Jade glanced over at Everett, who had climbed on one of the waiting room chairs and was looking out the window toward the parking lot. “So what’s the plan for him?”
Nimble though he was, he had a distinct limp and didn’t move very quickly. If he were left out in the wild, he wouldn’t fare too well. Shay leaned against the counter opposite us. “For now, he’ll stay here. There aren’t too many rescue programs that will take opossums.”
Jade knelt down and tapped her fingers on the floor. He came walking over, and she scratched between his ears before he meandered to investigate yet another corner of the waiting room.
Lucas came through the front entrance. Lucas and I had eventually had that conversation about Jade, which ended with a stern warning from him. In essence, he said he’d hurt me if I hurt Jade. Those weren’t his exact words, but I got the point.
He had nothing to worry about. As it was, Dave’s final words to me and my eventual facing up to just what Jade meant to me had opened a dam. My entire world revolved around her now. That was perfectly all right with me.
Lucas stopped beside us, glancing down with a bemused smile when Everett came over to sniff his boots. He glanced from me to Jade. “Are you here to check on this guy?”
Jade gave him a pointed look. “Yes. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
Lucas chuckled. “No. I’m just here to pick up Valentina.”
“Of course. You need me to babysit tomorrow, right?”
“That’d be great. We need to push through on a few of those cabins because Jackson would like to have them ready for booking, so I plan to work late.” Lucas caught my eyes and rolled his slightly. “And, Valentina wants to run to Asheville to do some shopping.”
“We’ll finish up this weekend,” I said. “We’ll have to wrangle a few of the other guys to help, but we can make it happen.”
“Please do,” Shay chimed in. “We’ve got a waitlist for reservations right now.”
“I’ll be there by eight tomorrow morning,” Jade said.
Lucas nodded and turned to walk down the hallway. “Catch y’all later.”
“You ready to go?” I asked.
“Where are y’all going?” Shay interjected.
“Home,” Jade and I said simultaneously.
“That’s when I know you’re in love. When you both say home, and it doesn’t matter where it is,” Shay said with a slow smile.
Epilogue
Jade
Approximately two years later
“Come on,” Valentina urged as she slid her hand through my elbow and tugged me forward.
“I don’t like surprises,” I muttered.
“Really? I never would’ve noticed.” Valentina rolled her eyes, her tone dry as she persisted in pulling me along with her.
“It would help if you told me where we were going.” I planted my feet firmly until she stopped.
Her brows knitted, and she rested a hand on her hip. “You’re more stubborn than Lucas.”
“You called?” Lucas’s voice came from behind us.
Turning, I watched my brother approach us. “What the hell? Why in the world are you also going for some random hike?”
Valentina had showed up at the house I shared with Walker this morning and insisted she needed me to come somewhere with her. Then, she drove us to Stolen Hearts Lodge and had me tromping through the woods and fields on a hike. We were well beyond the area where the resort and rescue program were located.
Lucas stopped beside us, the hint of understanding and amusement held in his eyes making me a little restless and anxious. “What’s going on?” I pressed.
“Come on. It’s a party,” Lucas replied.
Before I could reply, he had me by the other elbow. Between the two of them, they were moving me ahead and not giving me much choice in the matter.
“Do I need to call Walker for a rescue?”
“I doubt it,” was all I got from Lucas.
Valentina was looking steadfastly forward. My guess was if I asked her enough questions, she would break. Valentina was the absolute worst liar I’d ever met in my life. It was nearly impossible for her to lie, even when it was for a good cause.
“Come on, Valentina,” I cajoled, giving her a little nudge with my elbow. “Tell me what’s going on. I don’t think the surprise has something to do with Shay, or you’d tell me about it.”
Valentina closed her lips in a tight line, but she still refused to look at me. My brother simply shrugged. “You’re not gonna get a thing out of me.”
We passed through another copse of trees and came into a clearing where a picturesque chapel sat on a hillside. My feet stopped moving, and my heartbeat echoed throughout my entire body as butterflies spun wildly in my belly. “What’s going on?” I asked, my voice sounding a little shaky.
Valentina finally looked at me. “Walker has a surprise for you.”
“Here?” That single word came out in a squeak. “What is this place? I’ve never been here.”
Lucas began moving again, and I was too stunned to stop him from pulling me forward. In another moment, we’d reached a tiny chapel. Walking up the stone steps, Lucas opened the heavy wooden double doors, which led directly into the space. There were rows of seating on either side. I peered between Lucas and Valentina. “How come I’ve never seen this place before?”
Valentina answered, “Jackson’s great-grandparents built this chapel over a hundred years ago. It’s lovely, isn’t it? Over here.” She tugged me to the side where there was a doorway. She practically shoved me through the door and shut it behind me.
Walker was standing by a window in the small square room. It had white walls and glossy wide plank flooring. He turned to look at me. The sunlight splashing through the window glinted on his dark locks as his gaze snagged mine from across the room.
My heart was pounding so hard, it felt as if my entire being was nothing more than a heartbeat. When
