Page 120 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He’d trade both the job and his uncle and a whole lot more to have one more shot with Aspen. Because, deep in his heart, from the first lunch they’d spent together, he’d known she mattered. It wasn’t that he’d cared for her from the start. It wasn’t that she was vulnerable and needed a friend. Those were both true, but that wasn’t driving him.

He’d known almost from the beginning that God had brought Aspen into his life for a reason.

Aspen was supposed to be part of Garrett’s life. As difficult as his past had been, with the broken relationship with his father, and now the broken relationship with his uncle, he was intended to have a solid relationship in the future. With Aspen.

Across the room, Andrew’s gaze never wavered from Garrett’s face. He smiled. “It’s the girl, I guess?”

“It’s Aspen. She’s the one I’m not willing to lose.” He glared at his friend. “And you can keep your cracks about romance novels and…whatever else...to yourself.”

Andrew’s smile widened. “Far be it from me to razz you about it, all things considered.”

A good point. Andrew had risked everything for Grace.

“Aspen is the woman God has for me.” Garrett spoke the words, more confident in their truth by the second. “I’m going to marry her, assuming I can get her to speak to me again.”

“If you’re right,” Andrew said, “then nothing will stop His plans.”

Garrett let that thought settle, and for the first time since his argument with Dean, he felt hope.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Tonight was the night.

So far, everything had gone according to plan. The Planner and the Crusader had met and driven to a pay phone, where the Crusader had called her husband and asked him to meet her at their overlook. She’d had to get emotional, even managed to conjure some tears, but ultimately, he’d agreed.

His parents were at the house because the baby was sick, so he wouldn’t have the kid in tow. It was all working out perfectly.

He and Jane took the main road to the side street that led to the lumber company. He’d traveled this route more than once during the planning stage, but he’d never seen so many cars parked along the road. Somebody was having a party.

He averted his gaze from the cars parked there. Hopefully, they were all empty, but one could never be too sure. Jane didn’t seem worried. She chatted about what a difference they were going to make, about how they were changing the world.

He wasn’t sure about that. This would be a blip, an inconvenience for one company. If they managed to close this one down, another would come in and buy up their land and their equipment. They were only making a statement, nothingmore. But it would make Jane happy. For that, he was willing to risk his freedom.

After this, she’d be his. He was sure of it.

They reached the parking lot and were about to drive past to the loading zone in the back, where they’d leave the device, when he caught sight of a car in the lot.

A car.

“Stop.”

She slammed on the brakes, and he pointed. “Someone’s here.”

Jane’s eyes were wide and excited. “Bad luck for them, I guess.”

She eased her foot off the brake and continued on.

“We can’t do it. We’re not trying to hurt anybody.”

But she didn’t hear him or didn’t care.

She giggled and kept going.

He planted his hand on hers on the gear shift. “You have to turn around. We’re not doing this tonight.”

She ignored him, parking exactly where they’d decided. Out of the view of the cameras. Dressed in all black, he’d planned to keep his head down and run across the lot. He’d set the timer for five minutes, and they’d be out of there before it detonated.

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