Page 14 of Lost and Found

“What about you? I can’t leave you here all alone.”

“So you’ll drive down to see me once a week or something. I’m not going anywhere. And I can come to visit you too. Maybe find a hot lumberjack myself.” She tugs a coil of my hair.

I think I just needed someone to tell me it’s okay. That I’m not crazy for wanting this or being scared of getting hurt again. Grammy is right. Wyatt’s nothing like James and he’d never break my heart.

“Do you love this boy?”

I almost laugh at my grandmother calling Wyatt aboy. “Yes,” I confess, wishing I’d told him as much when we were together. Wishing I’d never left at all.

“Then go get your man, Doodlebug. Be happy and be loved. Just don’t forget about the decrepit old lady withering away all alone in this big house.” She lifts the back of her hand to her forehead and sighs dramatically, making me laugh.

“Maybe I’ll put you in a home so I don’t have to worry about you. What’s the nice one called? Shady something or other?”

“Alright, missy. There’ll be no more talk of retirement homes. I can take care of myself just fine.”

I give her a big squeeze. “I know, Grammy. I’m only teasing.”

We visit a while longer, and I cherish my time with the sweetest septuagenarian I know. Then I rush back to my apartment with a new plan forming in my mind.

I race up the stairs, too impatient to wait for the elevator, but come to a screeching halt when I spot a muscular figure sitting in the hallway by my door.

“Wyatt?” My voice trembles as I take a half-step forward.

His head whips in my direction and he shoots to his feet, dusting off his worn jeans with a few brushes of his big hands. He gives me a wide smile and my heart stutters at the sight. I run and throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and encircling his tapered waist with my thick thighs.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as I bury my face in the crook of his neck and breathe in his woodsy scent.

“I tried, but I can’t be without you, sweetheart.” His voice is gruff, sending a shiver down my spine. “I’ll live wherever you want. I just need to be with you.”

“I love you!” I blurt out, lifting my head to look into his eyes. “I love you so much.”

Yearning and adoration are reflected in his gaze. “I love you too, Molly. So fucking much.”

“Then take me home.Yourhome. That’s where I belong.”

EPILOGUE

WYATT

Three Months Later

As I pick the last few blackberries and add them to my brimming basket, I know it’s time to head back. Molly needs them for a pie she plans on making for dinner, and I’ve gathered more than enough berries for her. Besides, Bear is too distracted by a passing butterfly to care about continuing farther down the trail. I laugh and watch him prance around as he tries to catch the elusive insect. I give his head a quick pat, and we turn around and make our way home.

He happily trots alongside me. Our walks have become shorter whenever it’s just the two of us. I don’t like leaving the cabin for too long while Molly is alone. It’s not that I’m worried about her safety; it’s just that I hate being away from her.

When I left earlier, she was engrossed in a video call with a bride-to-be at her new desk in the living room. She still runs her wedding planning business. She does a majority of it online, since she moved in with me a few months ago. Her assistant takes care of most of the hands-on tasks, but Molly still attends every event to ensure it all goes smoothly.

As we approach the cabin, I see Molly sitting on the old stump I use to chop wood. When she spots me, a mischievous grin spreads across her face. She’s in a playful mood, so what kind of man would I be to disappoint her?

“Bear. In the house,” I command, and the fluffy Husky enters our cabin through his doggie door. Then I turn toward my sexy little siren. “Hey, sweetheart.”

She looks at me with those big doe eyes, her lips parted as she licks them.

Lifting her chin, I expose her delicate neck and lean in to nip at her soft skin. “You waiting for me?” I rasp against her, feeling a possessive claim wash over me.

Molly gasps, arching into my touch before wrapping her legs around me. “I missed you,” she moans, giving me an exaggerated pout as she tugs at the hem of my shirt.

My hands roam over her luscious body as I admire her perfect curves and supple skin. She trembles beneath my touch, eager for more, so I grab a fistful of her hair, tugging her head back until our eyes meet.

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