Page 68 of Vodka and Chocolate Drops

“Remind me to tell you about the time I paid the entire rent while Russell Peaks wrote his novel.”

John’s eyebrows drew into a peak. “Did you want to take him to court?”

Amber waved away the suggestion. “If you’re talking to Rosalind, tell her thanks, and that I’ll stay as long as she lets me.”

John made a note on the pink slip. “Have you heard from your mother?”

Amber could feel her body seizing up, trying to hide what she knew. It wasn’t her secret to reveal. It was her mom’s.

Don’t blow it, Amber.

“I was wondering when she’ll be ready.” He tipped his head toward the open door, indicating that Liz was likely eavesdropping.

“Soon,” Amber said, wondering how the conversation would change things for all of them. Would John claim her publicly? What would Marisa think of having a half sister?

“And how about you? How are things?” John asked. “I saw you and Scott on the water tower. He’s a good man.”

“Are you two together?” Liz called. “I heard you were kissing.”

“Confidential conversation happening in here,” John called back to her.

“Then close the door! I can hear everything the two of you are saying and it’s killing me.”

John grinned.

“But for the record, Amber,” Liz continued, “it’s about time the two of you finally got it on.”

Amber glanced at her father, her face burning with embarrassment.

“Don’t screw it up!” Liz added.

“I’ll do my best,” Amber muttered. Before she left, she quietly added, “You might want to find Gloria and make the opportunity happen. She’s scared.”

Even more scared than Amber was that they wouldn’t claim their relationship and the child that had come out of it.

10

Amber walked the sidewalks of Blueberry Springs, zigzagging her way over to Scott’s. She felt excited yet apprehensive. She’d finally told him she loved him. She’d kissed him as though there was no tomorrow. But she didn’t know where they went from here.

Scott had been gone all day with Jen’s boyfriend, the local ranger, Rob, investigating a possible poaching incident. It was almost suppertime and she hoped Scott would be home to join her.

As she passed her mother’s house, Amber paused. She’d seen John’s car in the driveway earlier and it was still there. That had to be good. If they were fighting, one of them would have stormed off already. Amber mentally crossed her fingers for them and kept walking. It was never too late to find love. She only hoped they let go of the past and found whatever it was they needed for their future.

Love was a funny thing. Scott had somehow managed to hold a torch for Amber through all the years, and it looked as though her mother had done the same for John.

And while Amber wanted to believe what Scott felt was true love, a part of her worried that those “torches” were simply optimistic dreams of what one couldn’t have.

Amber’s steps faltered as doubts filtered into her thoughts. She shook her head. No. She needed to stop thinking and simply allow herself to love him. Let it all hang out. He was Scott. Her best friend. The man who knew her better than she knew herself sometimes.

She was enough. Their love was enough.

With Russell it had been more about proving to the world that she could catch the attention of someone big and amazing than about her and Russell being in love. She didn’t even miss him now. But Scott… Anything with him would be all-in. No hiding. He would accept nothing less than her entire heart, and would give her a level of devotion that would be both scary and so solid she could build her whole life around it.

And that was terrifying. What if he took it away? What if it wasn’t as strong as they planned on it being? She would go all-in and get hurt.

Yet there was nothing she’d ever wanted so badly in her life. To go on this adventure with her best friend was the most exciting thing she could imagine doing with her coming years.

Amber knocked on Scott’s door, anticipation building within her. No answer. She tried the handle. Locked. His neighbor came out onto her front step and said, “He’s not home. Not that I watch. I just wanted to be able to spray my dandelions without a lecture from him on the impact of herbicides.”

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