Spring sunlight streamed through the picture windows and spilled out onto the living room floor where Olivia knelt spreading Torchlight News page proofs all over Daniel’s freshly installed hardwood floor.
His Olivia. His bride.
It had been six and a half months since their whirlwind romance had led to marriage. So many times, in what now felt like the distant past, he’d told himself he’d never trust his heart to another fast-burning romance. But now, as he woke up every morning amazed to find her there, asleep against his chest, he knew he’d never felt happier.
Daniel stood in the kitchen doorway and watched her for a moment as she shuffled the papers out across the floor and back again. Less than a day after the Faceless Crew had found justice, Vince had driven all the way up to the Barrie hospital to visit the two recuperating members of his battle-weary staff.
Olivia was shocked when Vince had told her the real reason he hadn’t seen her in the writing pool was he wanted her as a key member of his administration team, but Daniel hadn’t been surprised for a moment. Olivia wasn’t just good at one thing. She was like a firefly, shining in a million different places at once.
“You going to come in or you just going to stand there?”
He chuckled. “You looked busy, Madame Editor.”
“I’m always busy, and you should see the photos Ricky’s sent me for the cover. They’re spectacular.” She glanced up and grinned. Soft red hair fell around her face. Bright eyes looked up into his, filled with far more love than he’d ever thought he’d deserved to find. “Also, I’m only an assistant editor now. Don’t have me taking over Vince’s job too soon. I’m just barely managing to juggle the number of tasks and responsibilities I have as it is.”
“The job suits you perfectly. Anything less than constant chaos and you’d get bored.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Maybe.”
Yeah, Vince had known exactly what he was doing when he’d made her his second-in-command. He’d never met someone so capable of juggling everything at once.
“He says as long as I can email him next week’s layout by tonight, I’m welcome to work from home tomorrow instead of driving in. Vince is really open to letting me split my time between here and the city.” She slowly climbed up to her feet. “Did you manage to talk to Sarah?”
He shook his head. He’d driven in to visit her once a week since her arrest. She hadn’t agreed to see him once, even when he’d sent her a gift for her eighteenth birthday, or when he’d written her a letter telling her that he and Olivia were getting married.
Last he’d heard, Sarah had stayed true to her childish threats and wasn’t cooperating with the police investigation. Not surprisingly, neither of them had heard a word from Trent since giving their final statements. But Daniel’s new sister-in-law, Chloe, had told them that Shorty had been quick to turn on the remains of the Faceless Crew, Sarah and Jesse. She seemed confident their trial would end in a guilty verdict and justice for everyone involved.
“Not yet, and apparently she’s fired yet another lawyer.” Which was no longer his concern now that the eighteen-year-old had control over her inheritance. Not that it would do her much good behind bars. “I’ll keep trying.”
“I know you will. I love that about you. I’ve never met anyone as steadfast as you.” She crossed the floor toward him. His arms spread apart to make room for her as her hands slid around his waist. “I know you said we were finally going to be rebuilding the porch this weekend. But I think we should really start on the second floor. There’s only so long you can expect me to live on just a main floor.”
His lips brushed across her forehead. “We have a plan—”
“I know. You taped it to the kitchen wall and color-coded it and everything—”
“It involved my first finishing the living room, erecting a temporary tent garage and converting my office into a master bedroom before we got married.”
“Which you did.” Her lips brushed his neck. “Which was a huge amount of work considering you proposed on our third date and we got married four months later.”
“Which was quite enough to tackle before the worst of the winter hit. I’m exhausted.”
“I know.” Her mouth brushed against his ear. Her lips travelled up his jawline.
She was teasing him and he couldn’t figure out why.
“Then we’re agreed that we’re building a new garage and porch this summer.” He pushed her back and held her there with his hands on her waist. “Your home will have a lovely new second floor in two years’ time.”
She took her hands in his and slid them over her stomach. “I’ll give you nine months. Well, eight months and a bit.” Tears of joy filled her eyes and lit up every corner of his heart. “We’re having...” Her voice caught in her throat.
He pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her.
“A baby?” He whispered the word. A baby? A child of his own. Oh, Lord, but I’d given up on that dream so many years ago. “We’re having a baby? But I’m turning forty in less than two years, the house is nowhere near finished, I’m still doing contract work, we were talking about my going back into private security and you’ve started a new job and—”
“We’re going to have to make a whole new plan.” She laughed through the tears.
“Yeah, guess we will.” He pulled her tighter. “And I can think of no one else I’d rather have beside me.”
Then his lips found hers again, and he kissed the woman he loved as a deeper, stronger joy than he ever expected to feel filled his core.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from DETECTING DANGER by Valerie Hansen