Kiss and Don’t Tell

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask Pacey.

“Jesus, woman,” Max says as he huffs behind me. “The man is made of muscle. He’s fine.”

“He shouldn’t be lifting too much because of his neck.”

“Babe, this tree is like thirty pounds. I can handle it,” Pacey says with ease as he walks next to me.

“Winnie, where is the pocketknife I gave you?” Katherine asks as she turns around to look at me. The girl is not only wearing every reflective shield you could buy, but she also has a backpack full of wasp spray, bear spray, tasers, knives, and one of those crinkly blankets for God knows what reason. According to her, you never can be too sure who you’ll run into in the middle of the park. When I told her it was the middle of the day, she told me people aren’t safe during the day just because they believe they are. I honestly can’t with her.

“It’s in my pocket, and I wouldn’t call the dagger you gave me a pocketknife. Pocketknives usually have other tools on them. What you gave me is a switchblade.”

“And you’ll be glad I did when you’re attacked. But you need to hold it in your hand.”

“I’m not walking around a family-friendly park with a freaking switchblade in my hand.”

“Katherine, please, you said you wouldn’t ruin this experience with your neuroses,” Max says.

“All I’m saying is we have to watch each other’s sixes.”

Leaning in toward me, Pacey says, “You should put a child lock on her Netflix account so she can’t watch those crime shows anymore.”

“And that’s why I love you, for smart ideas like that.”

“Ah, come on, you love me for more reasons than that,” Pacey says with a wink.

And boy oh boy, is he right.

After he surprised me, we rented a hotel room for the weekend because there was no way I would’ve been able to keep quiet for Max and Katherine, not with the way Pacey worshipped my body. The man was bound and determined to make me come at least—in his words—twenty times. Not sure if he did or not, I lost count. But I’ve never been so satisfied. Nor have I been fucked in so many different ways. And then, to top it off, we made love as well, slow, passionate love. And it was . . . God, it was everything I could’ve asked for.

Now, while it’s the off-season, we’re splitting time between Vancouver and Seattle, spending more time with Max and Katherine, because once the season starts, I’ll be moving to Vancouver to be with my man. Thank God for an online, remote job.

Max isn’t thrilled, especially since he’ll be stuck with Katherine, but I know a small part of him enjoys her crazy. It thrills him, gives him something to laugh about.

“Is this the spot?” Max asks, as he points to a concealed alcove in the trail.

“That’s it,” I say.

It’s taken me longer than I preferred to plant my mom’s tree, but I also didn’t want to do it when I wasn’t in the right headspace.

Now that I’m here with my people—including Pacey—this could not be more perfect.

This is how Mom would’ve wanted it, a day full of love. Without the switchblades perhaps.

“Right over here,” I say, directing everyone. I find the rock Mom loved sitting on and place the trophy on it while Max sets down a shovel and Pacey gently puts the tree on the ground. Lucky for me, Uncle RJ never sent the cops after me for theft of the trophy, nor did he say anything. I think he knew . . . it was something I needed to do for Mom. And strangely, I appreciate that.

Pacey grips my hand in his and looks around. “This place is beautiful. I can see why your mom liked it so much.”

Katherine swats at the bushes and then says, “All clear. No perverts lurking.”

“I’m sure my mom would be grateful for that,” I say with a laugh.

“You never know with the granolas out here in Seattle. People love walking around in the nude behind bushes.”

Max presses his hand to his forehead. “Where the hell do you get your information from?”

Chuckling, Pacey presses a kiss to my head and asks, “Are you ready for this?”

“I am.”

He picks up the shovel and asks, “Want to do it together?”

“I don’t think Mom would want it any other way.”