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“You.”
The word was quiet. Certain. Kate’s eyes held his. “I love you, Wes.”
For a second, Wes could not answer. He had known she was his mate from the moment she came within range of him. He had known what his own future wanted to look like before Kate had even learned shifters existed. None of that had given him this. His bear’s joy moved through him, enormous and warm, but even his bear seemed to understand that this moment belonged to Kate. Wes lifted one hand to her face. “I love you too.”
Her eyes closed briefly as she leaned into his palm.
“I think I’ve loved you for longer than I was ready to admit,” he said. “But I didn’t want those words to become one more thing you had to answer.”
Kate opened her eyes. “You really are infuriating.”
This time Wes smiled. “I’m beginning to understand that.”
She laughed. Then Wes kissed her.
He did not think about fallen apples or broken branches. He did not think about what needed clearing first or how many days it would take to put both orchards back in order. Kate’s arms went around his neck, and Wes held her against him while the wet orchard stretched around them.
When they finally separated, she kept her forehead against his. “We’ll have to work out the practical stuff.”
“Yes.”
“My work.”
“Yes.”
“Penny.”
“Always.”
“Where we live.”
Wes nodded. “When you’re ready.”
Kate drew back enough to look at him. “I’m not asking you to solve it all this morning.”
“Good. I have a tree to fix.”
She smiled. “And several thousand apples lying on the ground.”
“That too.”
Penny’s voice carried from the farmhouse. “Mom! Grandma says breakfast!”
Kate turned her head. Wes expected her to call back that she was coming. Instead she caught his hand. “Come on.”
“Am I invited?”
“My mother sent you dinner last night. I think that means you’ve passed some kind of test.”
Wes let her pull him toward the house.
His bear was practically humming with satisfaction. She loves us.
Wes looked at Kate walking beside him, her hand warm in his despite the cold morning. Yes.
Penny appeared at the farmhouse door and waved both arms at them. “Hurry up!”
Kate laughed and started walking faster.
