“I figured something out at the Aurora Lodge.” They were in her bed. Naked. Freshly showered. Blissful. Half-asleep. Ethan was murmuring in her ear, the sound like river water over pebbles.
“Hmmm?”
“My near-death vision was right.”
She lifted her heavy eyelids. He was braced on one elbow over her as he traced a finger along her jawline. He’d finally been able to use the condom he’d been carting around during that entire showdown with her parents. And a couple more. “It was?”
“But it wasn’t Charley, it was you.”
“You saw me in your vision?”
“Not exactly. But I saw that meadow behind the lodge, and I saw us running through it holding hands.”
“Because we were handcuffed together.”
“I didn’t see the handcuffs,” he admitted. “But, you know, close enough. The rest of it fits.”
“What about the wedding gown?”
“I figure that part was metaphorical. The vision was telling me that I was going to hold hands with my future bride in a meadow.”
She blinked at him, taking in his words. “Future bride?”
He cringed and fell back onto the bed. “Crap, I ruined it again.”
“That was a proposal?” Wide awake now, she sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. “Ethan, you can’t propose to me. That makes no sense. We just barely met.”
“I know. I agree. It makes no sense. But it’s all I can think about.” The usual cool of his hazel eyes was gone, replaced with heart-stopping passion. “I want to be with you. I want you to be my future. If you want to give it time I’m okay with that. I know this must sound crazy.”
She wrapped her arms around her knees. Usually she was the one who jumped right into imagining a future, so it didn’t seem crazy to her. But it should. Shouldn’t it?
“If you’re counting on me to be the sensible one here, we’re in big trouble.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll take that chance. The question is, will you?”
She knew what he was getting at. His history with cancer, his propensity for close calls. His reluctance to bring someone else into the red zone that he considered to be his life. Those were very serious roadblocks. She didn’t take any of that lightly. She’d gotten involved with him knowing exactly where he stood.
“Have you changed your feelings about the future?”
“I have,” he said gravely. “I’m making a conscious decision this time. I never expected to fall in love, but I have. I’m in love with you. I’m choosing you and a life with you, if you’ll have me.”
A warm feeling, like the best hot cocoa on a winter day, swept through her. “How can you be so sure, after such a short time?”
He picked up one her hands and laced his fingers through hers. “I’ve dealt with a lot in my time. I think having cancer made me grow up fast. I had to think seriously about life from an early age. I had to make decisions like an adult. So when I tell you that I love you and that I’m here for whatever you want, you can believe it. If you want to spend the next decade dating, I can do that. If you want me to go back to LA so you don’t have to worry about my next brush with death, I will do that. I won’t like it, but I’ll understand. If you want to get married tomorrow, well…” He grinned and kissed her hand. “My family would be pissed that they missed it, especially my sister, but I can handle them. They’re used to me doing things my way.”
A rush of incredible feelings overwhelmed her. Gratitude, amazement, wonder…but most of all, love for the man holding her hand and looking at her with such perfect understanding.
But she had to be logical about this—at least a little.
“If Prince Cruise Lines accepts my terms, I’ll be stuck here in Lost Harbor,” she warned him. “We’ll have to be long-distance.”
“Not necessarily. I already have a client waiting for me across the bay.”
She tugged her lower lip between her teeth. “You think you can work here in Lost Harbor as a private investigator?”
“I don’t see why not. The cases will probably be a little different, but I could use a change. I like my work. I don’t want to change careers. But if it makes you anxious the way it—“
“No, no. I don’t want you to change what you do. I think you love it. You should do what you enjoy and what you’re good at. I…” She tilted her head at him with a tender smile. “I believe in you. I’ve seen you in action. You’re careful and you think things through. And maybe sometimes you’ll even want a partner on the—“
“No,” he said firmly. “I don’t think my nerves can take that again.”
She laughed at him. “Gotcha. Don’t worry, my Nancy Drew days are done. Watching my float plane get murdered was pretty much the last straw for me. Or was it nearly getting caught under the hemlock? Or getting thrown in jail for no good reason?”
He let out a long relieved breath. “As long as we agree on that, I think we can handle anything. I’ve already wrapped things up in LA, so it’s easy for me to relocate here. I guess the James Agency lives another day.”
She thought about the job for Alastair, and how it might involve whatever criminal things were happening in Lost Souls Wilderness.
“Will you mind if I occasionally check with my crystal about what jobs you should take?”
