She reaches out to hand it back, but Thorne just shrugs. “Keep it for the inconvenience.”
“I’m really sorry you came up here for nothing,” I tell her.
“It’s fine. I’m just a little confused.” She cocks her head. “Do you need me to come back another time?”
“No thanks. It’s okay.”
She frowns. “So…when are you planning to leave?”
“Never,” Thorne says bluntly.
I close my eyes, trying not to laugh.
“I’ll call you,” I tell a bewildered-looking Savannah. “Tell Grandma I’ll see her soon. Thorne and I just need to have a few more discussions about the whole cabin situation.”
There’s too much to explain right now.
I’ll tell her all the details later.
“Discussions. Right…” Something shifts in Savannah’s gaze as she looks between us, like she’s finally figured something out. “Well, enjoy your…discussions.”
She smiles knowingly at me, her eyes sparkling. I grin right back at her.
“See you soon, okay? Thanks again for coming to get me.”
We say our goodbyes, and she’s still smiling to herself as she rolls up the window and drives away, vanishing into the snowy trees.
“Come on,” Thorne says. “Let’s get you inside.”
My bare legs are shivering with the cold, so he picks me up, his body heat warming me as he climbs the porch steps. He carries me over the threshold like a newlywed, pressing a kiss to my forehead as he closes the door behind us.
“Welcome home, princess.”
I smile up at him, letting my gaze roam his rugged face. His russet beard. Dark brows. Those smoldering green eyes I love so much. And as he leans in to kiss me, holding me close, I know he’s right.
I really am home.
EPILOGUE
THORNE
“Happy birthday,dear Olive…happy birthday to you!”
The living room breaks into applause as Aria sets the cake down on the table in front of our daughter. A candle in the shape of the number two sits on top of it, and Olive watches in awe as it flickers.
“Can you blow out the candle for us, honey?” Bonnie coos.
Aria blows lightly and Olive tries to copy, scrunching up her face. She puffs out a weak breath, and Aria subtly blows out the candle at the same time.
“You did it!” Savannah says. “Good job.”
Olive giggles as we all clap again, sinking her tiny fist into the frosting. “Cake!”
Then she plunges her face into it like a hungry piranha. Everyone laughs. It’s a smash cake I baked specially for her. She can attack it all she wants. There’s a cherry pie from Buttercup Bakery for the adults, and everyone tucks in as Aria takes a seat between me and Olive.
The table hums with chatter. Bonnie is here, along with Clay and a heavily pregnant Savannah. It’s not a match I ever expected: Aria’s cousin and my old lumberjack buddy. Never thought I’d see the day he fell in love, but he sure is crazyabout Savannah. He’s barely left his wife’s side ever since she got pregnant with twins. He’s like a guard dog.
I know how he feels.
