Page 83 of That Conflicted Feeling

It’sthe connection with that part of meIsee behind her eyes.

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Thehelicopter blades swirl over our heads asIduck and run toward it, hand in hand with the last womanIshould be hand in hand with.

Shecould still take me down, still mount a big enough protest to terrify the councilmembers into refusing permission for the store.

Iknow she would never let anything that’s happened between us today sway her into calling off her campaign.AndIwouldn’t want it any other way.Herspirit, her force of nature, her willingness to fight for her beliefs, is part of whatIadore about her.

Andbusiness is business.Shehas hers andIhave mine.Andwe both know we have to fight for them.Wemight be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but we are equals in so many ways.

Pollylaughs and bats me away asIput my hand under her sexy butt to help her into the chopper.

Whata day it’s been.

Ifeel likeI’vespent the last few hours in one of those soft drink commercials where everyone’s rollerblading in the sunshine, frolicking in the spray from fire hydrants, and cuddling puppies.

Ihad no idea the relief that would come from fully opening up to someone, from voicing my secrets and fears, from becoming vulnerable.Ididn’t thinkI’dever tell anyone about the night my dad cried.AndIhad no idea of the burdenIwas carrying from holding it inside untilIlet it out and felt the weight lift.

Pollyshowed meIwas right to trust her, right to believe she’d react with the warmth and understanding thatIknew she would.Sheshowed me people are stronger together when they know everything about each other.Thatthere is a strength in vulnerability.

Inbarely a week, this remarkable woman has changed my life and my perspective on it.

Christ,Ionly came toWarmSpringsto sort out some messy paperwork.Whothe hell could have predicted it would lead to me falling head over heels for a grocer who hated me?

WhenImade the pact with my brothers and cousins seventeen years ago, we pledgedBusinessFirst,LifeLater.I’vepounded that motto into them ever since.ButPolly’sright.There’sa point at which one more million—or even one more billion—doesn’t make that much difference.

I’vedone theBusinessFirstpart.

Nowit’s time for theLifepart.

Asthe chopper takes off, the woman who challenges my mind, makes my heart sing, and lights a fire in my balls, rests her hand on my thigh and watches the island fade away below us.

Ican only hope to make her as happy as she already makes me.

“Itwas amazing,” she whispers into the microphone of her headset. “There’llnever be a better day than that.”

Mymind fast-forwards to our wedding day and the birth of our first child.They’llall be the best days too.Butthe day we realized we were meant for each other will always be thefirstbest day.

Itake her hand from my thigh, kiss it, and press it to my chest.

Aswe fly over the forest and head back to the real world, both our phones spring to life in a flurry of pings and buzzes.

“Whatthe hell’s going on?”Shereaches into her bag.

“There’sno cell service on the island, we must have just gotten back in range.”

Forthe first time in my life,I’mtempted to ignore mine.ButifPolly’slooking at hers,Iguess it’s fine to have a quick glance.

“Oh, no.”Herhand flies to her mouth, the color draining from her face.

“What?What’shappened?”

Shescrolls down her screen. “Shit.No.”Shelooks like she’s about to cry.

“What,Polly?What?”