Ava shivered with excitement.
“What do you see, Hunt?”
He was quiet for a moment, and then he turned to her in the darkness.
“I see the heavens…and the endlessness of space. I see God…and He sees me.”
Epilogue
Hunt and Ava had been in Houston a week, and no matter where they went, she still got lost. The city was massive and alive, and she saw a side of Hunt she’d never known. He was a different man here. A man free from the past and at home in his own skin.
He’d shown her every one of his favorite haunts, introduced her to his boss and his friends, and she’d charmed all of them just as much as she’d charmed Hunt, without even trying.
Now every single man Hunt knew kept asking if there were more girls like her back in that Blessings town. And when they did, Ava would just smile and let the chatter roll over her. It was man talk, and she knew how to keep the stray tomcats among them at a distance. But Hunt was proud of her and it showed.
He’d been putting off taking her up until he was certain she was strong enough. Tomorrow, he would start back on his regular schedule with the company, ferrying a fresh crew out to a rig in the gulf and bringing another one home. But this morning was a perfect day to fly.
Hunt made the announcement and Ava’s heart skipped a beat.
She was a little nervous, but at the same time so excited. Today, she would see that final side of Hunt that she’d still never seen.
He loaded her up in the Hummer and then they headed south out of the city. They arrived at the company heliport, and after introducing her to some of the flight crew, Hunt got her settled inside the chopper.
He got her headphone adjusted, then went through the flight inspection with the mechanics just like he always did.
Once he was satisfied all was well, he climbed into the chopper and checked then rechecked the seat belts to make sure they weren’t too tight against her chest. Once he was satisfied she was comfortable and not afraid, he climbed into the pilot’s seat, adjusted the headset, reminded her all she had to do to talk to him was speak into the mic. He gave the crew outside a thumbs-up, then began increasing the speed until it was a solid hum and the rotors were spinning so fast they’d disappeared.
One second they were on the ground, and then they were going up. Ava gasped and then grinned as everything below them kept getting smaller and smaller, and then Hunt tapped her on the arm and pointed to the view before them.
The horizon was water as far as the eye could see, glistening like diamonds on a bed of blue, and the sky above them was so clear and so bright. She watched, her lips parted in awe as the horizon suddenly disappeared and all she could see was sky.
Above them.
Around them.
Below them.
“Oh, Hunt. It’s beautiful…so beautiful.”
Hunt heard the tremble in her voice and smiled. She got it. She really got it.
Ava was at a loss for words, and the expression on her face told Hunt all he needed to know.
They flew in silence, not speaking.
Finally, as they were heading back, Hunt spoke.
“You’re hooked, too, aren’t you?” he said.
Ava jumped at the sudden sound of a voice in her ear, and then she looked at him and nodded.
“This is God’s realm,” he said. “Before, I used to say it was the closest I could get to heaven without dying. But I can’t say that anymore.”
“Why?” Ava asked.
“Because of you. I don’t need to run away from earth anymore, like I ran away from home. You are my home. You are my heaven. God is love, and I see nothing but love when I look at you.”
There were tears on Ava’s cheeks.
“You know what I thought of when I first saw how clear and bright everything is up here?”
“No, what?” Hunt asked.
“Remember when I told you what I saw when I died? About the light, and how beautiful it was, and that I didn’t want to leave until I saw you? That’s what this felt like…that you were bringing me back to that beautiful place. Thank you for this. Thank you.”
“Always,” Hunt said. “Are you ready to go home now?”
There were still tears on her face.
“Where you go, I go. If you’re going home, take me with you.”
The End
Order Sharon Sala’s next book in the Blessings, Georgia series
The Christmas Wish
On sale September 2021
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About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala has 125 books in print, published in six different genres—romance, young adult, Western, general fiction, women’s fiction, and nonfiction. First published in 1991, and once a member of Romance Writers of America, she is an eight-time RITA finalist. Her industry awards include the Janet Dailey Award, five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine, five-time winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, five-time winner of the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence, the Heart of Excellence award, the Booksellers Best Award, the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award presented by RWA, and the Centennial Award from RWA in recognition of her hundredth published novel. She lives in Oklahoma, the state where she was born. Visit her on Facebook.
Once in a Blue Moon
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala brings the comforts of home and love to you in her Blessings, Georgia series
Cathy Terry is tired of running. Full of fear and hope, she landed in Blessings, Georgia, not knowing if or when her abusive ex-husband would catch up to her. In Blessings she glimpses a safe haven and the closest feeling to home she’s had in a long time—even more so when she meets Duke Talbot. The sweet, strong, and handsome rancher provides a shoulder to lean on—but can Cathy claim a new home and family before her past claims her?
“Sharon Sala’s Blessings, Georgia series is filled with unforgettable charm and delight!”
—Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author
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Come Home to Deep River
Bold, sexy small-town Alaska Homecoming contemporary romance by Jackie Ashenden
Silas Quinn hasn’t been back to Deep River, Alaska, in years, not since he joined the army. He left behind the best friend he’d ever had. But he knew Hope Dawson was meant for bigger things than Deep River—and he—had to offer. What he didn’t know was that when he left, he took Hope’s dreams right along with him…