Julia frowned at the sound of the approaching motorcycle. She had been about to enter her car after a long day of teaching and then extra-curricular soccer practice. She squinted as a familiar, appealing figure rode towards her and then stopped.
Her heart beat like it was only capable of operating at warp speed. It was Cade. He took off his helmet and grinned at her. She was thrilled he was here, because she’d been ready to talk to him. She had known after their night together there was no life for her without him. She had wanted to be sure she could do this again so she hadn’t said anything yet. But it was time. It was time for her to finally claim the life she wanted.
“Should I be worried that Herb is watching us?”
Her gaze darted to the school. “No, I um, spoke with Herb.”
He grinned. A cocky, steal-her-breath-away grin. “Is that so?’
She nodded, trying not to smile along with him. It had been an awkward conversation, but she hated thinking that Herb’s feelings were hurt. Even though they hadn’t actually dated, she respected him as a professional and a friend, and she wanted to be honest with him. It turned out he was more than gracious and wished her the best.
“Nice bike,” she said, taking in the delectable sight of his long legs straddling the bike.
His grin changed slightly, and the man turned on the charm and as always her entire body responded. “Thanks. I thought it was time to fulfill another one of my goals.”
“I wasn’t aware that this was one of your goals,” she said, shutting the door behind her and leaning on the car.
“Well, part. You on the back of it is another part.”
She swallowed hard and ignored the crazy fluttery feeling and the insane ability he had to make her feel flustered like a schoolgirl, even though she so wasn’t anymore. “I refuse to get on that deathtrap, Cade.”
He looked undaunted. “Be fearless, darling. Be free. You know I’d never let anything happen to you,” he said, his voice thick, his gaze hooded.
Tears shouldn’t have pricked her eyes, but they did because she believed every word he was saying. His offer of freedom, fearlessness, beckoned her, because she’d been shackled by fear these last three years and she wanted desperately to break free and claim the life she was meant to live. She took a deep breath and looked away from him, making sure she knew what she was doing. She knew there was no looking back; she’d never be able to walk away from him again if she did this.
She looked at him again. He held out his hand, crooking his finger. Her breath caught. She never should have looked at him, because there was no going back. She quickly grabbed something from inside her purse, tucked it in her pocket, and locked the doors. She walked toward him. He helped her with the helmet and onto the bike and then she held onto him, feeling the strength he’d always possessed, she’d always admired. She held on, like she’d never let go.
“You ready?”
His words meant so much more and she didn’t have the words so she simply nodded, held onto him, and enjoyed the ride, exactly how he told her to. She had no idea where he was taking them, had no idea when they’d be back. She breathed, as the hot summer air swirled around them, as he took the winding back roads that led them out of town. She just let herself feel, and she didn’t feel fear. She felt freedom, hope, and the most intense love for the man she was holding. He slowed when they were at a hilltop. This was one of the nicest places in town, the road deserted, the view of the lake breathtaking from this spot.
He helped her off the bike, and took her helmet. Seconds later they were walking hand in hand and he led her down a little footpath that went straight to the lake. The shoreline was filled with pebbles and the water was shallow, clear. “This is beautiful. How’d you find it?”
“I was looking for an investment in the area.” He picked up some pebbles and was throwing them in the water, one by one. She watched as the rock skipped the ribbon-like surface of the lake, looking for the right words to say. She didn’t want him to talk about something else; she needed to tell him how she felt and she needed to do it because she owed him that much, so much more.
“Cade—”
“Wait, hear me out. Ben called me today. He wants me to go back.” He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and turned to look at her. She tried to hide her panic.
She tried to look calm and nonchalant. “I thought you said you’d parted ways with them.”
“I did, but those guys are loyal to a fault and I think they didn’t like the fact that I felt I had no choice.”
No choice because he had chosen to come to her and it was all or nothing. She hated that he had to choose, that he actually chose her without even knowing if she would reciprocate his feelings. “I’m sorry you were put in that position.”
He shrugged. “Don’t be. You never asked me to come back here. I decided, made my choice. You are priceless to me,” he said gruffly, taking a step toward her. “My life is empty without you.”
“You were right,” she whispered. “You were right about everything.”
The corner of his mouth quirked slightly. “These aren’t words I’m used to hearing from you.”
