Page 36 of The One Who Risked it All

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “Don’t push your luck. I said I’d give us a chance, not that I’d swoon at your feet.”

But even as I bantered back, a part of me wondered if it was already too late. Had I ever really gotten over Eli Wells? Or had I just been running from the possibility of getting hurt again?

As those thoughts raced through my mind, Eli’s arms encircled me, pulling me into a tender embrace. The warmth of his body contrasted with the cool evening air, sending a shiver down my spine. I hesitated for a split second before melting into his chest, my arms wrapping around his waist.

“You okay?” Eli murmured, his breath tickling my ear.

I nodded against his shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of smoke and pine that seemed to cling to him. “Just... processing,” I admitted.

He chuckled softly. “Yeah, me too. Never thought I’d be standing here with you like this again.”

As we stood there, bathed in the soft glow of the fairy lights above us, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. It was like coming home after a long, exhausting journey. But a nagging voice in the back of my head wouldn’t let me fully relax.

What if this doesn’t work out? What if our families try to tear us apart again?

Eli must have sensed my tension because he pulled back slightly, his dark eyes searching mine. “Hey, what’s going on in that head of yours, Putnam?”

I bit my lip, debating whether to voice my fears. “It’s just... are we crazy for doing this? With our families and everything?”

He grinned, that infuriating, heart-flipping grin. “Probably. But when have I ever let a little crazy stop me?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Fair point. I guess we’re in this together then, huh?”

“Now you get it,” he said, taking my hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever comes next, we face it hand-in-hand.”

CHAPTER 14

Elijah

Iheard the patter of excited feet before I saw them. Alex, Linc, and Joey burst into my parents’ kitchen like a tiny whirlwind, their faces beaming with pride as they clutched colorful construction paper in their hands.

“Uncle Eli! Look what we made!” Alex exclaimed, thrusting a card covered in glitter and crayon scribbles toward me.

I couldn’t help but smile as I knelt down to their level and admired their handiwork. “Wow, guys. These are amazing. What are they for?”

Joey, barely able to contain his excitement, bounced on his toes and made what I could only assume was his attempt at a monkey sound. “For Papa! To make him all better!”

My heart squeezed a little at their innocent enthusiasm. I ruffled Joey’s hair, careful not to mess up the spiky style he was so proud of. “That’s really thoughtful of you. I’m sure Papa will love them.”

Dad was coming home today, and we were officially the welcoming party.

As I examined each card, marveling at the creativity only kids could muster, I heard familiar footsteps enter the kitchen. I glanced up to see Carla, her presence immediately shiftingsomething in the air. Our eyes met briefly, and I felt that familiar tug of attraction I’d been trying to ignore. No longer, though. I’d held her on the porch for a glorious twenty minutes last night.

“Well, what do we have here?” Carla’s warm smile lit up her face as she joined our little huddle. “Are these masterpieces I see?”

Lincoln, usually the quietest of the bunch, gave a shy smile filled with pride and a little eye roll. “You already saw them, Miss Carla!”

Carla leaned in conspiratorially, her eyes twinkling. “You know what? I think these cards are so good, they might just have magical healing powers.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that, catching Carla’s eye again. “Oh yeah? And where did you get your medical degree, Dr. Putnam?”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’ll have you know, Mr. Wells, I graduated top of my class from the University of Awesome Teachers.”

The boys giggled, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with soup simmering on the stove. For a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like if this was our normal—Carla and me, surrounded by laughing kids, no family feuds or complicated histories between us.

But reality had a way of crashing back in, and I pushed the thought aside. I had to focus on helping Dad recover, not daydreaming about a future that couldn’t happen. Still, as I watched Carla praise the boys’ artistic skills, I couldn’t quite squash the tiny spark of hope that flickered in my heart.

I couldn’t help myself. Maybe it was the way Carla’s eyes crinkled when she smiled, or how the afternoon sunlight caught her hair just right. Whatever it was, I found myself leaning in, pressing a quick, soft kiss to her lips.

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