A Journey by Chance

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A Journey by Chance Page 30

by Sally John


  “Why not?”

  “I wanted you to take time to think about it.” His unemotional tone raised an invisible barrier, making him unapproachable. “A long time.”

  “What is there to think about?”

  He shrugged. “How much rent to charge.”

  “I don’t want to charge rent.”

  “Property taxes aren’t cheap here in Podunk County. I should at least pay for those.”

  She blinked.

  “Then there are the other implications.” He paused.

  “Your vote.”

  “Yes, there is that, but who knows what’ll happen once the Village board gets hold of it? That no longer matters. I mean, in essence I don’t have a home here anymore anyway.”

  “It’s still your home! You don’t have to leave! I’ll sell it back to you for a dollar after the vote!”

  “That wouldn’t exactly be proper, would it? And I don’t know anyone else who appreciates this land as much as you—”

  “Brady Olafsson! You can’t go around giving away 122.7 acres! It’s too…too extravagant!”

  “I can do whatever I please with it. Don’t you want it?”

  “No!” she cried.

  He lowered his eyes and set the flute on the log.

  “I only want—” She bit her lip and swallowed the shrill tone. “You,” she whispered. “I only want you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Whether it was a shout or Homer’s excited barking or merely an inexplicable sense of the majestic oaks clapping audibly, she didn’t know, but the woods pealed with a tangible joy. Brady ran to her, caught her in his arms, and laughed as he swung her around.

  “Then why, dear girl,” he lowered his face and his lips grazed hers, “are we talking about rent?”

  “I thought maybe you just wanted the vote.”

  “How could you—? Oh, Gina.” He kissed her soundly. “Convinced?”

  She smiled. “Almost. Better try again.”

  “Just a minute. Homer!” He pointed a finger at the dog and spoke sternly. “Quiet. Now,” Brady turned to her and slid her cap around backward, “where were we? Ah, yes, convincing you.” His second try took a bit longer. “Satisfied?”

  Held in his turquoise gaze like this, how could she ever not be? But there was something. “Brady, are you really willing to leave here and move to Seattle?”

  “Sweetheart, when you told me goodbye Saturday night, I came home and suddenly I knew it wasn’t home anymore. It never would be again without you. And I saw that you were right. I was being selfish about holding on to this place. Giving it up was the only way I could think of to prove how much I love you. All I need is my laptop, a plane ticket to wherever you are, and a prayer that you’ll give us a chance.”

  “And a dog carrier for Homer.”

  He grinned.

  She kissed his cheek. “I love you, Brady Olafsson. And I’ll give us a chance on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That you stop the references to Podunk. After all, this is my hometown.”

  “Hometown?” His grin widened. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning I’m giving up the Seattle job. How else can I prove just how much I love you?”

  The woods sang with their laughter.

  Other Books by

  Sally John

  THE OTHER WAY HOME SERIES

  A Journey by Chance

  After All These Years

  Just to See You Smile

  The Winding Road Home

  IN A HEARTBEAT SERIES

  In a Heartbeat

  Flash Point

  Moment of Truth

  THE BEACH HOUSE SERIES

  The Beach House

  Castles in the Sand

  Beach Dreams

  (by Trish Perry)

  Harvest House Publishers

  Fiction for Every Taste and Interest

  Gilbert Morris

  JACQUES & CLEO, CAT

  DETECTIVES

  Cat’s Pajamas

  What the Cat Dragged In

  When the Cat’s Away

  Mindy Starns Clark

  SMART CHICK

  MYSTERY SERIES

  The Trouble with Tulip

  Blind Dates Can Be Murder

  Elementary, My Dear Watkins

  MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERIES

  A Penny for Your Thoughts

  Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels

  A Dime a Dozen

  The Buck Stops Here

  A Quarter for a Kiss

  Debra White Smith

  THE AUSTEN SERIES

  First Impressions

  Reason and Romance

  Central Park

  Amanda

  Northpointe Chalet

  Possibilities

  THE DEBUTANTES

  Heather

  Lorna

  Susan Page Davis

  Frasier Island

  Finding Marie

  Susan Meissner

  A Window to the World

  Remedy for Regret

  In All Deep Places

  Seahorse in the Thames

  RACHAEL FLYNN

  MYSTERY SERIES

  Widows and Orphans

  Sticks and Stones

  Days and Hours

  Sally John

  THE OTHER WAY

  HOME SERIES

  A Journey by Chance

  After All These Years

  Just to See You Smile

  The Winding Road Home

  IN A HEARTBEAT SERIES

  In a Heartbeat

  Flash Point

  Moment of Truth

  THE BEACH HOUSE SERIES

  The Beach House

  Castles in the Sand

  Beach Dreams

  Brandt Dodson

  COLTON PARKER

  MYSTERY SERIES

  Original Sin

  Seventy Times Seven

  Root of All Evil

  The Lost Sheep

  Siri Mitchell

  Moon Over Tokyo

  George Polivka

  TROPHY CHASE TRILOGY

  Legend of the Firefish

  The Hand That Bears the Sword

  Battle of the Vast Dominion

  Craig Parshall

  Trial by Ordeal

  THE THISTLE AND THE CROSS SERIES

  Crown of Fire

  Captives and Kings

  Sons of Glory

  CHAMBERS OF JUSTICE SERIES

  The Resurrection File

  Custody of the State

  The Accused

  Missing Witness

  The Last Judgment

  Roxanne Henke

  The Secret of Us

  COMING HOME TO BREWSTER SERIES

  After Anne

  Finding Ruth

  Becoming Olivia

  Always Jan

  With Love, Libby

  B.J. Hoff

  Song of Erin

  MOUNTAIN SONG LEGACY

  A Distant Music

  The Wind Harp

  The Song Weaver

 

 

 


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