natural. I don’t have to explain anything to her, or justify why I’m closing off or feeling sad, because she gets it. She knew me when I was still innocent, thinking death may happen to other people, but not to someone I love. And because of that, the bond between us feels deeper, and easier, than maybe it would have.

As we drive through Nevada, it’s pitch dark. Sky takes the wheel until we hit Utah, and we’re both so tired we have to pull over at a roadside motel to sleep. We grab takeout at the Mexican restaurant next door, and eat in our room so we can keep Karma and River company.

“This is nice,” I say as we sit next to each other in the full-sized bed. “I’m having fun.”

Sky smiles so wide her eyes light up. “Colt, have you ever stayed at a bare bones motel before?”

“Sure, I have.” I swallow my bite of burrito. “Once. We were stuck in a small town getting our car fixed, and there was nowhere else to stay. My mom was horrified—she was certain she wouldn’t sleep a wink all night.”

Sky laughs. “We all tend to acclimate to what we’re used to. I understand.”

I put my empty plate in the trash and slide down under the covers. Sky follows me, and I reach over to turn out the light. And then it’s just her and me, with Karma on the floor beside Sky’s side of the bed, and River in the chair by the window. Life feels perfect.

“Make love to me, Colt.” Skylar’s hands find their way underneath my t-shirt. “Please.”

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I bring her against me, so we can feel every inch of each other. “You never have to ask,” I murmur, as I give her what she wants.

---

We wake up early the next morning, and get on the road. Our drive is smooth and free of much traffic all the way to Boulder. I tell Sky I made us reservations already, and that I want to surprise her. She says that she’s not big on surprises, so it better be a good one. She says it teasingly, but I catch the tone of caution in her words, and my chest squeezes with the need to take away her fears.

I’m behind the wheel as we take the familiar road into town, the mountains growing bigger as we get closer.

“I forgot how beautiful they are,” Sky says, her tone heavy with awe.

“Me, too. We’ve had a game in Denver twice since I was drafted, and I always look forward to those trips. It’s funny, though—I never went into Boulder.”

“I imagine it would have been difficult to find the time,” she says.

She’s being kind, but the truth is that I was a coward. I didn’t want to dredge up memories of the last-ever trip I took with both my parents. I didn’t know how I’d handle it, and the idea of flying back with my team after going down memory lane didn’t feel anything short of torturous.

“I’m glad we’re here together,” I say, reaching over and taking her hand in mine.

I drive through Boulder, and keep going until the houses get further and further apart. Soon, I’m pulling onto a familiar-looking dirt road.

“Wait.” Sky jerks her head toward me, her eyes turning a dark shade of green. “Is this…”

“The same campground we met at? Yes.”

My eyes meet hers. I watch her expression shift from panic, to excitement, to happiness, to anxiety, all in the space of a few seconds.

“You said your uncle doesn’t run this place anymore,” I say in confusion. “Didn’t you?”

She swallows so hard I can see her throat move from here. “That’s right.”

“I’m sorry you’re upset.” I slow the car to a stop and pull to the side. “Talk to me. Would you rather stay somewhere else?”

“No. I don’t know.” She pulls at a strand of her fiery hair. “We don’t even have a motor coach with us. So what made you pick this campground? Other than the obvious.”

I check the reasons off on my fingers as I list them. “It takes pets. They have several travel trailers that they rent out, and the front desk emailed me a few photos. They look really nice, and one was available. But the biggest reason? I wanted to be here with you. Last time we were here was so brief, but we connected, in a way I never have with anyone else. I guess I thought it would be nice to come back together. But I should have checked with you first. I had wanted to surprise you.”

She grabs my hand. “Colt. I want to stay here, too.”

I study her. “Are you sure?”

She nods, but a shadow passes over her face.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” I say.

She waves toward the road. “Let’s go check in, and I’ll fill you in.”

“You’re sure this is where you want to stay? There are plenty of other options around.”

“I am. I would say if I didn’t want to.” Her eyes tell me she’s being honest. “I promise.”

I put the car back into drive and we wind our way down the tree-lined road.

Around several large bends, the view opens up to a large log cabin, the same reception building as ten years ago. I pull into one of the parking spaces and stop the car.

“Do you want to keep the A/C on for Karma and River?” I ask Sky. “I can just run in and get our key.”

She smiles at me. “That would be great. You’re not going to let me pay half, are you?”

I lean over and give her a hard peck on the lips. “Nope. Be right back.”