“I know that now. I forgive you. Can you forgive me for not understanding that you needed to go back to France? I should have stood by you. You are amazing, and you deserve the opportunity to show your talent to the world.”
“I’ve already forgiven you.” She put her other hand over their clasped ones.
“You don’t have to give up your dreams. I’m pretty committed to Deep Haven right now, but once I get the youth center on firmer footing, I’ll follow you to France. We can figure something out.”
“Turns out a bakery in France isn’t my dream.”
“Well, what is?”
“You.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and her mouth dried.
“I choose you, Sam. Here in Deep Haven. I feel seen when I am with you. All the praises and accolades in the world are empty without you. I love you, Sammy Johnson.” Her heart soared as she spoke the truth. She wanted Sammy—and Deep Haven—now and always.
His eyes filled with passion, and he bent to her. “I love you, Robin Fox.”
She slid her hand around his neck as their lips met, and his arms moved to wrap around her waist.
He kissed her with a hungry passion, his lips tasting of almond frosting.
How could she have ever thought Paris was better than this? Coming home to Sammy was the best decision she’d ever made.
He moved her toward a shelf and pressed her against it, knocking a football over. It bounced twice, the sound loud in the small room. She broke away from him, a nervous giggle in her throat.
“Probably not the most romantic place for this,” Sammy said. He ran his hand through her hair.
She bent, picked up the ball, and handed it to him. “You will always be the quarterback to me.”
He took the ball and, without looking, put it back in its place on the shelf.
“So, what happened to smoke jumping?”
Sammy shrugged and put his arms around her waist again. “I realized that all I wanted to do was to help Deep Haven stay the amazing place that it is. I couldn’t imagine a better place to settle down and raise a family. Smoke jumping would have been a job, but staying in Deep Haven is a calling.”
“I get that now.” She saw that a life here could be an even bigger adventure than the one she had planned for herself.
She thought briefly about her brothers, Grayson and Oliver. Hoped they were out there finding big dreams too. Maybe someday they would even find their way back to Deep Haven. “Hey. I didn’t see your bike out front. You must have ridden in with your mom. I don’t suppose I can talk you into me giving you a ride home in the oh-so-sexy bakery van?”
One side of his mouth quirked up. “I did come here with my mom, but I drove my truck. I can see if she’s okay with driving it home.”
“Wait. You drove? Like, you were the driver?” She wrapped her arms around his neck, crossing her wrists. He nodded. “That’s amazing.”
“I’m actually driving a lot now. Even got back on the snowplow team. And I drove to Minneapolis.”
She couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up. “Boy, when you do things, you don’t do them by halves.”
He tightened his arms around her. “Yep. That’s something you should know about me. When I’m in, I’m all in.”
“What was in Minneapolis?”
“I went to visit Teddy, the boy who was in that car in my accident. He’s so brave. His leg never fully healed, so they had to amputate it. We’ve been video chatting once a week while he goes through rehab.” He dropped one arm and dug in his pocket. “Here’s a picture of him.”
Robin took the photo. A smiling boy with two thumbs up grinned back at her. “He looks so healthy.”
“He’s come a long way.”
She handed the photo to him, and he tucked it back into his pocket.
