“So,” he’d murmured as he kissed the top of her head, “you love me, huh?”
She chuckled and hugged him a little harder. “Yes, I do.” She looked up, a smile playing on her lips. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
Throwing back his head, he had laughed and the joyous sound had settled something inside her. She loved his laugh, loved him, and she was no longer worried that she would somehow lose Cade in some tragedy like she’d lost her last love. That terrified her more than anything. Seeing him hurt and hooked up to all those tubes had sent her back to that frightened young woman she’d been after Jared’s death. But she had changed since then, and she’d found something stronger, better, something that had the power to last.
It was then that she knew her decision to move was the right one. It wasn’t rash—she’d already considered leaving with Cade before this all happened—and she was ready to let everything else go. She’d made the right choice and did not regret a thing.
Unsurprisingly, she’d slept the whole night through and every night after with his arms around her. No manic thoughts or vivid nightmares troubled her, and she gave Cade all the credit.
The next day, Veta and Ivan had come to visit them at Dan and Helga’s—to check on her, more like—and she’d discussed her thoughts with them. Ivan had made two very good suggestions that made the difference in her ability to move so quickly.
First, he’d suggested talking to Jorje about a lease to buy option for her property. “I think Jorje would jump at the opportunity.”
“Yeah,” Cade agreed, “he’s talked about wanting his own place several times.”
“But what about Pete?” she’d asked. “I promised him a percentage of the profits for the next few years. I can’t just back out of that.”
Ivan tilted his head and then brought up the second thing that had helped her move on with her life. “Why don’t you talk to them both? I’m sure they’d be willing to work something out. I know Pete hates the senior home. He says he’s bored and the home’s too crowded and noisy. I think he misses the farm.”
As it turned out, Ivan had been right. Pete missed the open land and Jorje was more than willing to work out something to get his own place at such a low price. To save Pete some money in exchange for a slightly lower return on the harvest profits, Jorje had offered Pete a place on the farm and even said his mother—who lived with him and needed something to keep her busy—could take over any of the care Pete might need. Pete showed no sign of the heart attack he’d suffered almost six months before, nor any other illness, and had been a little perturbed by the idea of being “looked after,” but he couldn’t hide his joy at the idea of returning home.
They’d checked with the bank the next day. Jorje was able to take over her loan and also agreed to pay her the amount she’d already invested in the property over the course of a few years. She wouldn’t make much on her old dream, but she didn’t care. She had a new dream that involved a tall, handsome, blue-eyed man who made her mouth water and her heart flutter and whose smile brightened her world.
Glancing at that man as he navigated the icy road, she grinned at the thrill that quivered inside her. Sometimes, like now, worries popped into her head about the future and where it would all end, but she shoved those thoughts aside and concentrated on the here and now.
“Are you excited,” she asked and he glanced at her. The mile wide grin was back and his eyes glittered like aquamarine in the sun.
“Oh, yeah,” he said and turned back to the road. Nervous energy seemed to zap around him, his body tense, his eyes taking in every detail before him. “Everything looks the same but different, if you know what I mean.”
She nodded. “Well, you’ve been away a long time.”
“Yeah…” He sounded sad.
“But you’re back now,” she said, not wanting to dampen his spirits.
The smile returned and he shot a quick look her way. “Yes, and I’m happier now, too.”
The eagerness in his expression made her chuckle. “I’m glad.”
“There it is,” he said as they neared a wide turn surrounded by evergreens.
“Is that the driveway?”
“Yeah. It goes on for about half a mile. Then there’s a small hill and when we get to the top, we’ll be able to see the house.” He was practically bouncing in his seat.
She giggled.
“What?” he asked, glancing her way.
She shook her head. “Nothing. You just look like a little kid on Christmas morning.”
A chuckle rumbled up from his chest. “Well, it is the season.”
She laughed at his animated expression as they turned onto the drive and bumped over the snow.
Someone had used a plow to clear the drive and left huge piles along either side, but she could just see some of the fence posts sticking out of the piles.
“Where are all the animals?” she asked.
“This time of year, they’re probably in the barn or stabled closer to the house…” Cade replied, but his voice trailed off and he sounded uncertain.
She glanced at him and saw that his brows were drawn down. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure. It just looks different. See that?” He pointed toward his left at a good-sized barn. “That’s new, at least, to me it’s new.” He shook his head, and when he spoke again, it seemed as if he was talking to himself. “Cord never said anything about making improvements… I didn’t know he could afford it. I wonder what else he’s changed.”
The mood inside the truck shifted slightly and they remained quiet the rest of the
