Page 61 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

Shauna is a dead end. She was always a dead end.

I drive around town for a while letting my thoughts run amok while I look around, wondering if I might spot Igor.

If he’s here, then I’ll know for sure who’s been sending the flowers. Otherwise, I will just continue to be uncertain.

As I pull up outside James’s house, the uncertainty turns into a gut-wrenching realization. I’m sick to my stomach, anguished and heart broken.

“There she is,” James says when I come into the living room.

It’s already dark out, the night settling quietly over the mountains. Tricia and Ainsley are dozing off on the sofa, a jack-o’-lantern-shaped bucket at their feet.

“Did they have fun trick or treating?”

James smiles. “They did. And they got into the candy before I could hide it. They are now crashing from their sugar high.”

I look at the sleeping girls and feel my heart breaking all over again. I already love them like my own and now I have to leave them.

“Are you okay?” James asks, giving me a worried look.

He gets up as I step closer. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into a heartfelt kiss, pouring all the love I have in me into this one, simple gesture, making the most of every second I’ve got left with him. “I’m just tired,” I say. “Where are Oliver and Roman?”

“They should be back later,” he replies. “They’re finishing up some contract renewals in town.”

“Can I help you tuck the girls in?”

“Sure,” he smiles softly.

I can’t get enough of the warm green of his eyes, of the honey-like sweetness that his voice fills me with, or the sense of strength and security that his presence alone gives me. I’ll miss it. All of it. But I swallow the pain back and smile as I scoop Tricia into my arms.

“I’ll get the other scoundrel,” James says as he picks up Ainsley. They both stir and grumble.

“Mama,” Tricia whispers, hiding her face in my sweater. It feels like a punch in the chest.

“What did she say?” James asks, eyes wide with muted shock.

“Mama,” Tricia says again, sluggishly looking up at me.

“Oh, honey,” I reply with a soft smile. I kiss her forehead as I carry her up the stairs, James following closely with Ainsley. Once we’re in their bedroom, we gently set them both in their beds.

“Read us a story?” Ainsley mumbles, though barely awake.

“An automated request,” I giggle.

James kisses her forehead then pulls the thick covers over Ainsley and her sister one at a time. “Tomorrow night, I promise. You’re both exhausted. You’ll be dreaming better stories in a minute or two, don’t worry.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

“I love you both to the moon and back, you know that, right?” His voice trembles ever so slightly whenever he says those words. I know he means them with his sweet, innocent daughters.

“Now and forever,” Tricia mutters, eyes closed, lips curling into a delicate smile.

From where I’m standing, they look like angels from a Renaissance painting. Creamy skin, cute freckles scattered about their round cheeks, playful, copper-colored curls splayed across the pillows.

I’ll miss them more than words can say.

James comes over and takes me in his arms. “Have you had dinner?” he quietly asks.

“I nibbled a bit, yeah,” I reply. “I could eat, though.”

---