“I’m counting on it.” His sweet smile sent an arrow of love right through her heart. “I feel safer already. I learned my lesson when it comes to magic.”
“Yeah, well, don’t feel bad. I had it all wrong about soul mates.”
“You don’t believe in them any more?”
She echoed his words, the ones that had meant so much to her. “I believe in you.”
With his arm around her, she settled back under the covers, nestling her body alongside his. His delicious heat radiated through her skin into the deepest part of her soul. Was this what it felt like to find her “soul mate?” Or were they just two people who’d found each other and fallen in love while spending an intense few days together facing danger in the wilderness? There was really only one way to know for sure.
“Yes,” she murmured.
“Yes to what?”
“Yes to everything. We can figure out the details later.”
Some decisions were just so easy.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Three weeks later
“So, S.G. Since it turns out you have a name—a couple of them, actually—what do you want us to call you?” Ethan smiled at the teenager. He had a special affection for her because her case was the first success of The James Agency 2.0 Everyone on the Misty Bay peninsula had heard about it by now; his reputation was made before he’d even signed a lease for office space.
He and Jessica had answered a call from Maya to meet in her office at the police station. Jessica had brought a box of pastries, of course, which S.G. was already happily consuming.
“I like Maggie,” she declared. “Magpies do like to gossip, but they’re more optimistic than Spruce Grouse. The Spruce Grouse complain too much.”
“Alrighty then.” Jessica put her hand up and they exchanged a high-five. “How was your first conversation with your mother?”
“It was good. I told her I was afraid she’d drowned. But she said that was someone who was trying to kidnap me.”
Maya was flipping through photos in a file folder. “We think that most likely Murchison was the one who drowned those two, but we don’t yet know who they were. That’s probably when he found you and decided to keep you.”
“Was Murchison the one who sent Kelsey updates on S.G.? I mean Maggie?” Ethen took a peek at the photos Maya was going through. They were all snapshots of S.G.—Maggie—throughout her childhood.
“I don’t know. It could have been someone he was working with. It’s unclear what role he played. But Kelsey was right. He’s not talking because there’s something big out there.” She turned to Jessica. “Which is where you come in, Jess.”
“Oh no. I’m retired from my short but brilliant investigative career.” She blew a kiss at Ethan.
“You sure? The two of you solved that case like—” She snapped her fingers.
“She’s sure,” Ethan said firmly. He tugged Jessica’s hand into his. What a gift, to be able to sit and hold hands with the woman he loved. Such a simple thing, but it meant so much to him. “Besides, she’s going to be busy with the Sweet Harbor expansion as soon as the sale goes through. I already barely see her.”
At least it felt that way, even though they still spent all their extra time together.
“What do you need, Maya?” Jessica asked her friend.
“Well, the Lost Harbor Police Department is officially taking an interest in the shenanigans out in Lost Souls.”
“I thought it wasn’t in your jurisdiction.”
“When one of my residents gets her float plane shot up, that changes things. Assuming that resident wants to file a complaint.”
“Say no more. That resident most certainly does,” Jessica declared. “Where do I do that?”
Maya slid a clipboard across the desk to her. “Here. I can take your statement right now.”
“Got a pen?”
Maya handed her a black Bic and Jessica set to work.
“As for you, Ethan, I hear you’re in business again.”
“Yup. Spread the word.”
“I need someone to fly down to Texas and try to get something out of Murchison. I’d do it, but I can’t leave my father right now. And none of my crew here has the interview chops to handle it.”
Jessica looked up from the clipboard, her face glowing with pride. Adorable really, how great she was at moral support.
“I’m already committed to a job for the man we ran into at Maggie’s old cabin. Hey, did you hear that, Maggie? Your new name slid right off my tongue.”
The girl beamed widely at him. “You’re the first one. My boyfriend still keeps calling me S.G.”
“You mean Dylan?” Jessica slid another walnut-cinnamon roll her way. “Are you two making it official?”
“He asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes, as long as I don’t have to do boring things I don’t want to do.”
“Good policy. I support that. And may I be the first to welcome you to Team Romance.” Jessica gave her a little squeeze around the shoulders.
Maya snorted as she put the photos back in a file folder and picked up a scone. “I’m feeling outnumbered here.”
“See, that’s the thing. You never really chose a team, Maya. I think you were keeping your options open depending on who you happened to meet. I think it was on a case-by-case basis for you.”
“Can we get back to the point of this meeting?” Maya fixed her with that stern glare she pulled out for police matters. “Fill out your paperwork.”
