“No, not yet.” Happiness filled her soul. How did she get so lucky to find a man who not only accepted her kids, but adored them? “I love the time spent with the four of us, but I also like time alone with you.”
“Me too.” He wagged his brows, then sobered. “Where do you want to go?”
“The dock,” she answered without having to think. “A week from now, the first wave of summer tourists will arrive and that will be the end of quiet evenings at the lake.”
The drive home to Jasper Lake was quiet. There had been a shift between them, and for reasons she couldn’t pinpoint, neither wanted to address it. One day they’d been co-workers, and then drifted into friendship. That relationship eased into dating, but they were on the verge of another.
Hunter pulled into the closest parking spot to the dock. She was relieved to see no one else was there and they’d have privacy. Grabbing her phone, only in case of an emergency with the children, she followed Hunter to the landmark spot of Jasper Lake.
The first year she’d been here, she’d come here whenever she could get away, even if it was only a few minutes. Overlooking the lake, it was a peaceful spot that breathed tranquility into a soul. It had soothed her on many occasions and helped redirect her rampant thoughts when she’d feared her future.
She slipped off her sandals and sat down on the edge, arranging her dress modestly around her. Hunter did the same after taking off his shoes and rolling his pants legs to his calves. They dipped their toes in the water, letting the silence speak for itself.
Instinctively, she rested her head against his shoulder, and his arm wound around her, pulling her close to him. An early season firefly treated them to a lightshow as it fluttered over the lake. The crescent moon hung in the sky, surrounded by thousands of glittering stars.
A content sigh slipped from her lips. “If this is as good as it gets, I’d be happy forever.”
“This is good, but it could be even better.”
“How so?” Maybe she was being overly sensitive, but his comment felt like a slight.
He crooked a finger under her chin, prompting her to lift her head. The appreciative look in his eyes demolished any offense she’d taken. “This.”
Lowering his head, his lips moved toward hers at an agonizingly slow pace. He dropped his hand from her chin, left his arms at his side. They’d shared many kisses, but this one was different. It wasn’t about passion or excitement or physical attraction.
It was the sweetest kiss she’d ever experienced.
It was also the most intense.
It was mutual respect and admiration.
It was putting the past behind and stepping into the future.
It was faith in each other and hope for what would come.
But most of all it was love.
Love born from struggles and victories, sins and redemptions.
Love that wasn’t perfect but persevered regardless.
A fish splashing in the lake startled them, and they jerked apart. Realizing the cause of the noise, they laughed. A boyish grin took several years off the lines of Hunter’s face. “I’m not sorry.”
“That the fish interrupted, or you thought about catching him as punishment for interrupting?”
He burst into laughter. “Both?”
“He didn’t know better. You can’t fault him for enjoying a night swim.” Her cheeks hurt from trying to appear serious.
His lips twitched, and he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “That’s why I love you. One of the reasons. There are many.”
He’d said it, and her heart heard. “Can you say that again?”
“That’s why I love you.”
Her mouth curled into a smile. “Now just those last three words.”
A light went off in his eyes, as if he’d only then realized what he’d said. “I love you. I tried to keep it in because I didn’t want to scare you away, but it slipped out. And now that it’s out there, I’m not taking it back because I’m madly in love with you.”
“Good because I love you too, and I’m tired of keeping it in.” She cradled his cheek in her palm. “You’ve shown me what love should be, not what the world portrays it as. You’ve never judged me for my past but loved me through my fears and insecurities.”
“You’ve done all that and more for me,” he said, before kissing her again.
Eventually, the evening had to end. They hung on until another car approached, only leaving when their privacy was interrupted. The trip home to the bed and breakfast was short enough they could have walked it, but Hunter couldn’t leave his car at the dock.
She still glowed and walked on air from the beauty of their evening as she walked through the front doors. “I’ll run up and check on the children, then see if there are any notes from tonight I should know about for the morning.”
“Do you want me to wait for you?”
“If you want. I never mind your company.” She kissed his cheek one more time before heading for the stairs, stopping short when the library door opened.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding.”
She knew the voice before she saw the face. Without needing a mirror, she knew all the color had drained from her face. “Wh…what are you doing here?”
William Cohen, dressed in a designer suit with a red silk tie and not a single hair out of place even at nearly midnight, came into clear view. Patricia, his wife, stood beside him in a dress that cost more than Beth’s car. They both stared at her, then Hunter, then back at her.
“Some things never change, do they?” William possessed an eerie demeanor that spoke in a level tone but shot hatred through his eyes.
“What are you talking about? And why are you here?” The panic sounded in her voice, which made her angrier. Her legs trembled and barely held her upright. She reached to Hunter for support.
“You didn’t think you could run, did you?” William gave a derisive snort. “We’ve known where you were this whole time, waiting for the right time.”
Hunter stepped forward. “This is private property, and I think you should leave.”
“We have a reservation.”
“It’s cancelled. Get your bags and leave,” Hunter ground out.
A condescending laugh from William filled from the room. “Who are you other than the pitiful maintenance man Beth’s slumming it with now.”
She felt Hunter’s muscles coil beneath her arm and fury radiated from him.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “He’s not worth it.”
“Bill,” Patricia hissed, in a shocking display of defiance toward her husband. “You promised.”
Not backing down, Hunter took another step closer to William. “I’m the man who loves Beth and will provide her with what your son never could. Money’s not everything. Kyle might have been afraid to stand up to you, but I’m not. I’ve heard the stories, know the pain you’ve caused in lives. Say what you want about me, I’m not afraid to admit I’ve made mistakes, but you won’t stand here and sling insults toward her.”
“This isn’t over.”
The hatred in William’s glare penetrated her to the core, but she wouldn’t falter. Not after Hunter had bravely stood up to him. “It is. You could have had a relationship with your grandchildren, but you sought it with threats and power. I will protect my children with my dying breath, and you can make threats, even pursue those threats, but I’ll fight you every step of the way. I’m not the fearful doormat I once was.”