Love Fast

A month later – New York City

I face the floor-to-ceiling bedroom window. It’s like I’m looking at a picture or something. I still can’t believe what I’m seeing—the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the East River. The entire city is laid out in front of me like I’m in an art gallery. I can’t even drag my eyes away to watch my fiancé as he comes into the bedroom—and that’s saying something, because there’s not much that can keep me from ogling him.

“It’s like you have an enormous picture of New York in your apartment.”

“Our apartment,” he corrects me. He stands beside me and circles his arms around my waist. “You look beautiful.”

“It’s your apartment,” I say. “I just arrived twelve hours ago.”

“You’re right,” he says. “We’ll move.”

I laugh. Byron’s so keen on giving me anything and everything I want, it’s comical. If I didn’t love him so much, I might be tempted to take advantage and have him cartwheel down Broadway naked. It’s funny, but it’s also like being wrapped in cotton balls and cashmere. I’ve never felt so safe. I just hope I make him feel the same way. That’s what I’m aiming for—to show him the love he shows me. We both know we feel it, but I’ve learned from a lifetime without it that love is a doing word. I don’t want a day to go by when Byron isn’t sure that I love him.

“We don’t have to move,” I say.

“I want you to feel like this is our home.”

I pause. I don’t want to upset him. It’s not that I don’t think I’ll be happy when we’re in New York. But it’s so vast, so busy. I’m not sure I’ll ever feel entirely at home here. “Star Falls feels like our home.”

He buries his head into my neck and kisses me, tightening his grip on my waist. I know how this one ends. I put my hand on his, about to encourage him to release me, when the buzzer to the apartment sounds.

“Are you ready?” I ask.

“I should be asking you that question, but nothing’s going to prepare you for this.”

I’m excited about seeing all Byron’s friends in New York. I’ve met most of them already, but it will be interesting seeing them outside of Colorado.

As we head out of the bedroom, Worth and Sophia are coming toward us.

“Brunch!” Sophia yells as she opens her arms and sweeps me into a big hug. “So good to see you. I’m so excited you’re here.”

I can’t help but grin at her infectious enthusiasm. “I’m excited too.”

“This is your first time in New York?” she asks. She looks incredible. Her hair is swept up in a high pony and she’s wearing all black. She’s so stylish. For the first time since I sat at the bar at Grizzly’s, I feel self-conscious about what I’m wearing.

I glance down at my denim skirt and white blouse. I must look like a country hick. “Can you tell?”

Sophia fixes me with a stare. “Don’t you dare do that. There’s a place for everyone in New York. You don’t have to look a certain way or dress a certain way or be a certain way.” She winces. “Well, maybe you do to fit in certain circles, but no one who matters cares about any of that. We care about who you are and how much you love Byron. Not about what you’re wearing—which is very cute, by the way.”

Anxiety gathers in my throat. “I do love him.”

“Good,” she says, taking my left hand. “That ring is completely beautiful. He did such a good job.”

I wiggle my finger, the round diamond solitaire sparkling in the sunlight. “He did.”

Byron puts his hand on my waist. “Everything okay?”

I nod a little too enthusiastically.

“New York can be intimidating,” Sophia says in explanation. “The key thing is not to let yourself get sucked in by the assholes who spend their time trying to out-dress, out-talk, out-lifestyle everyone.”

“Hmmm,” Worth says. “You’re right. There are a lot of people in New York who compete with each other about…”

“Stuff that doesn’t matter,” Byron says. “The six of us were always focused on business. We didn’t notice any of the other noise.”

Worth nods. “Are we all the same?” he asks, just as Fisher walks through the door, with Jack following behind.

“Jack notices,” Byron says.

“What?” Jack asks.

“You notice stuff the rest of us don’t—like the shoes people are wearing and whether their last name is a family that came over on the Mayflower. That kind of shit.”

Jack is intimidating. He seems a little less friendly than Byron’s other friends. Byron speaks fondly of him, but I don’t seem to have warmed to him the way I have his other friends.