“Yes ma’am.” Jessica turned back to the clipboard and got to work, while Maya turned to Ethan.
“How long do you think this other job is going to take?”
“I don’t know. But it’s connected to your case. The client is Carole Berenson’s brother. He’s looking into her plane crash.”
Maya rolled her eyes over a bite of scone. “Just what I need. Another civilian getting involved in this thing.”
A knock sounded at the door of the office. “Ethan, could you answer that? I have my hands full here.” Maya waved half a scone at him.
He got to his feet and swung open the door. And blinked. Some kind of large Viking warrior stood on the other side of the door. Eyes calm but watchful, shoulders almost too big to fit through the door.
“I’m looking for the police chief,” he said.
Ethan ushered the man in. He moved with the kind of controlled power that Ethan always associated with athletes. Maybe a local skier or something?
“Maya, Thor’s here to see the police chief.”
Both Jessica and Maya looked up; he wished he had a photo of their faces as they took in the full impact of this dude. Even Maggie looked impressed.
Unfortunately Maya had a mouthful of scone; a few crumbs spurted onto the desk. She covered it up quickly, swallowed, and got to her feet. “Hi, I’m Police Chief Maya.”
Jessica cleared her throat discreetly.
“Police Chief Badger,” Maya corrected quickly. “How can I help you?”
“I’m Rune Larsen.”
Her mouth fell open again. “You’re my father’s new home health care nurse?”
Jessica put down her pen and propped her chin on her hands, as if she were watching a show. “I didn’t know Harris was getting a nurse.”
Flustered, Maya explained. “Yes, I need help. My dad isn’t the easiest patient, so I called in—“
“Can we speak in private?” Rune Larsen interrupted. “Alone.”
“Sure. Yes.” Ethan had never see the badass police chief quite so rattled. She looked around the office, which was filled with their little group, then the outer bullpen area, which held two sergeants working at their desks. She squared her shoulders. “It’ll have to be the holding cell if you want privacy.”
Ethan laughed out loud. “Don’t worry, my man, it’s a pretty good jail. Four and a half stars on Yelp. Changed my life.”
With a scolding look, Maya shepherded the big man out of the office and firmly closed the door behind her.
“Whew.” Jessica whistled as she got back to work on her statement. “I think Maya just joined Team Sex, judging by the look on her face.”
Ethan came back to her side and peered over her shoulder. She’d already written an extensive description of the incident with the float plane. “Wait, you’re really going to put in the part about the crystal?”
“Well, the crystal did warn us. I think it’s only right to give it some credit.”
He opened his mouth to object, to point out that his professional credibility could take a serious hit if it got out that he’d given any credence to her crystal.
But then again—love Jessica, love her crystal. He dropped a kiss on her hair, breathing in that fragrance of all-good-things, and sat down by her side.
Which was the only place it made any sense to be.
Thank you so much for reading! Maya Badger’s story is coming out next. You can find all the Lost Harbor books here. Want to be the first to hear about new books, sales, and exclusive giveaways? Join Jennifer’s mailing list and receive a free story as a welcome gift.
About the Author
Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life in Los Angeles for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. No stranger to book success, she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name that she’s happy to share with the curious. You can learn more about Jennifer and her books at JenniferBernard.net. Make sure to sign up for her newsletter for new releases, fresh exclusive content, sales alerts and giveaways.
Connect with Jennifer online:
JenniferBernard.net
[email protected]
Also by Jennifer Bernard
Lost Harbor, Alaska
Mine Until Moonrise
Yours Since Yesterday ~ Book 2
Seduced by Snowfall ~ Book 3
Wicked in Winter ~ Book 4
Naughty All Night ~ Book 5
The Rockwell Legacy
The Rebel ~ Book 1
The Rogue ~ Book 2
The Renegade ~ Book 3
The Runaway ~ Book 4
The Rock ~ Book 5
Jupiter Point ~ The Hotshots
Set the Night on Fire ~ Book 1
Burn So Bright ~ Book 2
Into the Flames ~ Book 3
Setting Off Sparks ~ Book 4
J
upiter Point ~ The Knight Brothers
Hot Pursuit ~ Book 5
Coming In Hot ~ Book 6
Hot and Bothered ~ Book 7
Too Hot to Handle ~ Book 8
One Hot Night ~ Book 9
Seeing Stars ~ Series Prequel
The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel Series
Love Between the Bases Series
Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Bernard
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Love at First Light (Lost Harbor, Alaska Book 6) Page 25
