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“I always said Tab was a genius.”
Raeann grins and then looks out over the sand to the waves crashing against it. “It’s kind of scary, though. Everything is happening so fast. I keep worrying that it’s all going to come falling apart again. I can’t even wrap my head around the fact that we’re actually breaking even, let alone that we’re making money.”
“Your designs are amazing. You and Tab make a great team. I see you working hard every day, and you two definitely deserve it. The bigger you get, the more people you hire so that you can grow it even more or hire people to figure it out if something does go wrong.”
She nods. “That totally makes sense. I’m on board. It’s just… I feel bad leaving Tab at the store. The other day, I forgot to place an order with one of our suppliers, so we’re completely sold out of a popular design, and we probably won’t get it for another couple of weeks now.”
I reach over and grab her hand. “Mistakes happen.”
“Mistakes that will cost us earned revenue hit different. It’s not like I accidentally dropped her breakfast in her lap.” Her lips curve into a smile. “Though she wouldn’t like that either.”
“I’m sure she wasn’t mad.”
“Of course she wasn’t.” Raeann shrugs. She’s haloed by the color-changing sky as it slips into dusk. I used to think nothing could compete with a sunset reflecting off of water, but I was so wrong. “…You know?”
“Hmm?”
A knowing smile twists her lips. “Micah, were you not listening to me?”
“I got distracted by how beautiful you are.” I twist my fingers in her hair. Pulling out my phone with my other hand, I take a picture of her to encapsulate the moment.
I catch her in a vulnerable position as she starts to look away from the camera, her cheeks turning pink like the blushing sky behind her.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “You’re worried, and I think that’s normal. Especially since your success came quickly.”
“I have people emailing me to do more appearances. Tab really wants me to do them, and I know it will be good for business, but then that takes me away from the store…and you. Then what if people ask me about us? What am I supposed to say?”
“You tell them the truth. That we’re seeing each other.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
I narrow my gaze at her. Sometimes I don’t think she understands the depth of my feelings for her. The reason why the bellhop called her Mrs. Freeman is because I booked the room under that name. I want everyone to know. I’m just going at her pace. “Raeann Gorman Freeman.”
She rolls her eyes.
I scoop up her hand. “No, listen to this. I don’t care if the whole world knows. I wouldn’t care if someone came by right now and took our picture and plastered it all over social media. As far as I’m concerned, I want everyone to see you’re mine.” I reach up to cup her cheek. “So go, do appearances. Tell everyone we’re in love. I don’t care.”
“We’re…in love?”
My stomach squeezes with an understanding that starts deeper than my bones. It begins in my soul. From the moment I saw Raeann, I knew. “I am.”
Her fingers twist in front of her, and her shoulders start to move up and down quickly.
I scoot closer to her on the bench, pulling her legs over mine and taking both her hands. “Hey, you don’t have to say anything back. Okay? Breathe.” I lead her head to my shoulder, taking in deep breaths and letting them out slowly in hopes that she’ll follow my pattern. The team doc I asked said breathing exercises would help someone with anxiety.
Luckily, Raeann mirrors her breaths to mine. I keep count for her. Four seconds of inhale, four seconds of exhale. It takes about a minute, but she kisses my shoulder and sits straight again, peering at me sheepishly.
She doesn’t mention what I said. She doesn’t say it back. She just stares out over the ocean, her brows pinched. I recognize the emotion there. Fear.
I wrap my arm across her shoulder and hold her against me tightly as we watch the sun go down.
“I was thinking…” I hesitate because I don’t want to come across like I’m telling her she’s broken. “They use therapy and mindset coaching a lot in pro sports. I went to one for the first few years of my career.”
“Yeah…”
I kiss the side of her head. “With your out-of-the-gate success, I don’t think it would hurt to go see one yourself. Or a therapist to talk through your fears with, depending on which route you want to go down.”
I wait with a breath stuck in my chest. Raeann and I have never argued before, and I don’t want this to be the first. One, because I don’t want her to be mad at me, but two, I’ll be an absolute mess for tomorrow’s game if she thinks I’ve insulted her.