“She’d like to take your order.”
She tilts her head in Sophia’s direction, who is waiting with a pen poised over her notebook.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Umm…” I start flipping through the menu only to close it again. “You know what? That brisket really smells good.”
“Good choice.” She smiles and goes to place our order with the kitchen.
“What did you get?” I turn my attention to Meredith.
“Asparagus and mushroom risotto.”
My face must’ve shown my reaction because she starts to laugh.
“It’s not that bad.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“I’m good with that, I won’t have to share.”
I pick up her hand from the table and press my lips to the inside of her wrist, feeling her heartbeat.
“I love you.”
Her face softens. “And I you.”
“I missed you.”
“You may not have to for long.” I throw her a confused look. “You were lost in thought and it would seem you missed part of our conversation. Sophia mentioned she’s looking for a place to rent. She’s bunking with friends but doesn’t want to overstay her welcome. She might be interested in my place.”
“That’s great.”
I know I’m grinning like a lovesick idiot but I can’t help myself. The sooner she figures out what to do with her place, the sooner she’s back with me. Renting it out sounds like a great solution to me.
“What were you thinking about so hard?” she asks.
“I was thinking how much there is still to learn about you.”
“There is?”
She winces like it’s a bad thing, but I cover her hands with mine and lean over the table.
“Yeah, and I look forward to spending a lifetime doing it.”
Epilogue
Meredith
I’m more excited than a kid in a candy store.
Not only did council approve the budget for proper equipment, they also signed off on the additional ten grand Paul had added to his report for ‘necessary adjustments’ to our current lab. According to him that money would be enough to modify the downstairs layout and increase the lab space.
Paul is completely invested in this project and wasted no time finding a contractor and getting some plans drawn up. We just finished reviewing them this morning and construction will start on Monday.
Now that we have the proper dimensions for the space and a projected date, Paul and I spent most of this afternoon online shopping for equipment.
Six weeks and our brand-new lab should be fully functional. I can’t wait.
“I need to hug you,” I tell Paul, who looks a little shell-shocked. “Can I?”
One of his rare grins slowly spreads on his face as he opens his arms.
“Guess it can’t hurt.”
The hug is brief and a little awkward, but leaves us both smiling.
“I’m so, so grateful for you.” He starts waving me off, but I still his hand. “No, I need to say this. I know it wasn’t easy when I replaced Doc Franco, and I know you had your reservations.” I swallow hard to hold back emotions, with only partial success. I forge on anyway. “But what you need to know is as important as I’m sure you were to him; you have become absolutely invaluable to me. Thank you for sticking it out with me.”
“Enough with the mushy stuff,” he grumbles, shaking his head. “I’m going fishing.” Then he turns around and marches out of my office.
Today is a big day on many fronts and I rush to gather up my own things. I have to hurry home to pick up the animals and grab the last of my things, drop them off at the ranch, and then hurry back to give the place a good clean before I can hand the keys over to Sophia.
She’s moving in tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited.
I turn off the lights in my office and tell Janey to call me, if she needs me, before I head out to my car. I barely get in when a message pops up on my phone.
Jay: Come home.
He makes me smile. As patient a man as he is, these last few weeks his restraint has run thin.
Me: I’m just leaving the office now. I’m running a little late. I still have to pick up the critters and clean the place.
Immediately a response comes back.
Jay: No, you don’t. B&B already here. So is your stuff.
House is clean for Sophia, she has key. Come home.
I take a deep breath in through my nose and blow it out through pursed lips.
That man.
Me: Okay
It’s been a little over a month since I went back to my place. Work has kept me busy and Jay just started back at the station, although he’ll be on desk duty for a few more weeks. Most of our days off we spent together, either at the ranch or on the mountain, but I missed sharing space with him. Still, I needed that time to prove to myself this was the right choice.
It so is.
He’s already waiting in the doorway when I pull up to the house.
My eyes lock on his as I get out of my car and walk toward him, straight into his open arms.
“Welcome home, Merry.”
Also By Freya Barker
ON CALL SERIES:
Burning for Autumn
Covering Ollie
Tracking Tahlula
Absolving Blue
Revealing Annie
Dissecting Meredith
CEDAR TREE SERIES:
SLIM TO NONE
HUNDRED TO ONE
AGAINST ME
CLEAN LINES
UPPER HAND
LIKE ARROWS
HEAD START
PORTLAND, ME, NOVELS:
FROM DUST
CRUEL WATER
THROUGH FIRE
STILL AIR
SNAPSHOT SERIES:
SHUTTER SPEED
FREEZE FRAME
IDEAL IMAGE
PICTURE PERFECT (coming soon!)
NORTHERN LIGHTS COLLECTION:
A CHANGE IN TIDE
A CHANGE OF VIEW
A CHANGE OF PACE
ROCK POINT SERIES:
KEEPING 6
CABIN 12
HWY 550
10-CODE
PASS SERIES
HIT & RUN
LIFE & LIMB
LOCK & LOAD
ARROW’S EDGE MC SERIES
EDGE OF REASON
EDGE OF DARKNESS
EDGE OF TOMORROW
OTHER
WHEN HOPE ENDS: LIFE BEGINS
VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE
SECONDS
BONUS KISSES
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the Kindle Book Award with “From Dust” in 2017 and “When Hope Ends” in 2020, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!