Page 87 of Veiled Yearning

My breath catches. “I love you, Gavril. You stormed in and stole my heart when I was least expecting it. And it’s yours. My heart. It always will be.” An image comes back to me, and I smile at the memory. “I think I knew from the moment you came out in the snow with me, wearing that tasseled hat.”

He stares at me for a second, then chuckles. “Seeing me in that ridiculous hat made you fall in love with me?”

“Partly.” I scoot closer, leaning my head on his shoulder and peering up at him. “You weren’t intimidating Gavril anymore. I saw the real you. The handsome, sensitive man I couldn’t stop from falling in love with.”

“Chiara.” His voice throbs with emotion; such a jarring difference from how he used to be. “I’ll do anything to make you happy. Anything. If you want me to wear a ridiculous hat every day, I will.”

A giggle bursts out, light and fizzy and full of joy. “Maybe just in the winter.”

His lips twitch. “Just don’t make me do it in front of Frederick. I’ll never hear the end of it.” He pauses. “That reminds me. I spoke to Frederick yesterday.”

“Oh? Are he and Cait doing okay?”

“Yes. They’re fine. But actually, he called because he and Cait happened to see a property listed, and he thought we might be interested.”

“Really?” I turn in his lap, so I’m facing him. “Where? What is it?”

Just like we discussed, Gavril and I have plans to move to the Adirondacks as soon as we can find something that works for us. While I’ve loved staying at my cabin in Maine for the last three weeks, I’ve actually been eager to move closer to our friends.

Our friends. Because I’m not insistent on being alone anymore. I text with Cait almost daily, and I’m in touch with Jules, Grace, and Ivy, too. We’ve talked about all getting together in Lake George, or visiting Ethan and Ivy in New York City, or skiing in Lake Placid with Grace and Roman. And I’m really looking forward to it.

Gavril takes my hand. “It’s a little island on Saranac Lake; it used to be used as a corporate getaway but just went on the market. There’s lots of room for friends to visit, if you want.” A small smile appears. “Room for pets, too.”

“And it’s close to Frederick? Alex? Larkin?”

“Close enough. Lake George is about an hour and a half away. Lake Placid is less than thirty minutes. And we can get to Albany in a little over two hours.”

“And pets? Dogs? Cats?”

His voice gentles. “Yes. There’s plenty of room for pets.”

“What about a goat? Or some chickens?”

His eyebrows jump to his hairline. “Goats? Well…”

I grin at his obvious hesitancy. “Maybe not goats. But dogs? At least two? And some cats?”

Gavril’s arms come around me, hugging me close. “Chiara. We can have any animals you want. As long as you’re happy.”

“When can we see it?”

“Well.” He thinks. “We could stay with Roman and Grace for the night. Or we could get a hotel in Saranac Lake. Either way, we could head there today, if you want.”

I never knew it was possible to be this happy.

“Yes.” I hold his gaze, letting him see all the love inside me, all the emotions that are too powerful for words. “Let’s go today.”

Gavril. Some dogs and cats. An island. Friends.

It’s all I ever wanted, and so much more.

“Okay, gorgeous.” Gavril strokes my cheek and his expression is achingly tender. “Let’s find our perfect home together.”

Everything I went through was worth it for this.

I lean in to kiss him, my heart bursting with happiness. “I can’t wait.”

Epilogue

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