“Okay,” Greta said. “I know that this is still really new, and I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. I know you’re a lot more experienced than me, and we haven’t really talked about monogamy or…well, or a lot of things.”

Carys was looking at her with such fondness that it emboldened her. She grabbed Carys’ hand. This time, her rehearsing what she wanted to say during the flight paid off.

“I want to move here. Not for a month but permanently. I’m not saying this because of our relationship, I swear. Though I really love our relationship, and I hope it can continue. But I just need you to know that it’s not because of you. You know?”

Carys smiled. “I understand. Thanks for thinking about how I might feel pressured, especially since it hasn’t been very long.”

Greta nodded diplomatically, congratulating herself on her clear and responsible communication.

“Do you want to have those conversations?”

Greta blinked. “Um, which?”

“The ones about monogamy and a lot of things.” Carys smiled at her, but it was clear she wasn’t making fun.

“Well…um…yeah. Do you?”

A fizz of excitement began to rise from her stomach to her throat, and Greta fought not to let it overwhelm her.

“Yup,” Carys said.

“Oh, thank fuck,” Greta breathed, and Carys laughed.

“Can we put a pin in them for the moment, though?” Carys said. “Because there’s something very pressing I need to do.”

“Oh, yeah, of course, sorry,” Greta mumbled. “What do you need to do?”

Carys winked. “You, silly.”

“Oh, right, well, yeah, I think that can be arranged,” Greta said. Then she lost herself in the woman she loved.

Chapter 31

Truman

Six Months Later

Truman hurried through the front door of Thorn with arms so full of wildflowers he could hardly see over them. Fortunately, Horse was tall enough that Truman stopped short at the last minute and didn’t trample him.

The wildflowers were for what had quickly become Thorn’s signature item, the Owl Island souvenir bouquet. They had small glass jelly jars with three different Owl Island stickers to choose from, and customers picked their own blooms from several different buckets of wildflowers. Then they chose from ten different string colors to wrap the bouquets so they were ready to hang dry as a souvenir when they began to droop.

It had been a long winter that most inhabitants of Owl Island were complaining about by February, but Truman had been reluctant for it to end. After all, he’d never been happier than when he was cuddled up with Ash under blankets, listening to music while they kissed passionately, told one another their deepest secrets, and fell asleep intertwined.