He takes a deep breath. “Yeah, I notice. It’s ingrained in me. Generations of Aldens have been judging everyone they come across. I swear, if I was to die tomorrow, my mother’s first thought would be whether her hair stylist could come out on a Monday, and whether Ferragamo has a new black pump.” He shrugs. “I know it’s ridiculous. But just because I notice it, doesn’t mean I value it. It’s just information.”

“Well, I’m sure my ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower,” I say.

Jack shrugs and kisses me on the cheek. “But thankfully they found their way here. Because you make my very good friend here very happy.” He pats Byron on the shoulder, and I smile.

“Does he not make you want to play matchmaker?” Sophia whispers beside me. “We need to find him a woman who’s going to rock his world.”

“Me first,” Fisher says, coming in between us and making us jump.

“You want someone to rock your world?” Sophia asks. “You meet literal rock stars every goddamn day. You shouldn’t need us to set you up.”

He shrugs. “I don’t want to go out with a singer.”

“You’ve been out with a hundred singers,” Sophia says.

“And where did it get me?” he asks.

“Laid?” Sophia says.

“There’s that.” He sighs. “But I wonder if there’s something else out there. Someone else. Someone who’ll care more about me than publicity and a good time.”

Byron joins our group and pats Fisher on the shoulder while Worth and Fisher continue to chat. “What are we talking about?” he asks.

“Finding Fisher a woman,” Sophia says.

“Yeah, you’ll have to go back to Colorado for that,” Byron says.

I narrow my eyes and look up at him wondering what he must mean.

“I happen to know someone who’s interested. Didn’t know who the fuck you were. She just liked your vibe.”

The corner of Fisher’s mouth twitches. “I’m taking Vivian Cross out there to record soon. I’m just there to babysit really—make sure everything goes smoothly so she can write songs and be incredible. I’ll have plenty of free time.”

I can’t wait to hear who Byron’s talking about. He never mentioned anything to me about someone he knows liking Fisher.

“Star Falls is the place to go if you want to fall in love,” Byron says dramatically, and all his friends groan. I can’t stop laughing. He’s such a goofball.

“Where do you go to fall in love?” a short, dark-haired woman I’ve never met before says as she enters the room. She’s with another woman who’s blonde.

Sophia immediately scoops them both up into a hug.

“Rosey, meet my sisters, Poppy and Avril,” Worth says.

“Your soon-to-be-in-love sisters, because we’re going to Star Falls,” Avril corrects him before she pulls me into a hug. “It’s so good to meet you.”

“I feel like I might be entering my lumberjack era,” Poppy says. “Do you have lumberjacks in Star Falls?” she asks.

Worth just rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything.

“I’m not sure about the lumberjack options in Star Falls. But if you get the chance to go, you absolutely should. It’s a really magical place.” I glance over at Byron, who’s looking at me with a familiar expression that says he can’t believe he gets to marry me. It never gets old.

“We’re all going to go,” Byron says. “You know I own a private members resort there.”

“You do?” Avril asks. “I had no idea. You know, you should call it the Colorado Club. It has a nice ring to it.”

“Good idea,” he replies, as he nudges Avril. “But seriously, it’s an open invitation. Any of you can come anytime. And maybe we should all go for the holidays this year.”

“By then, Fisher and Jack will be engaged,” Sophia says.

“Or even married,” Fisher says. “I’m an impatient man.”

“Don’t forget about us,” Poppy says. “Avril and I are lumberjack shopping, remember? My man will cut down our Christmas tree.”

Byron finds his way to me and wraps his arms around me, like everything he needs in life is right here.

The buzzer sounds again. “That will be Bennett, Efa, Leo, and Jules. They texted me to say they’re all in the same car.”

“Everyone will visit us in Star Falls. You have no worries on that score.”

He nods. “Everyone,” he says. “And it won’t be today, but I spoke to Mary. She says she’s going to meet us in Colorado later in the year.”

I squeeze Byron tighter. “That’s amazing.” His expression tells me how much it means to him that he’s going to reconnect with his sister. Hopefully now he’s come to terms with so much of his past, his future can involve his sister. All our sisters, hopefully. Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe I’ll gently encourage my sisters out to Colorado, and they can heal from their pasts too.

After all, Star Falls is a magical place.

