“Ford—”
“If you leave, you’ll leave a hole in my heart. I don’t want to spend another day without you in it.” His fingers brushed the edge of her jaw. “I’m sorry I kept this from you. It was wrong. If you give me another chance, I promise there will never be another secret between us.”
Her traitorous eyes fell onto those oh-so-kissable lips, making her knees weaken. Deep in the recesses of her heart, she knew everything Ford was telling her was the truth. Including the way he felt about her. She wanted to be mad. She wanted to run. But more than that, she wanted to kiss him. Very, very much.
“If you want me to forfeit the money, I will.”
“No. Don’t do that.” Cadence shook her head. “It’s for Rilee.”
“You’re sure?”
“One of the things I love about you, Ford, is how fiercely you take care of your family.” The word slipped out before she could censor it, but now that it had been spoken, Cadence was no longer willing to deny her feelings. “I love your kindness. I love the way you help the people of this town without expecting anything in return. I love how you treat Riggs like a human.” The smile she’d been fighting broke free and stretched her cheeks. “I loveyou, Ford.”
Light illuminated Ford’s green eyes as he swept her into his arms. “Maybe Patty knew something we didn’t?”
She laughed at that, her smile stretching her cheeks. “That sounds about right.”
“I guess she—”
“Ford, shut up and kiss me already.”
Epilogue
LIAM
“You sure you don’t want to stay with us?”
“Your house is already full,” Liam said to his mom. He hovered the pen above the offer documents, one signature away from a really big step. He wasn’t certain it would bring Tessa Whitmore back into his life, but he had a fraction of a percentage of hope that this was the right move.
His very pregnant sister and his nephew had taken over their parents’ basement a week ago when April’s husband, a welder on the North Slope, headed back to work—this time for a month instead of his usual two weeks. All in hopes that when the baby came, he could be back for four weeks instead of his usual two. Liam admired the man for working such a grueling job to provide for his family. Not everyone was cut out for that type of work—Liam included.
“There’s always room for one more, sweetie.”
“I’ll just be in the way, and you know it.” He inked the final signature, officially selling his house to Ted Maxwell. He would be a fool to turn down a cash offer with no inspection. His mom—the local Sunset Ridge realtor—had told him as much. “Besides, I want to help out the Whitmore sisters. The place just opened back up today.”
“Well, if you change your mind . . .”
Liam waited while Mom double-checked all the signatures and initials, but his impatience got the best of him. With his house sold, the next chapter of his life could begin. And there was so much to do. “We good? I have to head up to the open house at the lodge.”
“Yes, looks like it’s a done deal.”
“Good.” Liam hopped out of his seat.
“Did you pick up flowers?”
Giving his mom a quick side-hug, he said, “You know I did.”
“Come by for dinner tonight?”
If he were any good at cooking at all, he would turn down the offer. Liam itched to get started on his new plans. “I’ll text you.” It was the most he could commit to. “Gotta run.”
Judging by the lack of cars parked along the street and in the gravel lot near the lodge, Liam determined he was earlier than he thought. Hazard of eight years spent in the Army—if you weren’t early, you were late.
He’d been avoiding visiting the actual lodge since Cadence came back to town, despite invitations. It reminded him too much of the summer he fell in love with the brightest, most ambitious, and most beautiful girl he’d ever known. He wondered if after all this time, she was still mad at him for the way that summer ended.
“Well, Raven,” he said to his husky. “You ready?”
Raven’s black ears perked, and she let out a quiet whine. Liam gave her a good rub on the back of her neck the way she liked. He didn’t know how many years the retired sled dog had left, but he would make sure they were her best. “Tessa and I always planned to get a dog. Did you know that, Raven?”
