Sitting sideways on the hanging porch swing with her casted leg propped up on a pillow, Charlie looked over at Mac and smiled.
“We’ve come up with a few, but we can’t seem to find one we both like.”
Mac took a sip of her hot cider. “Well, you still have some time. It’s not like you have to name her right away.”
“True,” Charlie agreed, adjusting the throw covering her lap. “Although Derek’s chomping at the bit to decide.”
“Tell me about it.” Mac rolled her eyes. “I swear it’s all the man’s talked about since he found out she was coming.”
With a soft chuckle, Charlie said, “I know. I can’t really blame him for being excited, though. He’s waited a long time for her.”
Just then, both women heard the unmistakable rumble of an engine. Charlie glanced down the road and smiled.
“There she is, now.”
Derek parked his brand new, special edition Challenger SRT Demon into their rental home’s driveway. In his silver Chevy pickup, Coop pulled in behind him.
Mac let out a low whistle. “I have to admit, she really is a beauty.”
Charlie nodded in agreement; however, her focus was more on the man climbing out from behind the wheel. Taking in his tall, fit form and sexy smile, she wondered for the millionth time how she’d gotten so lucky.
Upon leaving the hospital, Jake had informed them he was giving Derek six weeks off with pay. Since then, he’d been by her side, helping with whatever she needed.
From the day-to-day basics, such as washing her hair and getting dressed, to the more grueling aspects like physical therapy and attending her counseling sessions. No matter what it entailed, Derek had been a part of it all, and he hadn’t complained once.
Charlie suspected he still blamed himself for what Caleb had done. She was hopeful the therapist they’d been seeing together would help ease the guilt they’d both been harboring.
Deep down, she knew Caleb was the only one to blame for what happened. However, she still had those moments when the shame and regret of her actions long ago threatened to creep back in.
When that happened, Derek always seemed to know the exact right thing to say or do to help her move past it. Just as she would do for him when she sensed his thoughts turning in the same direction.
He’d told her once they made a great team. He was right.
Charlie had put her plans for her business on hold until after she got the cast removed from her leg.
Derek preferred she wait for her shoulder to be completely healed, but had also told her he’d do whatever he could to help when she felt she was ready to go back.
“So.” Her handsome man held out his arms and gave both women a toothy grin. “What do you think?”
“I love it.” Charlie smiled back.
“All right, West, you win,” Mac conceded. “It’s a very nice car.”
“Right?” He puffed his chest out a little.
Coop got out of his truck and walked up the paved driveway. “It’s nice”—he slapped Derek on the shoulder as he walked past— “but I’ll stick to my four-wheel drive.” From the sidewalk, he looked up at Mac. “You ready?”
“Yeah.” The petite blonde stood. “Just let me put my cup inside.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie told her. “I’ll get it.”
“You need to focus on getting better.” Mac gestured toward Charlie’s healing leg. “Not the dishes.”
“I keep telling her that,” Derek’s deep voice rumbled.
Charlie smiled up at him as he made his way up the temporary wooden ramp he’d built to help get the wheelchair in and out of the house.
As always, her heart stuttered a little when she looked at him.