14 months later – Star Falls

Rosey

I see Marion’s name flash on my screen and send up a silent prayer. Please god let her have good news today. I want her to have it, more than I want it for myself.

I break into a grin and accept the call.

Marion doesn’t speak, she just squeals. “I got into Columbia,” she eventually says.

Marion applied to Oregon State as well as a local community college. When I suggested an Ivy League college, she laughed. But over time, she came to see she’s way more than Mom would have her believe. She applied but never expected to get in.

“Holy shit,” I reply. I’d like to say I knew she would, but honestly, I’m shocked. We’re just two kids from a trailer park. We don’t get to go to the Ivy League. “That’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m so proud of me,” she says. “But I couldn’t have done it without you.”

I can’t think of anything nicer she could have said to me. All I’ve done is encourage her, buoy her up when she felt like giving up. And of course, I’ve kept her secret.

I’m in touch with Kitty, too. At first we just shared memes via text. Now we speak pretty regularly. I’ve asked her to come and live with us. But she’s still under Mom’s spell. Still doesn’t want to upset her and probably scared to leave Lydia but scared to tell her and have her tell on her or not choose to come with her. I can’t push too hard. I have to be patient and let them find their own way to me. Of course, Mom doesn’t know. I’m hoping when they all find out about Marion, things will shift.

“Have you told Mom?” I ask her. Mom and my sisters had to move to another when Frank sold their trailer. Apparently it’s the exact same size, and on the adjacent lot. Life changes, but everything has stayed the same for them.

“You’re my first call,” she replies. “What am I going to say to her?”

“You have to have a plan before you tell her. She might throw you out on the spot.” I don’t say it, but she needs to be ready to never see Mom again after she tells her the news. “You could leave it until the semester is about to start.”

Silence echoes at the end of the phone.

“I’m impatient. I’ve been just trying to get to this day and now… now I want the rest of my life to start. I don’t want to be stuck in this trailer anymore.”

My heart lifts in my chest like it’s had a dose of helium. I’m so thankful that she wants more from her life. I’ve been preparing for this moment. When we bought the New York house, Byron insisted on getting a place large enough that all my sisters could move in, if that’s what they wanted. I hadn’t told Marion before because I want it all to be her decision.

“Come to New York early, or go to Colorado.” She can keep a close eye on Athena if she goes to Colorado. She knows most things about our life, how Byron and I travel between the two states. “I’m sure the Colorado Club is recruiting this time of year. I can put you in touch with the manager there.”

“You love Star Falls, right?”noveldrama

Of course I love Star Falls. It’s the place I found my freedom. And my husband. Who, as ever, has great timing. He appears in the doorway.

“It’s the best place in the world,” I say through a massive grin, as Byron stands bare-chested, fresh from the shower, looking at me like I’m ice cream. “Wanna tell Byron your news?”

Marion agrees, and I put her on speaker.

“I got into Columbia,” she squeals. “Full academic scholarship.”

Byron’s gaze flits from me to the cell and back again. “Whoa, that’s amazing. So you’ll stay with us.” It’s not a question. Byron has the room allocated already.

Every day I fall a little more in love with him, but today, the way he says that to my sister like it’s a foregone conclusion—I don’t know if it’s possible for me to love him more than I already do. He’s such a good man. He understands what we’ve all been put through and he wants to make it right. He’s offered to helicopter all my sisters out of the trailer park on some kind of pseudo-CIA mission, but I’ve told him kidnapping them is not the answer. They need to leave on their own terms. Hopefully, Marion is just the first of three to find her way back to me.

“You think there might be a job at the Colorado Club for her between now and September?” I ask.

Byron looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “Just tell me when she’s arriving and I’ll make it happen.” Towel or no towel, glistening skin or not, he’s never looked so hot.

“Marion, I’ll talk to you later,” I say, and hang up the phone. We don’t have to decide when Marion’s going to move out and where she’s going to go right this moment. My husband’s standing in front of me half naked, saying things that make him a total god. I have things to do. To him.

“Did I ever tell you how much I want to have your baby?” I ask.

One corner of Byron’s mouth turns up in a shy smile. “You do?”

In answer, I unbutton my blouse and pull his towel from his waist.