She laughed, taking a step closer to him.
“Jules, as much as I hate reciting cheesy lines, I feel this one is a must. My home is where you are.”
She was not going to start crying, it was too soon for that, but she couldn’t speak yet either, so she waved her hand. He took that as an opportunity to continue speaking.
“I bought this land. Five acres, right up to the lake, for us. We can build our dream home. It’s close enough to town so you have an easy commute. I can work from home. I’m not walking away from you again.”
She threw her arms around his neck, knowing he’d catch her. He always did, she just had to have enough faith to let him. She buried her face in his neck, feeling his strong arms hold her tightly to him. “I love you so much, Cade. I never stopped loving you. I was so scared and so destroyed and I pushed you away. I will always be sorry for that. I was so lost. I mean, I hadn’t even been in a real relationship before you. We hadn’t even been together for a year and I’m not making excuses, but I want you to know that I regret letting you go. I never moved on from you. You are the love of my life. I’m sorry.”
He pulled back and kissed her, long and hard, until they were both breathless.
The lake breezed caressed their skin. “Don’t be sorry. Let’s go forward with no regrets.”
“Thank you for not giving up on me, for not letting me go. Thank you for coming back.”
“Don’t thank me.”
“I’m not done. I have to apologize. My dad told me what he did. He was so wrong.”
“You don’t have to apologize for him. It was all messed up and we were young and didn’t know how to deal. Hell, we’d barely even been a couple before Sophie. I don’t blame him. He was trying to keep his only child, his only family, safe. He barely knew me. All he did know was that I dragged his daughter out to the middle of nowhere for a job and that I came from no money with no family. I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, kissing him again.
“And I wanted to tell you, before you told me about the land, that I would go anywhere with you, that you’re right. We belong to each other. There is no other man for me, Cade. You were my first, and there wasn’t anyone when we were apart.”
“Not even Herb?”
She punched him in the stomach. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, his eyes laughing.
“I want you forever, Cade. I want to start over with you, start a family with you.” She choked on that last part, but he kissed her into forgetting everything but him. “But I still don’t feel right about you having to leave your company. I hadn’t ever thought about leaving Cedar Ridge, but I don’t want to be without you again. I will for you.”
“Well, you don’t have to. They’re coming here, to Cedar Ridge.”
“You’re kidding,” she said, grinning. The happiness in his eyes was contagious. She knew how close they all were.
“Nope. We can work from anywhere now, and they’re all ready for a new adventure. I’ll build a large home office and then we’ll all scope out a building for our company.”
“Wow. So the whole gang? Ben, Dylan, Eric, Max and Morgan? They would do that?”
“Yup. You may get sick of them pretty fast. I’m sure they’ll be hanging around a lot at first, looking for food and handouts. They’re kind of a bunch of wusses.” He laughed.
“They made all this possible, they came through for you and they’re loyal to you. I’ll never get sick of them,” she said.
“I’ll ask you that again after they’ve been here for a few weeks.”
He took her hand and she stopped suddenly as she looked at his hand in hers. She pulled her wedding ring out of her pocket and before she could slip it on her finger, he stopped her.
“May I?” he whispered.
She nodded, emotion pummelling through her as he slipped the simple, white gold band on her finger. He kissed the palm of her hand, and then her lips. “I love you so much,” she whispered against his mouth. They started back up the hill. The grass was rich and long, and the sound of the waves melodic and soothing. She could imagine what it would be like in their own home, together with the windows open, and the lake breeze billowing through.
This was more than she ever dreamed for herself. He was more than she ever dreamed.
“What do you think of the bike?”
“It’s pretty hot, I gotta admit,” she said with a laugh.
He tugged her over to him and they fell onto the grassy slope. He made sure she fell on top of him and he took the brunt of the fall. His hands went to frame her face, his gaze steady on hers. “Hey!” she yelled, his hands roaming over her body, a gleam in his eye.
“This is why it’s good to have five acres. No one is around.”
“Now why would that matter?” she said teasingly as he buried his hands in her hair.
“You have always been the sweetest thing. I love you, Jules.”
He leaned up and grabbed her mouth in a kiss that held all the familiarity of their past and all the adventure and excitement of their future. He kissed her like he knew there would be tomorrow.
The End